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{{Short description|Highest speed achieved by a person in a land vehicle}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2008}}
{{About||the album by the band [[Hüsker Dü]]|Land Speed Record (album)|the sport of setting land speed records|land speed racing|records by rail vehicles|railway speed record}}
[[Image:Rc05640.jpg|thumb|right|[[Ralph DePalma]] in his Packard '905' Special at [[Daytona Beach Road Course|Daytona Beach]] in 1919, courtesy Florida Photographic Collection]]
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{For|the album by the band [[Hüsker Dü]]|Land Speed Record (album)}}


[[File:ThrustSSC.jpg|thumb|right|[[ThrustSSC]], driven by [[Royal Air Force]] pilot [[Andy Green (RAF officer)|Andy Green]], holds the current land speed record at {{cvt|763.035|mph|disp=flip}} set October 15, 1997.]]
The '''land speed record''' is the fastest speed achieved by any wheeled vehicle on land, as opposed to one [[Water speed record|on water]] or [[Flight airspeed record|in the air]] or [[Land speed record for railed vehicles|on rails]]. It is standardized as the speed over a course of fixed length, averaged over two runs in opposite directions. The current absolute (or unlimited) record holder is [[ThrustSSC]], a twin [[turbofan|turbofan jet]]-powered car which has achieved 763.98364808700321 mph (slightly under 1228 km/h) over one mile (1.6 km), breaking the [[sound barrier]]. There are also records for specific classes of vehicle, such as [[motorcycle]]s ({{convert|350.884|mph|km/h|2|abbr=on|disp=s}}, currently held by [[Chris Carr (motorcyclist)|Chris Carr]]), and [[Steam engine|steam-driven]] vehicles ([[Fred Marriott]], {{convert|127.659|mph|km/h|2|abbr=on|disp=s}}), but this list only includes the absolute speed records for wheeled vehicles on ground, without rails. Early records predate standardisation and are sometimes controversial.


The '''land speed record''' ('''LSR''') or '''absolute land speed record''' is the highest [[speed]] achieved by a person using a [[vehicle]] on land. By a 1964 agreement between the [[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile]] (FIA) and [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme]] (FIM), respective governing bodies for racing in automobiles and motorcycles (two or three wheels), both bodies recognise as the absolute LSR whatever is the highest speed record achieved across any of their various categories.<ref name="times19641212"/> While the three-wheeled [[Spirit of America (automobile)|''Spirit of America'']] set an FIM-validated LSR in 1963, all subsequent LSRs are by vehicles in FIA Category C ("Special Vehicles") in either class JE (jet engine) or class RT (rocket powered).<ref>{{cite web |title=List Of FIA Absolute World Records |url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/basicpage/file/World%20Records.pdf |publisher=FIA |access-date=9 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Official List Of World Speed Records Homologated By The FIA In Category C |url=https://www.fia.com/sites/default/files/basicpage/file/Category%20C_0.pdf |publisher=FIA |access-date=9 April 2023}}</ref>
The ThrustSSC record was achieved by British [[RAF]] pilot [[Andy Green]] on [[15 October]] [[1997]]. It was set in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, USA. Thrust Super Sonic Car's two jet engines produced a combined total of 100 thousand pounds-force (440&nbsp;kN) of thrust force. During its record-breaking run, Thrust SSC accelerated to {{convert|600|mph|km/h|abbr=on|-1}} in just 16 seconds and became the first car to break the sound barrier.


FIA LSRs are officiated and validated by its regional or national affiliate organizations.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/records/Pages/Introduction.aspx |title=FIA land speed records |publisher=FIA |access-date=October 16, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081011151924/http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/records/Pages/Introduction.aspx |archive-date=October 11, 2008 }}</ref> Speed measurement is standardized over a course measuring either {{convert|1|km}} or {{convert|1|mile}}, [[Arithmetic mean|averaged]] over two runs with flying start (commonly called "passes")<ref>[http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/records/appendixd/Pages/Chapter2.aspx Regulations for Record Attempts – CHAPTER 2] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123050305/http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/records/appendixd/Pages/Chapter2.aspx |date=November 23, 2010 }} – FIA</ref> going in opposite directions within one hour. A new record mark must exceed the previous one by at least one percent to be validated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fia.com/sport/Regulations/Common/sporting_code/chapter07.html |work=Sporting Code: Chapter 7: Records |publisher=FIA |access-date=October 16, 2008 |title=§105. Conditions for the recognition of international or world records |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081221225344/http://www.fia.com/sport/Regulations/Common/sporting_code/chapter07.html |archive-date=December 21, 2008 }}</ref>
===1898 to 1947===

{| class="wikitable" style="clear: both; font-size:95%;"
== History ==
{{further|Railway speed record}}
Until 1829 the fastest land transport was by horse.
The first regulator was the [[French Automobile Club|''Automobile Club de France'']], which proclaimed itself arbiter of the record in about 1902.<ref name="Northey1162">
{{Cite book|last=Northey |first=Tom |chapter=Land Speed Record: The Fastest Men on Earth |editor=Ian Ward |title=World of Automobiles |location=London |publisher=Orbis |year=1974 |volume=10 |page=1162}}
</ref>

[[File:Rc05640.jpg|thumb|[[Ralph DePalma]] in his Packard '905' Special at [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]] in 1919]]

[[File:White Triplex n041942.jpg|thumb|The [[White Triplex]] in 1928, driven by [[Ray Keech]]]]

Different clubs had different standards and did not always recognize the same world records<ref>
{{Cite book|last1=Martin|first1=James A.|first2=Thomas F. |last2=Saal |title=American Auto Racing: The Milestones and Personalities of a Century of Speed|publisher=[[McFarland & Company|McFarland]]|year=2004 |page=39|chapter=Ch 17: Land Speed Record to 1939|isbn=978-0-7864-1235-8}}
</ref> until 1924, when the ''Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus'' (AIACR) introduced new regulations: two passes in opposite directions (to negate the effects of wind) averaged with a maximum of 30&nbsp;minutes (later more) between runs, average gradient of the racing surface not more than 1&nbsp;percent, timing gear accurate within 0.01sec, and cars must be [[drive wheel|wheel-driven]].<ref name="Northey1163">Northey, p.1163.</ref> National or regional auto clubs (such as [[American Automobile Association|AAA]] and [[SCTA]]) had to be AIACR members to ensure records would be recognized.<ref name="Northey1164">Northey, p.1164.</ref> The AIACR became the FIA in 1947. Controversy arose in 1963: ''[[Spirit of America (automobile)|Spirit of America]]'' was not recognized due to its being a three-wheeler (leading the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme]] to certify it as a three-wheel motorcycle record when the FIA refused) and not wheel-driven so the FIA introduced a special [[wheel-driven land speed record|jet and rocket propelled class]].<ref name="Northey1166">Northey, p.1166.</ref> No holder of the absolute record since has been wheel-driven.

In the U.S. and Australia, record runs are often done on [[Salt pan (geology)|salt flats]], so the cars are often called salt cars.{{citation needed|date=December 2020}}

== Women's land speed record ==
[[File:Miss Dorothy Levitt, in a 26hp Napier, Brooklands, 1908.jpg|thumb|[[Dorothy Levitt]], in a {{cvt|26|hp|disp=flip}} Napier, at [[Brooklands]], England, in 1908]]

The FIA does not recognize separate men's and women's land speed records, because the records are set using [[Motor vehicle|motorized vehicles]], and not [[Human-powered transport|muscle-powered vehicles]], so the gender of the driver does not matter; however, unofficial women's records have long been claimed, seemingly starting with [[Dorothy Levitt]]'s 1906 record in [[Blackpool]], England, and, unlike the FIA and other car-racing organisations, ''[[Guinness World Records]]'' does recognize gender-based land speed records.<ref name="Strohl2019-09-26-01a">{{cite news |url=https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2019/09/26/what-exactly-is-the-womens-world-land-speed-record |title=What exactly is the women's world land-speed record? |publisher=[[Hemmings Motor News|Hemmings]] |first=Daniel |last=Strohl |date=26 September 2019 |access-date=25 June 2021 |quote=... the Fédération Internationale de L'Automobile, which oversees world land-speed record attempts, doesn't recognize separate men's and women's records. ... The Guinness Book of World Records – to which the North American Eagle team submitted Combs's data – appears to be the only record-keeping entity that does recognize gender-separated land-speed records ... The idea of creating a separate, though unofficial, category for women's land-speed records likely originated with Levitt ... Goodyear and Firestone didn't place Murphy, Skelton, and Lee Breedlove in those cars to empower women; they did it instead to market to women ... That the women's land-speed record does not officially exist may be a relic of less enlightened times when men believed women to be inferior and incapable of handling an automobile, but it may also, ironically, serve the interests of gender equality.}}</ref>

In 1906, Dorothy Levitt broke the women's world speed record for the flying kilometer, recording a speed of {{cvt|96|mph|km/h|0|order=flip}} and receiving the [[sobriquet]] the "Fastest Girl on Earth". She drove a six-cylinder [[D. Napier & Son|Napier motorcar]], a {{cvt|100|hp|kW|0|order=flip}} development of the K5, in a speed trial in [[Blackpool]].<ref name="Hull - Napier">Hull, Peter G. "Napier: The Stradivarius of the Road", in Northey, Tom, ed. The World of Automobiles (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 13, p.1483.</ref><ref name="Cars:Early">[[G.N. Georgano]] ''Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886–1930''. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985).</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.btinternet.com/~rhobbs/womtime.htm |title=Women in Motorsport – Timeline |publisher=Btinternet.com |access-date=October 17, 2010 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120724160016/http://www.btinternet.com/~rhobbs/womtime.htm |archive-date=July 24, 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

in 1963, [[Paula Murphy]] drove a [[Studebaker Avanti]] to {{cvt|163|mph|km/h|0|order=flip}} at the [[Bonneville Salt Flats]] as part of [[Andy Granatelli]]'s attempt on the overall record.<ref name="Strohl2019-09-26-01a" /> In 1964, she was asked by the [[tire company]] [[Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company|Goodyear]] to try to improve her own record, which she raised to {{cvt|226.37|mph|km/h|2|order=flip}} in [[Walt Arfons]]'s [[jet dragster]] ''Avenger''.<ref name="Strohl2019-09-26-01a" /><ref name="Hawley2011-01a">{{cite book |author=Samuel Hawley |title=Speed Duel: The Inside Story of the Land Speed Record in the Sixties |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w-1ECQAAQBAJ |year=2011 |publisher=Firefly Books |isbn=978-1-77088-007-8 |pages= |quote=}}</ref> The rival tire company [[Firestone Tire and Rubber Company|Firestone]] and [[Art Arfons]] hit back against Goodyear and Walt Arfons when [[Betty Skelton]] drove Art's ''Cyclops'' to achieve a two-way average of {{cvt|277.52|mph|km/h|2|order=flip}} in September 1965.<ref name="Strohl2019-09-26-01a" />

Five weeks later, Goodyear hit back against Firestone with [[Lee Breedlove]].<ref name="Strohl2019-09-26-01a" /> While recordkeeping has not been as extensive, a report in 1974 confirmed that a record was held by Lee Breedlove, the wife of then overall record holder [[Craig Breedlove]], who piloted her husband's [[Spirit of America (automobile)#Spirit of America - Sonic 1|''Spirit of America – Sonic I'']] to a record {{cvt|308.506|mph|km/h|order=flip}} in 1965.<ref>{{Citation |last=Twite |first=Mike |title=Breedlove: Towards the sound barrier |journal=World of Automobiles, Orbis Publishing |volume=2 |year=1974 |pages=231}}</ref> According to author [[Rachel Kushner]], Craig Breedlove had talked Lee into taking the car out for a record attempt in order to monopolize the salt flats for the day and block one of his competitors from making a record attempt.<ref>"[https://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/07/books/rachel-kushner-author-of-the-flamethrowers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 Knowingly Navigating the Unknown] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031172718/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/07/books/rachel-kushner-author-of-the-flamethrowers.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0 |date=October 31, 2015 }}", Maria Russo, ''[[The New York Times]]'', May 7, 2013</ref>

In 1976, the women's absolute record was set by [[Kitty O'Neil]], in the jet-powered, three-wheeled ''[[SMI Motivator]]'', at the [[Alvord Desert]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Ellen Jares |first=Sue |title=The Renaissance Woman of Danger—That's Tiny Kitty O'Neil |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20067351,00.html |work=People |access-date=January 7, 2014 |archive-date=December 2, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131202181048/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20067351,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> Held back by her contract with a sponsor and using only 60 percent of her car's power, O'Neil reached an average speed of {{cvt|512.710|mph|km/h|order=flip}}.<ref>{{cite web |last=Phinizy |first=Coles |title=A Rocket Ride To Glory And Gloom |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1977/01/17/565972/a-rocket-ride-to-glory-and-gloom |work=SI Vault |access-date=August 28, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Deaf stuntwoman Kitty O'Neil sets women's land-speed record |url=http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/deaf-stuntwoman-kitty-oneil-sets-womens-land-speed-record |work=History |access-date=January 7, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190613000719/http://www.history.com:80/this-day-in-history/deaf-stuntwoman-kitty-oneil-sets-womens-land-speed-record |archive-date=June 13, 2019}}</ref>

On October 9, 2013, driver [[Jessi Combs]], in a vehicle of the [[North American Eagle Project]] running at the Alvord Desert, raised the women's four-wheel [[Land speed racing#Records by class|land speed class record]] with an official run of {{cvt|392.954|mph|km/h|2|order=flip}}, surpassing Breedlove's 48-year-old record.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.slashgear.com/female-land-speed-record-broken-by-jessi-combs-after-48-years-15301457/ |title=Female land speed record broken by Jessi Combs after 48 years |date=October 15, 2013 |website=SlashGear |language=en-US |access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref> Combs continued with the North American Eagle Project, whose ongoing target is the overall land speed record; as part of that effort, Combs was killed, on August 27, 2019, during an attempt to raise the four-wheel record.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/28/us/jessi-combs-race-car-driver-death-trnd/index.html |title=Race car driver Jessi Combs, known as the 'fastest woman on four wheels,' dies while trying to beat record |first=Leah |last=Asmelash |work=CNN |date=August 28, 2019 |access-date=October 26, 2019}}</ref> In late June 2020, the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness Book of Records]] reclassified the August 27, 2019 speed runs as meeting its requirements, and Combs was posthumously credited with the record at {{cvt|841.338|kph|mph}}, noting she was the first to break the record in 40&nbsp;years.<ref name="2020-06-25_ABC-AP">{{cite news |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-25/jet-car-racer-jessi-combs-female-land-speed-record-fatal-crash/12391272 |title=American jet-car racer and Mythbusters host Jessi Combs posthumously awarded world land-speed record for a woman |publisher=[[ABC News Online|ABC]]/[[Associated Press|AP]] |location=US |date=June 25, 2020 |access-date=June 26, 2020}}</ref>

== Records ==

=== 1898–1964 (wheel-driven) ===
{{See also|Land speed racing#Records by class}}

{| class="wikitable" style="clear:both; font-size:95%;"
|-
|-
!width="12%" rowspan="2"|Date
! rowspan="3" | Date
!width="10%" rowspan="2"|Location
! rowspan="3" | Location
!width="13%" rowspan="2"|Driver
! rowspan="3" | Driver
!width="15%" rowspan="2"|Vehicle
! rowspan="3" | Vehicle
!width="8%" rowspan="2"|Power
! rowspan="3" | Power
!width="8%" colspan="2"|Speed over<br />1&nbsp;km
! colspan="4" | Speed
! rowspan="3" | Comments
!width="8%" colspan="2"|Speed over<br />1&nbsp;mile
!width="12%" rowspan="2"|Comments
|-
|-
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;km
!mph!!km/h!!mph!!km/h
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;mile
|-
|-
! (mph) !! (km/h)
|December 18, 1898||[[Achères, Yvelines]], France||{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat]]||[[Jeantaud]] Duc||[[Battery electric vehicle|Electric]]
! (mph) !! (km/h)
|39.24||63.15|| || ||
|-
|-
|December 18, 1898||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Achères, Yvelines|Achères]], France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat]]||[[Jeantaud]] Duc<ref name="Northey1161">Northey, p.1161.</ref>||[[Battery electric vehicle|Electric]]
|January 17, 1899||Achères, France||{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Camille Jenatzy]]||CGA Dogcart||Electric
||39.24||63.15|| || || <ref name="landspeedr">{{cite web |url=http://www.landspeedrecord.org/speed-records/ |title=Land Speed Record Holders Timeline |first=Dave |last=Fowler |year=2019 |access-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref> Conducted over {{Convert|1|km}} from a [[wikt:flying start|flying start]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ross |first=Frank |url=http://archive.org/details/carracingagainst00ross |title=Car racing against the clock : the story of the world land speed record |date=1976 |publisher=Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. |isbn=978-0-688-41743-7 |pages=10–13}}</ref>
|41.42||66.66|| || ||
|-
|-
|January 17, 1899||Achères, France||{{flagicon|FRA}} Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat||[[Jeantaud]] Duc||Electric
|January 17, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Camille Jenatzy]]<ref name="Northey1161"/>|| GCA Dogcart||Electric
|43.69||70.31|| || ||
|41.42||66.66|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|January 27, 1899||Achères, France||{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Camille Jenatzy]]||CGA Dogcart||Electric
|January 17, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat||[[Jeantaud]] Duc||Electric
|49.93||80.35|| || ||
||43.93||70.31|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|March 4, 1899||Achères, France||{{flagicon|FRA}} Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat||[[Jeantaud]] Duc Profilée||Electric
|January 27, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Camille Jenatzy|| GCA Dogcart||Electric
|57.65||92.78|| || ||
||49.93||80.35|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|April 29, 1899||Achères, France||{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Camille Jenatzy]]||CITA No 25, [[La Jamais Contente]]||Electric
|March 4, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat||[[Jeantaud]] Duc Profilée||Electric
||57.65||92.78|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|65.79||105.88||colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||First record over {{convert|100|km/h|mi/h|0|abbr=on}}
|-
|-
|April 29, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Camille Jenatzy|| CITA No 25 ''[[La Jamais Contente]]''|| Electric
|April 13, 1902||[[Nice]], France<br />Promenade des Anglais||{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Gardner-Serpollet|Leon Serpollet]]||[[Gardner-Serpollet]] [[Gardner-Serpollet#Oeuf de Pâques|''Oeuf de Pâques'']] (Easter Egg)||[[Steam car|Steam]]
||65.79||105.88|| || || First purpose-designed land speed racer<ref name=gizmodo>{{cite news |url=https://gizmodo.com/the-blazing-fast-evolution-of-land-speed-record-cars-1604716513 |title=The Blazing Fast Evolution Of Land Speed Record Cars |first=Attila |last=Nagy |work=Gizmodo |location=Australia |date=July 18, 2014 |access-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref> First record over {{convert|100|kph|0|abbr=on}}<ref name="landspeedr" />
|75.06||120.80|| || ||
|-
|-
|April 13, 1902||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Nice]], France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Léon Serpollet]]||[[Gardner-Serpollet]]<br> [[Gardner-Serpollet#The Easter Egg|''Œuf de Pâques'']] (Easter Egg)||[[Steam car|Steam]]<ref name="Northey1162"/>
|November 5, 1902||Ablis, France||{{flagicon|USA}} [[William Kissam Vanderbilt II|William K. Vanderbilt]]<ref name="speedrecordclub.com">{{Cite web|url=http://www.speedrecordclub.com/outland.php|title=Land Speed Record|accessdate=2008-08-02|work=speedrecordclub.com}}</ref>||Mors Z Paris-Vienne||[[Internal combustion|IC]]
|76.08||122.44|| || ||
|75.06||120.80|| || ||
|-
|-
|November 5, 1902||Dourdan, France||{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Henri Fournier]]||Mors Z Paris-Vienne||IC
|August 5, 1902 ||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Ablis]], France||{{Flagicon|USA|variant=1896}} [[William Kissam Vanderbilt II]]||[[Mors (automobile)|Mors]] Z Paris-Vienne||Internal combustion
|76.03||122.438|| || || First internal combustion powered record<ref name="Northey1162"/><!--Eyston, G.E.T. ''Fastest on Earth'' (Los Angeles: Clymer, 1946), pp.173-4, also mentions the 1904 Ormond Beach record-->
|76.60||123.28|| || ||
|-
|-
|November 17, 1902||Dourdan, France||{{flagicon|FRA}} M. Augières||Mors Z Paris-Vienne||IC
|November 5, 1902 ||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Dourdan]], France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Henri Fournier]]||Mors Z Paris-Vienne||Internal combustion<br>V4, 9.2-litre, 60&nbsp;bhp
|76.59||123.25|| || ||<ref name="Posthumus (1971)">Posthumus, Cyril. ''Land Speed Record: A complete history of the record-breaking cars from 39 to 600+ mph'' (Osprey Publishing, Reading, 1971)</ref>
|77.13||124.13|| || ||
|-
|-
|November 17, 1902 ||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Dourdan, France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Maurice Augières||Mors Z Paris-Vienne||Internal combustion
|July 17, 1903||Ostend, Belgium||{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Arthur Duray]]||Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid||IC
|83.46||134.32|| || ||
|77.13||124.13|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|November 5, 1903||Dourdan, France||{{flagicon|BEL}} Arthur Duray||Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid||IC
|July 17, 1903 ||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Ostend]], [[Belgium]]||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Arthur Duray]]|| Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid ||Internal combustion
|84.73||136.36|| || ||
|83.46||132.32|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|November 5, 1903 ||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Dourdan, France||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Arthur Duray|| Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid ||Internal combustion
|January 12, 1904||Lake St. Clair, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Henry Ford]]||[[Ford 999]] Racer||IC
|84.73||136.35|| || || <ref name="Posthumus (1971)" />
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||91.37||147.05||On frozen lake
|-
|-
|January 12, 1904
|March 31, 1904||Nice, France||{{flagicon|BEL}} Arthur Duray||Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid||IC
|{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1896}} [[New Baltimore, Michigan|New Baltimore]], United States
|88.76||142.85|| || ||
|{{Flagicon|USA|variant=1896}} [[Henry Ford]]
|[[Ford 999]] Racer
|Internal combustion
|
|
|91.37
|147.05
|<ref>Cars Against the Clock, The World Land Speed Record, Robert B. Jackson (New York, Henry Z. Walck, Inc.), p.19, {{ISBN|0-8098-2078-1}}</ref>
|-
|-
|March 31, 1904||Nice, France||{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Louis Rigolly]]||Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid||IC
|March 31, 1904||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Nice, France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Louis Rigolly]]||[[Gobron-Brillié]] Paris-Madrid ||Internal combustion|| 94.78 || 152.53 || || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|94.78||152.53|| || ||
|-
|-
|May 25, 1904||Ostend, Belgium||{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Pierre de Caters]]||[[Daimler Motoren Gesellschaft|DMG ''Mercedes'']] Simplex 90||IC
|May 25, 1904||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Ostend, Belgium||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Pierre de Caters]]||[[Mercedes Simplex]] 90 ||Internal combustion|| 97.25 || 156.50 || || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|97.25||156.50|| || ||
|-
|-
|July 21, 1904||Ostend, Belgium||{{flagicon|FRA}} Louis Rigolly||Gobron Brillié [[Gordon Bennett Cup]]||IC
|July 21, 1904<ref name="Posthumus (1971)" />||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Ostend, Belgium||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Louis Rigolly]]||[[Gobron-Brillié]] Gordon Bennett ||Internal combustion|| 103.56 || 166.66 || || || First record over {{convert|100|mph|0|abbr=on}},<ref name="landspeedr"/> 2 months after [[City of Truro]]'s.
|103.56||166.66|| || || first over {{convert|100|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}
|-
|-
|November 13, 1904||Ostend, Belgium||{{flagicon|FRA}} Paul Baras||[[Darracq]] Gordon Bennett||IC
|November 13, 1904||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Ostend, Belgium||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Paul Baras]]||[[Darracq and Company London|Darracq]] Gordon Bennett ||Internal combustion|| 104.53 || 168.22 || || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|104.53||168.22|| || ||
|-
|-
|December 30, 1905||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Arles, France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Victor Hémery]]||[[Darracq and Company London|Darracq]] Special ||Internal combustion|| 109.59 || 176.37 || || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|January 24, 1905||[[Daytona Beach Road Course|Daytona Beach]], USA||{{flagicon|FRA}} Arthur MacDonald||[[Napier & Son|Napier]] 6||IC
|104.65||168.42|| || ||
|-
|-
|January 26, 1906||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1896}} [[Daytona Beach, Florida|Daytona Beach]], United States||{{Flagicon|USA|variant=1896}} [[Fred Marriott]]||[[Stanley Steamer|Stanley ''Rocket'']]<ref name="Northey1163"/>||Steam
|December 30, 1905||Arles, France||{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Victor Hémery]]||Darracq V8 Special||IC
|109.65||175.44|| || ||
|127.66||205.44|| || |
|First record over {{convert|200|km/h|mi/h|0|abbr=on}}. First faster than contemporary rail speed record. Fastest steam-powered land vehicle until 2009.<ref>[http://www.steamcar.co.uk/index.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090725133316/http://www.steamcar.co.uk/index.html|date=July 25, 2009}} – The British Steam Car Challenge</ref>
|-
|-
|November 8, 1909<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.fia.com/land-speed-record-archives|title=History of Automobile World Records|last=Seherr-Thoss|date=October 1987|website=FIA}}</ref>||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Brooklands]], United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Victor Hémery]]||[[Blitzen Benz|Benz]] No. 1<br>200&nbsp;hp (150&nbsp;kW) ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|21.5|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} inline-4 Benz engine|| 125.94 || 202.68 || 115.93 || 186.57 || First run using electronic timing<ref name="Northey1163"/>
|January 26, 1906||[[Daytona Beach Road Course|Ormond Beach]], USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Fred Marriott]]||[[Stanley Steamer|Stanley Rocket Racer]]||Steam
|127.66||205.44|| || || First over {{convert|200|km/h|mi/h|0|abbr=on}}, first speed greater than contemporary rail speed record
|-
|-
|November 6, 1909||[[Brooklands]], United Kingdom||{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Victor Hémery]]||200 hp (150 kW) [[Benz & Cie.|Benz]] No 1||IC
|June 24, 1914||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} Brooklands, United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Lydston Hornsted]]||Benz No. 3 <br>200&nbsp;hp (150&nbsp;kW) ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|21.5|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} inline-4 Benz engine
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||124.09||199.70
|125.94||202.68||115.93||186.57
|First 2-way record, set at Brooklands under new ''Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus'' (AIACR) 2-way rule<ref name="Northey1163"/>
|-
|-
|May 17, 1922||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} Brooklands, United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Kenelm Lee Guinness]]||[[Sunbeam 350HP]]||V12, single ohc, 18.3 litre, <br>350 b.h.p. engine ||133.75||215.25|| || ||The third and last time the record was set at Brooklands<ref name="Posthumus (1971)"/>
|June 24, 1914||Brooklands, United Kingdom||{{flagicon|GBR}} L. G. Hornstead||200 hp (150 kW) [[Benz & Cie.|Benz]] No 3||IC
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||124.09||199.70||First 2-way record
|-
|-
|July 6, 1924||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[Arpajon]], France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} [[René Thomas (racing driver)|René Thomas]]||[[Delage|Délage]] ||Internal combustion, V12, ohv, 10.6 litre, 280&nbsp;bhp engine || || ||143.31||230.634||<ref name = "Posthumus (1971)" />
|February 12, 1919||[[Daytona Beach Road Course|Daytona Beach]], USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph DePalma]]||Packard 905
|IC ||149.875||241.200||colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;
|Recognized in the USA, not recognized by AIACR
|-
|-
|July 12, 1924||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Arpajon, France||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Ernest Eldridge]]||[[FIAT]] [[Mephistofeles (car)|''Mephistopheles'']]||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|21.7|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} inline-6 FIAT A.12 aero engine
|May 17, 1922||Brooklands, United Kingdom||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Kenelm Lee Guinness]]
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||145.89||234.98
| [[Sunbeam 350HP]]
|Fastest land speed record ever on a public road<ref name="Northey1163"/>
|IC||133.70||215.17||129.17||207.88
|Last record set on a closed course
|-
|-
|September 25, 1924||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Pendine]], United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Malcolm Campbell]]||[[Sunbeam 350HP]] ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|18.3|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Sunbeam aero engine
|July 6, 1924||Arpajon, France||{{flagicon|FRA}} [[René Thomas (France)|René Thomas]]||[[Delage]] ''La Torpille''||IC
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||146.16||235.22
|143.21||230.47||143.31||230.64
|First land speed record by Malcolm Campbell<ref name=crawford/>
|-
|-
|July 21, 1925||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Pendine]], United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell||Sunbeam 350HP||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|18.3|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Sunbeam aero engine
|July 12, 1924||Arpajon, France||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Ernest A. D. Eldridge]]||[[FIAT]] Special ''Mephistopeles II''||IC
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||150.87||242.8
|146.01||234.98||145.89||234.79
|First person to travel on land at over {{convert|150|mph|0|abbr=on}}<ref name=crawford>Scott A. G. M. Crawford, "Campbell, Sir Malcolm (1885–1948)", ''[[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]]'', [[Oxford University Press]], 2004; online edn, Jan 2011 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/32271, accessed 20 April 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221022222931/https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-32271;jsessionid=E993603D6A0B787277D7AEBB0A7F0D56 |date=October 22, 2022 }}</ref>
|Last record set on a public road

|-
|-
|March 16, 1926||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Ainsdale|Ainsdale beach]] at [[Southport]], United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Henry Segrave]]||[[Sunbeam Tiger (1925)|''Ladybird'']] ||Internal combustion: a 4-litre Sunbeam Tiger<br>|| || || 152.33 ||245.15 ||
|September 25, 1924||[[Pendine Sands]], [[Wales]]||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Malcolm Campbell]] || ''[[Sunbeam 350HP|Blue Bird]]''
|IC ||146.15||235.21||146.16||235.22
|-
|-
|April 27, 1926
|July 21, 1925||Pendine Sands, Wales||{{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell || ''[[Sunbeam 350HP|Blue Bird]]'' ||IC||150.86||242.79||150.76||242.62
|{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} [[Pendine]], United Kingdom
|{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[J. G. Parry-Thomas]]
|''[[Babs (land speed record car)|Babs]]''
|Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|27|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 [[Liberty L-12]] aero engine
|169.29
|270.864
|168.74
|269.984
|<ref>{{Cite journal|date=April 28, 1926|title=Hier, sur la plage de Pendine, l'Anglais J. P. Thomas a atteint la formidable vitesse de 277 kil. à l'heure!|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k4684039j|journal=L'Auto|pages=1|via=BnF/Gallica}}</ref>
|-
|-
|April 28, 1926||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} Pendine, United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|GBR}} J. G. Parry-Thomas||''Babs'' ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|27|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Liberty L-12 aero engine
|March 21, 1926||Southport, United Kingdom||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Henry Segrave]]
| 172.09 || 275.341
|4 Litre [[Sunbeam Tiger (1925)|Sunbeam Tiger]] ''Ladybird''
| 171.69 || 274.590
|IC||152.30||245.10||149.32||240.31
| <ref>{{Cite journal|date=April 29, 1926|title=A nouveau, J. P. Thomas a battu hier les records du monde du mille et du kilomètre qu'il s'était appropriés la veille!|url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k46840406|journal=L'Auto|pages=1|via=BnF/Gallica}}</ref>
|Last record set by a racing car, not a specialist record-breaker
|-
|-
|February 4, 1927||{{Flagicon|United Kingdom}} Pendine, United Kingdom||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell||[[Napier-Campbell Blue Bird|Napier-Campbell ''Blue Bird'']]||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|22.3|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 [[Napier Lion]] aero engine
|April 27 1926||Pendine Sands, Wales|| {{flagicon|GBR}} [[J.G. Parry-Thomas]] || [[Babs (Land speed record car)|''Babs'']] (ex-Higham-Thomas Special)<ref>Northey, Tom. "Land-speed record: The Fastest Men on Earth", in Ward, Ian, ed. ''World of Automobiles'' (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 10, p.1164.</ref>||26.9&nbsp;liter [[Liberty engine|Liberty]]
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||174.88||281.44||<ref name=crawford/>
|169.29||272.45||168.07||270.48
|-
|-
|March 29, 1927||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Henry Segrave||[[Sunbeam 1000 hp|''Mystery'']]<br> (aka "Sunbeam 1000 hp") ||Internal combustion:<br>2 × {{convert|22.4|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 [[Sunbeam Matabele]] aero engines ||203.79||327.97|| || || The first car to reach a speed over 200&nbsp;mph (320&nbsp;km/h)<ref>Holthusen, Peter J.R. (1986). The Land Speed Record {{ISBN|0-85429-499-6}}</ref>
|April 28, 1926<ref>Northey, p.1164.</ref> ||Pendine Sands, Wales||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[J.G. Parry-Thomas]]|| ''Babs'' ||IC
|171.01||273.60||170.62||274.59
|Survived. His death was in March a year later, trying to re-capture the record from Campbell
|-
|-
|February 19, 1928||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell||Napier-Campbell ''Blue Bird''||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|23.9|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 Napier Lion aero engine ||206.956||333.048|| || || <ref name="Northey1164"/>
|February 4, 1927||Pendine Sands, Wales || {{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell
| ''[[Napier-Campbell Bluebird|Bluebird II]]''
|IC||174.88||281.44||174.22||280.38
|Last record set in Europe
|-
|-
|April 22, 1928 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Ray Keech]]||[[White Triplex|''Triplex Special'']]||Internal combustion:<br>3 × {{convert|27|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Liberty L-12 aero engines||207.552||334.007|| || || <ref>Northey, Tom (1974). "Land Speed Record: The Fastest Men on Earth". In Tom Northey. ''World of Automobiles''. Vol. 10 (London: Orbis), pp.1164–5.</ref>
|March 29, 1927||Daytona Beach, USA|| {{flagicon|GBR}} Henry Segrave || [[Sunbeam 1000 hp]] || IC
|202.98||326.66||203.79||327.97
|First over {{convert|200|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}
|-
|-
|March 11, 1929||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Henry Segrave||[[Golden Arrow (car)|''Golden Arrow'']]||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|23.9|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 Napier Lion aero engine ||231.446||372.459|| || || Segrave was knighted for this effort<ref name="Northey1165">Northey, p.1165.</ref>
|February 19, 1928||Daytona Beach, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell
| ''[[Napier-Campbell Bluebird|Bluebird III]]''
|IC
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||206.95||333.05
|-
|-
|February 5, 1931 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States<ref name="Posthumus (1971)" />||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell ||[[Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird|Campbell-Napier-Railton ''Blue Bird'']] ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|23.9|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engine||246.09||396.025|| || ||Campbell was knighted for this effort<ref name="Northey1165"/>
|April 22, 1928||Daytona Beach, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ray Keech]] || [[White Triplex]] ''Spirit of Elkdom''||three 26.9&nbsp;liter Liberty<ref>Northey, p.1164.</ref>
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||207.55||334.02
|-
|-
|February 24, 1932 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell ||Campbell-Napier-Railton ''Blue Bird'' ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|23.9|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engine||253.97||408.73|| || || First {{convert|250|mph|abbr=on}} pass.<ref name=crawford/>
|March 11, 1929||Daytona Beach, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} Henry Segrave || Irving-Napier [[Golden Arrow (land speed racer)|''Golden Arrow'']]
||IC
|231.56||372.66||231.36||372.34
|Segrave retired from land speed racing and ''Golden Arrow'' never ran again
|-
|-
|February 22, 1933 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell ||Campbell-Railton ''Blue Bird'' ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|36.7|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 [[Rolls-Royce R]] supercharged aero engine||272.46||438.48|| || || <ref name=crawford/>
|February 5, 1931||Daytona Beach, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell
| ''[[Campbell-Napier-Railton Bluebird|Bluebird]]''
|IC || 246.08 || 396.03 || 245.73 || 395.46
|-
|-
|March 7, 1935 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Daytona Beach, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell ||Campbell-Railton ''Blue Bird'' ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|36.7|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engine||276.816||445.472|| || || <ref name="Northey1165"/>
|February 24, 1932||Daytona Beach, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell
| ''[[Campbell-Napier-Railton Bluebird|Bluebird]]''
|IC ||251.34||404.49||253.96||408.71
|-
|-
|September 3, 1935 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell ||Campbell-Railton ''Blue Bird'' ||Internal combustion:<br>{{convert|36.7|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engine||301.129||484.598|| || || First {{convert|300|mph|abbr=on}} pass, first absolute record set at Bonneville<ref name="Northey1165"/>
|February 22, 1933||Daytona Beach, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell
| ''[[Campbell-Railton Bluebird|Bluebird]]''
|IC ||272.46||438.48||272.10||437.90
|-
|-
|November 19, 1937 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Bonneville Salt Flats, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[George Eyston]]||[[Thunderbolt (car)|''Thunderbolt'']]||Internal combustion:<br>2 × {{convert|36.7|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engines||311.42 ||501.16 ||||||<ref name="Northey1165"/>
|March 7, 1935||Daytona Beach, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell
| ''[[Campbell-Railton Bluebird|Bluebird]]''
|IC ||276.16||444.44||276.71||445.32
|Last record set on a beach
|-
|-
|August 27, 1938 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Bonneville Salt Flats, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} George Eyston||''Thunderbolt''||Internal combustion:<br>2 × {{convert|36.7|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engines
|September 3, 1935||[[Bonneville Speedway|Bonneville Salt Flats]], USA|| {{flagicon|GBR}} Malcolm Campbell
|345.49 <ref name="Northey1165"/>||556.012||||
| ''[[Campbell-Railton Bluebird|Bluebird]]''
|IC
|
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||301.129||484.620
|First over {{convert|300|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}
|-
|-
|September 15, 1938 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Bonneville Salt Flats, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[John Cobb (racing driver)|John Cobb]]||''Railton'' ||Internal combustion:<br>2 × {{convert|23.9|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engines||350.2 ||563.566 ||||||<ref name="Northey1165"/>
|November 19, 1937||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[George Eyston]]
| [[Thunderbolt (car)|''Thunderbolt'']]
| IC||312.00||502.11||311.41||501.17
|-
|-
|September 16, 1938 ||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Bonneville Salt Flats, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} George Eyston||''Thunderbolt''||Internal combustion:<br>2 × {{convert|36.7|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engines|| 357.5 ||575.314||||||<ref name="Northey1165"/>
|August 27, 1938||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} George Eyston
| ''Thunderbolt''
|IC || 345.20||555.55||345.48||556.00
|-
|-
|September 15, 1938||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA || {{flagicon|GBR}} [[John Cobb (motorist)|John R. Cobb]]
|August 23, 1939||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Bonneville Salt Flats, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} John Cobb||''[[Railton Special]]''||Internal combustion:<br>2 × {{convert|23.9|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engines
|369.74 <ref name="Northey1165"/>||595.04||367.91||592.091
| [[Railton Special]]
|
|IC||350.06||563.37||350.19||563.58
|-
|-
|September 16, 1938||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} George E. T. Eyston
|September 16, 1947||{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1912}} Bonneville Salt Flats, United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} John Cobb||Railton ''Mobil Special'' ||Internal combustion:<br>2 × {{convert|23.9|liter|cuin|abbr=on}} W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engines
|394.196 <ref name="Northey1163"/>||634.397||394.19||634.39
| ''Thunderbolt''
|First single pass at over 400&nbsp;mph (402&nbsp;mph)
|IC ||357.33||575.07||357.49||575.32
|-
|August 23, 1939||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} John Cobb
| ''[[Railton Special]]''
|IC ||369.74||595.04||367.91||592.09
|-
|September 16, 1947||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} John Cobb
| ''[[Railton Mobil Special]]''
|IC ||393.82||633.79||394.19||634.39||First 400&nbsp;mph (640&nbsp;km/h) pass
|-
|-
|July 17, 1964
|{{Flagicon|AUS}} [[Lake Eyre]], Australia
|{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Donald Campbell]]
|[[Bluebird CN7|''Bluebird'' CN7]]
|[[Turboshaft]]: 1 × {{convert|4,000|hp|abbr=on}} [[Bristol Proteus]] gas turbine
|
|
|403.10 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://nationalmotormuseum.org.uk/vehicle-collection/bluebird/|website=The National Motor Museum Trust|access-date=June 17, 2019|title=Proteus Bluebird CN7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://landspeedrecord.org/bluebird-cn7-donald-campbell/|website=Land Speed Record|title=Bluebird CN7 – Donald Campbell|access-date=June 17, 2019}}</ref>
|648.73
|Last wheel driven absolute record.
|}
|}


=== 1963–present (jet and rocket propulsion) ===
===1963 to 1970===
[[Craig Breedlove]]'s mark of {{convert|407.447|mph}},<ref name="Northey1166"/><ref name="Twite, Mike p.231">Twite, Mike. "Craig Breedlove: Toward the Sound Barrier", in ''World of Automobiles'' (Volume 2, p.231).</ref> set in ''[[Spirit of America (automobile)|Spirit of America]]'' in September 1963, was initially considered unofficial. The vehicle breached the FIA regulations on two grounds: it had only three wheels, and it was not [[drive wheel|wheel-driven]], since its jet engine did not supply power to its axles. Some time later, the [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme]] (FIM) created a non-wheel-driven category, and ratified ''Spirit of America''{{'}}s time for this mark.<ref name="Northey1166"/> On July 17, 1964, [[Donald Campbell]]'s [[Bluebird CN7]] posted a speed of {{convert|403.10|mph}} on [[Lake Eyre]], Australia. This became the official FIA LSR, although Campbell was disappointed not to have beaten Breedlove's time.<ref name="lshistory">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bloodhound-risbridger.com/Land-Speed-Record-History/ |title=Land Speed Record History &#124; Bloodhound SSC Risbridger |access-date=September 9, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912055601/http://www.bloodhound-risbridger.com/Land-Speed-Record-History |archive-date=September 12, 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In October, several four-wheel [[jet-car]]s surpassed the 1963 mark, but were eligible for neither FIA nor FIM ratification.<ref name="lshistory" /> The confusion of having three different LSRs lasted until December 11, 1964, when the FIA and FIM met in Paris and agreed to recognize as an absolute LSR the higher speed recorded by either body, by any vehicles running on wheels, whether wheel-driven or not.<ref name="times19641212">{{Cite news|title=Land Speed Record Agreement |work=[[The Times]] |date=December 12, 1964 |page=7, col E |issue=56193}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="clear: both; font-size:95%;"
{| class="wikitable" style="clear: both; font-size:95%;"
|-
|-
!width="12%" rowspan="2"|Date
! style="width:8%;" rowspan="3" | Date
!width="10%" rowspan="2"|Location
! style="width:10%;" rowspan="3" | Location
!width="13%" rowspan="2"|Driver
! style="width:12%;" rowspan="3" | Driver
!width="15%" rowspan="2"|Vehicle
! style="width:12%;" rowspan="3" | Vehicle
!width="7%" rowspan="2"|Power
! style="width:8%;" rowspan="3" | Power
!width="8%" colspan="2"|Speed over<br />1&nbsp;km
! colspan="4" | Speed
! style="width:12%;" rowspan="3" | Comments
!width="8%" colspan="2"|Speed over<br />1&nbsp;mile
!width="12%" rowspan="2"|Comments
|-
|-
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;km
!mph!!km/h!!mph!!km/h
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;mile
|-
|-
! style="width:4%;" | (mph) !! style="width:4%;" | (km/h)
|[[September 5]], [[1963]]||[[Bonneville Speedway|Bonneville Salt Flats]], USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]||''[[Spirit of America]]''||[[Turbojet]]
! style="width:4%;" | (mph) !! style="width:4%;" | (km/h)
|408.312||657.114||407.447||655.722||Ratified by [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]] as vehicle has 3 wheels
|-
|-
|August 5, 1963||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]|| [[Spirit of America (automobile)|''Spirit of America'']]||[[Turbojet]]
|[[July 17]], [[1964]]||[[Lake Eyre]], [[Australia]]||{{flagicon|UK}} [[Donald Campbell]]
|||||407.447||655.722||<ref name="Northey1166"/><ref name="Twite, Mike p.231"/> Initially considered unofficial since the vehicle had 3 wheels. Later ratified by [[Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme|FIM]].
| [[Bluebird CN7]]
| [[Turboshaft]]
| colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||403.10||644.96
|-
|-
|[[October 5]], [[1964]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Green (Auto racer)|Tom Green]] || ''[[Wingfoot Express]]'' ||[[Turbojet]]
|October 2, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Tom Green (designer)|Tom Green]]|| ''[[Wingfoot Express]]''||[[Turbojet]]
|||||413.2||665.0 ||<ref name="Northey1166"/>
|415.093||668.027||413.199||664.979
|-
|-
|[[October 7]], [[1964]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Art Arfons]]||[[Green Monster (dragster)|''The Green Monster'']]||Turbojet
|October 5, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Art Arfons]]|| [[Green Monster (automobile)#Land speed racing|''Green Monster'']]||[[Turbojet]]
|434.356||699.028||434.022||698.490
|||||434.03||698.50 ||<ref name="Northey1166"/>
|-
|-
|[[October 13]], [[1964]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} Craig Breedlove||''Spirit of America||Turbojet
|October 13, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]||[[Spirit of America (automobile)|''Spirit of America'']]||[[Turbojet]]||
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||468.719||754.330
||||468.719||754.330||<ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|[[October 15]], [[1964]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} Craig Breedlove||''Spirit of America''||Turbojet
|October 15, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]||[[Spirit of America (automobile)|''Spirit of America'']]||[[Turbojet]]||
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||526.277||846.861
||||526.277||846.961||<ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|[[October 27]], [[1964]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} Art Arfons||''The Green Monster''||Turbojet
|October 27, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Art Arfons]]||[[Green Monster (automobile)#Land speed racing|''Green Monster'']]||[[Turbojet]]||
|544.134||875.699||536.710||863.791
||||536.710||863.751||<ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|[[November 2]], [[1965]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} Craig Breedlove||''Spirit of America - Sonic 1''||Turbojet
|November 2, 1965||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]||''[[Spirit of America (automobile)#Spirit of America - Sonic 1|Spirit of America – Sonic 1]]''||[[Turbojet]]||555.485||893.966||555.485||893.966||<ref>Cars Against the Clock, The Fastest Men on Earth, Clifton, Paul, New York, The John Day Company, page 238, L.C. 66-15097</ref>
|555.485||893.966||555.485||893.966
|-
|-
|[[November 7]], [[1965]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} Art Arfons||''The Green Monster''||Turbojet
|November 7, 1965||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Art Arfons]]||[[Green Monster (automobile)#Land speed racing|''Green Monster'']]||[[Turbojet]]||576.553
|572.546||921.423||576.553||927.872
||927.872||576.553||927.872||<ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|-
|[[November 13]], [[1965]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} Bob Summers||[[Goldenrod (land speed record car)|''Goldenrod'']]||IC
|November 15, 1965||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]||''[[Spirit of America (automobile)#Spirit of America - Sonic 1|Spirit of America – Sonic 1]]''||[[Turbojet]]||594||955.950||600.601||966.574||First thrust powered record to be ratified by the FIA
| colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||409.277||658.526||Last piston-engined / wheel-driven record
|-
|-
|[[November 15]], [[1965]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} Craig Breedlove||''Spirit of America - Sonic 1''||Turbojet
|October 23, 1970||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Gary Gabelich]]||''[[Blue Flame]]''||[[Rocket]]
|630.478||1014.656||622.407||1001.667||<ref name="FIA land speed records, Cat C">{{cite web|url=http://argent.fia.com/web/fia-public.nsf/7D4955E7190F1A25C12572FB00559369/$FILE/Records_List_Cat-C.pdf|title=FIA land speed records, Cat C|publisher=FIA|access-date=July 12, 2009}}</ref>
|600.842||966.961||600.601||966.574
|-
|-
|October 4, 1983||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Black Rock Desert]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Richard Noble]]||''[[Thrust2]]''||[[Turbojet]]: 1 × [[Rolls-Royce Avon]]
|[[October 23]], [[1970]]||Bonneville Salt Flats, USA||{{flagicon|USA}} [[Gary Gabelich]]||[[Blue Flame (car)|''Blue Flame'']]||[[Rocket]]
|634.051||1020.406||633.47||1019.47||<ref name="FIA land speed records, Cat C"/>
|630.389||1014.52||622.407||1001.67||First record over {{convert|1000|km/h|mi/h|0|abbr=on}}; record stood for 13&nbsp;years
|}

===1983 to 2008===
{| class="wikitable" style="clear: both; font-size:95%;"
|-
!width="12%" rowspan="2"|Date
!width="10%" rowspan="2"|Location
!width="13%" rowspan="2"|Driver
!width="15%" rowspan="2"|Vehicle
!width="8%" rowspan="2"|Power
!width="8%" colspan="2"|Speed over<br />1&nbsp;km
!width="8%" colspan="2"|Speed over<br />1&nbsp;mile
!width="12%" rowspan="2"|Comments
|-
!mph!!km/h!!mph!!km/h
|-
|[[October 4]], [[1983]]||[[Black Rock Desert]], USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Richard Noble]]||''[[Thrust2]]''||[[Turbojet]]
|colspan="2" align="center"|&mdash;||633||1019.47||
|-
|-
|[[October 15]], [[1997]]||[[Black Rock Desert]], USA||{{flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Green]]||''[[ThrustSSC]]''||[[Turbofan]]
|September 25, 1997||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Black Rock Desert]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Green (RAF officer)|Andy Green]]||''[[ThrustSSC]]''||[[Turbofan]]: 2 × [[Rolls-Royce Spey]]
|713.990||1149.055||714.144||1149.303
|760.343||1223.657||766||1233.704||Also did first supersonic pass, 13 October 1997.
|<ref name="FIA land speed records, Cat C"/>
|-
|-
|October 15, 1997||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Black Rock Desert]], [[United States]]||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Andy Green (RAF officer)|Andy Green]]||''[[ThrustSSC]]''||[[Turbofan]]: 2 × [[Rolls-Royce Spey]]
|760.343||1223.657||763.035||1227.986 <ref name=FIA-website-thrust-SSC>{{cite web|url=http://fia.com/en-GB/sport/records/Pages/Introduction.aspx |website=[[Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile|FIA]] |access-date=January 17, 2011 |title=Introduction |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111230130023/http://www.fia.com/en-GB/sport/records/Pages/Introduction.aspx |archive-date=December 30, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| First to break the [[supersonic speed|speed of sound]]
|}
|}


==See also==
== See also ==
* [[British Land Speed Record]]
* [[List of vehicle speed records]]
* [[Fastest production car]]
* [[British land speed record]]
* [[Land speed record for railed vehicles]]
* [[Production car speed record]]
* [[Railway speed record]]
* [[Motorcycle land speed record]]
* [[Motorcycle land speed record]]
* [[Aero-engined car]]
* [[Pioneer 2M]] - Soviet Union attempt at the land speed record in early 1960s
* [[Pioneer 2M]] – Soviet Union attempt at the land speed record in early 1960s
* [[Budweiser Rocket]] - Made a disputed {{convert|746|mph|abbr=on}} run in 1979
* [[Budweiser Rocket]] – Claimed but not verified to have reached {{convert|739.666|mi/h}} and to have broken the [[sound barrier]] in 1979
* [[North American Eagle]] - Project aimed at breaking current record
* [[North American Eagle Project]] – Aiming for {{convert|808|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}, the project was abandoned after one of its drivers was killed in the car.
* [[Bloodhound LSR]] – Project aiming for {{convert|1050|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on}}.
* [[Rosco McGlashan]] – Australia's fastest man on the land. His Aussie Invader team is building a fully rocket-powered LSR car with an attempt at the record currently on hold pending funding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aussieinvader.com/newsletters-2016|title=June 2016 Newsletter |access-date=July 4, 2016}}</ref>


==References==
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
===Citations===
{{reflist}}


==External links==
== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.aussieinvader.com/|Aussie Invader official website}} – Australian challengers to the supersonic showdown
* [http://www.chriscarr.com/2006/news/060911_bonneville1.html Chris Carr]
* [http://speedrecordclub.com/ Speed Record Club] – The Speed Record Club seeks to promote an informed and educated enthusiast identity, reporting accurately and impartially to the best of its ability on record-breaking engineering, events, attempts and history.
* [http://stephenbrooks.org/hidden/landspeed.png A graph of these successive records.]
* [http://www.peterrenn.clara.net/l.s.r.html www.peterrenn.clara.net]
* [http://www.samuelhawley.com/lsr.html The Land Speed Record in the Sixties: an on-line collection]
* [http://dmoz.org/Sports/Motorsports/Auto_Racing/Speed_Records/ Autoracing speed records]
* [http://phyvax.ir.miami.edu:8001/curtright/lsr_history.html Landspeed record history]
* [http://www.bluebird-electric.net/bluebird_site_navigator.htm Index to comprehensive site of land air and water speed record projects from 1901 to 2005]
* [http://www.britishtours.com/360/beaulieu.html Henry Segrave's Sunbeam, Quicktime Virtual Reality image]
* [http://www.touchwoodmodels.com/ Speed Record Models]


{{Clear}}
{{extreme motion}}
{{extreme motion}}
{{records}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Land Speed Record}}
[[Category:Wheel-driven land speed record cars| ]]
[[Category:Land speed records| ]]
[[Category:Land speed records| ]]
[[Category:Superlatives]]
[[Category:Record progressions]]

[[de:Landgeschwindigkeitsrekord]]
[[fr:Record de vitesse terrestre]]
[[hr:Kopneni brzinski rekordi]]
[[it:Record di velocità]]
[[hu:Szárazföldi sebességi rekord]]
[[nl:Wereldsnelheidsrecord op land]]
[[ja:自動車の速度記録]]
[[sl:Kopenski hitrostni rekord]]
[[sh:Kopneni rekord u brzini]]
[[fi:Maanopeusennätys]]
[[sv:Hastighetsrekord på land]]
[[tr:Otomobil hız rekorları]]
[[zh:陸上速度記錄]]

Latest revision as of 01:38, 19 October 2024

ThrustSSC, driven by Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green, holds the current land speed record at 1,227.986 km/h (763.035 mph) set October 15, 1997.

The land speed record (LSR) or absolute land speed record is the highest speed achieved by a person using a vehicle on land. By a 1964 agreement between the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) and Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM), respective governing bodies for racing in automobiles and motorcycles (two or three wheels), both bodies recognise as the absolute LSR whatever is the highest speed record achieved across any of their various categories.[1] While the three-wheeled Spirit of America set an FIM-validated LSR in 1963, all subsequent LSRs are by vehicles in FIA Category C ("Special Vehicles") in either class JE (jet engine) or class RT (rocket powered).[2][3]

FIA LSRs are officiated and validated by its regional or national affiliate organizations.[4] Speed measurement is standardized over a course measuring either 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) or 1 mile (1.6 km), averaged over two runs with flying start (commonly called "passes")[5] going in opposite directions within one hour. A new record mark must exceed the previous one by at least one percent to be validated.[6]

History

[edit]

Until 1829 the fastest land transport was by horse. The first regulator was the Automobile Club de France, which proclaimed itself arbiter of the record in about 1902.[7]

Ralph DePalma in his Packard '905' Special at Daytona Beach in 1919
The White Triplex in 1928, driven by Ray Keech

Different clubs had different standards and did not always recognize the same world records[8] until 1924, when the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR) introduced new regulations: two passes in opposite directions (to negate the effects of wind) averaged with a maximum of 30 minutes (later more) between runs, average gradient of the racing surface not more than 1 percent, timing gear accurate within 0.01sec, and cars must be wheel-driven.[9] National or regional auto clubs (such as AAA and SCTA) had to be AIACR members to ensure records would be recognized.[10] The AIACR became the FIA in 1947. Controversy arose in 1963: Spirit of America was not recognized due to its being a three-wheeler (leading the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme to certify it as a three-wheel motorcycle record when the FIA refused) and not wheel-driven so the FIA introduced a special jet and rocket propelled class.[11] No holder of the absolute record since has been wheel-driven.

In the U.S. and Australia, record runs are often done on salt flats, so the cars are often called salt cars.[citation needed]

Women's land speed record

[edit]
Dorothy Levitt, in a 19 kW (26 hp) Napier, at Brooklands, England, in 1908

The FIA does not recognize separate men's and women's land speed records, because the records are set using motorized vehicles, and not muscle-powered vehicles, so the gender of the driver does not matter; however, unofficial women's records have long been claimed, seemingly starting with Dorothy Levitt's 1906 record in Blackpool, England, and, unlike the FIA and other car-racing organisations, Guinness World Records does recognize gender-based land speed records.[12]

In 1906, Dorothy Levitt broke the women's world speed record for the flying kilometer, recording a speed of 154 km/h (96 mph) and receiving the sobriquet the "Fastest Girl on Earth". She drove a six-cylinder Napier motorcar, a 75 kW (100 hp) development of the K5, in a speed trial in Blackpool.[13][14][15]

in 1963, Paula Murphy drove a Studebaker Avanti to 262 km/h (163 mph) at the Bonneville Salt Flats as part of Andy Granatelli's attempt on the overall record.[12] In 1964, she was asked by the tire company Goodyear to try to improve her own record, which she raised to 364.31 km/h (226.37 mph) in Walt Arfons's jet dragster Avenger.[12][16] The rival tire company Firestone and Art Arfons hit back against Goodyear and Walt Arfons when Betty Skelton drove Art's Cyclops to achieve a two-way average of 446.63 km/h (277.52 mph) in September 1965.[12]

Five weeks later, Goodyear hit back against Firestone with Lee Breedlove.[12] While recordkeeping has not been as extensive, a report in 1974 confirmed that a record was held by Lee Breedlove, the wife of then overall record holder Craig Breedlove, who piloted her husband's Spirit of America – Sonic I to a record 496.492 km/h (308.506 mph) in 1965.[17] According to author Rachel Kushner, Craig Breedlove had talked Lee into taking the car out for a record attempt in order to monopolize the salt flats for the day and block one of his competitors from making a record attempt.[18]

In 1976, the women's absolute record was set by Kitty O'Neil, in the jet-powered, three-wheeled SMI Motivator, at the Alvord Desert.[19] Held back by her contract with a sponsor and using only 60 percent of her car's power, O'Neil reached an average speed of 825.127 km/h (512.710 mph).[20][21]

On October 9, 2013, driver Jessi Combs, in a vehicle of the North American Eagle Project running at the Alvord Desert, raised the women's four-wheel land speed class record with an official run of 632.40 km/h (392.954 mph), surpassing Breedlove's 48-year-old record.[22] Combs continued with the North American Eagle Project, whose ongoing target is the overall land speed record; as part of that effort, Combs was killed, on August 27, 2019, during an attempt to raise the four-wheel record.[23] In late June 2020, the Guinness Book of Records reclassified the August 27, 2019 speed runs as meeting its requirements, and Combs was posthumously credited with the record at 841.338 km/h (522.783 mph), noting she was the first to break the record in 40 years.[24]

Records

[edit]

1898–1964 (wheel-driven)

[edit]
Date Location Driver Vehicle Power Speed Comments
Over 1 km Over 1 mile
(mph) (km/h) (mph) (km/h)
December 18, 1898 France Achères, France France Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat Jeantaud Duc[25] Electric 39.24 63.15 [26] Conducted over 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from a flying start.[27]
January 17, 1899 France Achères, France Belgium Camille Jenatzy[25] GCA Dogcart Electric 41.42 66.66 [26]
January 17, 1899 France Achères, France France Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat Jeantaud Duc Electric 43.93 70.31 [26]
January 27, 1899 France Achères, France Belgium Camille Jenatzy GCA Dogcart Electric 49.93 80.35 [26]
March 4, 1899 France Achères, France France Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat Jeantaud Duc Profilée Electric 57.65 92.78 [26]
April 29, 1899 France Achères, France Belgium Camille Jenatzy CITA No 25 La Jamais Contente Electric 65.79 105.88 First purpose-designed land speed racer[28] First record over 100 km/h (62 mph)[26]
April 13, 1902 France Nice, France France Léon Serpollet Gardner-Serpollet
Œuf de Pâques (Easter Egg)
Steam[7] 75.06 120.80
August 5, 1902 France Ablis, France United States William Kissam Vanderbilt II Mors Z Paris-Vienne Internal combustion 76.03 122.438 First internal combustion powered record[7]
November 5, 1902 France Dourdan, France France Henri Fournier Mors Z Paris-Vienne Internal combustion
V4, 9.2-litre, 60 bhp
76.59 123.25 [29]
November 17, 1902 France Dourdan, France France Maurice Augières Mors Z Paris-Vienne Internal combustion 77.13 124.13 [26]
July 17, 1903 Belgium Ostend, Belgium Belgium Arthur Duray Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid Internal combustion 83.46 132.32 [26]
November 5, 1903 France Dourdan, France Belgium Arthur Duray Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid Internal combustion 84.73 136.35 [29]
January 12, 1904 United States New Baltimore, United States United States Henry Ford Ford 999 Racer Internal combustion 91.37 147.05 [30]
March 31, 1904 France Nice, France France Louis Rigolly Gobron-Brillié Paris-Madrid Internal combustion 94.78 152.53 [26]
May 25, 1904 Belgium Ostend, Belgium Belgium Pierre de Caters Mercedes Simplex 90 Internal combustion 97.25 156.50 [26]
July 21, 1904[29] Belgium Ostend, Belgium France Louis Rigolly Gobron-Brillié Gordon Bennett Internal combustion 103.56 166.66 First record over 100 mph (161 km/h),[26] 2 months after City of Truro's.
November 13, 1904 Belgium Ostend, Belgium France Paul Baras Darracq Gordon Bennett Internal combustion 104.53 168.22 [26]
December 30, 1905 France Arles, France France Victor Hémery Darracq Special Internal combustion 109.59 176.37 [26]
January 26, 1906 United States Daytona Beach, United States United States Fred Marriott Stanley Rocket[9] Steam 127.66 205.44 First record over 200 km/h (124 mph). First faster than contemporary rail speed record. Fastest steam-powered land vehicle until 2009.[31]
November 8, 1909[32] United Kingdom Brooklands, United Kingdom France Victor Hémery Benz No. 1
200 hp (150 kW)
Internal combustion:
21.5 L (1,310 cu in) inline-4 Benz engine
125.94 202.68 115.93 186.57 First run using electronic timing[9]
June 24, 1914 United Kingdom Brooklands, United Kingdom United Kingdom Lydston Hornsted Benz No. 3
200 hp (150 kW)
Internal combustion:
21.5 L (1,310 cu in) inline-4 Benz engine
124.09 199.70 First 2-way record, set at Brooklands under new Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus (AIACR) 2-way rule[9]
May 17, 1922 United Kingdom Brooklands, United Kingdom United Kingdom Kenelm Lee Guinness Sunbeam 350HP V12, single ohc, 18.3 litre,
350 b.h.p. engine
133.75 215.25 The third and last time the record was set at Brooklands[29]
July 6, 1924 France Arpajon, France France René Thomas Délage Internal combustion, V12, ohv, 10.6 litre, 280 bhp engine 143.31 230.634 [29]
July 12, 1924 France Arpajon, France United Kingdom Ernest Eldridge FIAT Mephistopheles Internal combustion:
21.7 L (1,320 cu in) inline-6 FIAT A.12 aero engine
145.89 234.98 Fastest land speed record ever on a public road[9]
September 25, 1924 United Kingdom Pendine, United Kingdom United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Sunbeam 350HP Internal combustion:
18.3 L (1,120 cu in) V12 Sunbeam aero engine
146.16 235.22 First land speed record by Malcolm Campbell[33]
July 21, 1925 United Kingdom Pendine, United Kingdom United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Sunbeam 350HP Internal combustion:
18.3 L (1,120 cu in) V12 Sunbeam aero engine
150.87 242.8 First person to travel on land at over 150 mph (241 km/h)[33]
March 16, 1926 United Kingdom Ainsdale beach at Southport, United Kingdom United Kingdom Henry Segrave Ladybird Internal combustion: a 4-litre Sunbeam Tiger
152.33 245.15
April 27, 1926 United Kingdom Pendine, United Kingdom United Kingdom J. G. Parry-Thomas Babs Internal combustion:
27 L (1,600 cu in) V12 Liberty L-12 aero engine
169.29 270.864 168.74 269.984 [34]
April 28, 1926 United Kingdom Pendine, United Kingdom United Kingdom J. G. Parry-Thomas Babs Internal combustion:
27 L (1,600 cu in) V12 Liberty L-12 aero engine
172.09 275.341 171.69 274.590 [35]
February 4, 1927 United Kingdom Pendine, United Kingdom United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Napier-Campbell Blue Bird Internal combustion:
22.3 L (1,360 cu in) W12 Napier Lion aero engine
174.88 281.44 [33]
March 29, 1927 United States Daytona Beach, United States United Kingdom Henry Segrave Mystery
(aka "Sunbeam 1000 hp")
Internal combustion:
2 × 22.4 L (1,370 cu in) V12 Sunbeam Matabele aero engines
203.79 327.97 The first car to reach a speed over 200 mph (320 km/h)[36]
February 19, 1928 United States Daytona Beach, United States United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Napier-Campbell Blue Bird Internal combustion:
23.9 L (1,460 cu in) W12 Napier Lion aero engine
206.956 333.048 [10]
April 22, 1928 United States Daytona Beach, United States United States Ray Keech Triplex Special Internal combustion:
3 × 27 L (1,600 cu in) V12 Liberty L-12 aero engines
207.552 334.007 [37]
March 11, 1929 United States Daytona Beach, United States United Kingdom Henry Segrave Golden Arrow Internal combustion:
23.9 L (1,460 cu in) W12 Napier Lion aero engine
231.446 372.459 Segrave was knighted for this effort[38]
February 5, 1931 United States Daytona Beach, United States[29] United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird Internal combustion:
23.9 L (1,460 cu in) W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engine
246.09 396.025 Campbell was knighted for this effort[38]
February 24, 1932 United States Daytona Beach, United States United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell-Napier-Railton Blue Bird Internal combustion:
23.9 L (1,460 cu in) W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engine
253.97 408.73 First 250 mph (400 km/h) pass.[33]
February 22, 1933 United States Daytona Beach, United States United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell-Railton Blue Bird Internal combustion:
36.7 L (2,240 cu in) V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engine
272.46 438.48 [33]
March 7, 1935 United States Daytona Beach, United States United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell-Railton Blue Bird Internal combustion:
36.7 L (2,240 cu in) V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engine
276.816 445.472 [38]
September 3, 1935 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United Kingdom Malcolm Campbell Campbell-Railton Blue Bird Internal combustion:
36.7 L (2,240 cu in) V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engine
301.129 484.598 First 300 mph (480 km/h) pass, first absolute record set at Bonneville[38]
November 19, 1937 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United Kingdom George Eyston Thunderbolt Internal combustion:
2 × 36.7 L (2,240 cu in) V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engines
311.42 501.16 [38]
August 27, 1938 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United Kingdom George Eyston Thunderbolt Internal combustion:
2 × 36.7 L (2,240 cu in) V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engines
345.49 [38] 556.012
September 15, 1938 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United Kingdom John Cobb Railton Internal combustion:
2 × 23.9 L (1,460 cu in) W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engines
350.2 563.566 [38]
September 16, 1938 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United Kingdom George Eyston Thunderbolt Internal combustion:
2 × 36.7 L (2,240 cu in) V12 Rolls-Royce R supercharged aero engines
357.5 575.314 [38]
August 23, 1939 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United Kingdom John Cobb Railton Special Internal combustion:
2 × 23.9 L (1,460 cu in) W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engines
369.74 [38] 595.04 367.91 592.091
September 16, 1947 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United Kingdom John Cobb Railton Mobil Special Internal combustion:
2 × 23.9 L (1,460 cu in) W12 Napier Lion supercharged aero engines
394.196 [9] 634.397 394.19 634.39 First single pass at over 400 mph (402 mph)
July 17, 1964 Australia Lake Eyre, Australia United Kingdom Donald Campbell Bluebird CN7 Turboshaft: 1 × 4,000 hp (3,000 kW) Bristol Proteus gas turbine 403.10 [39][40] 648.73 Last wheel driven absolute record.

1963–present (jet and rocket propulsion)

[edit]

Craig Breedlove's mark of 407.447 miles per hour (655.722 km/h),[11][41] set in Spirit of America in September 1963, was initially considered unofficial. The vehicle breached the FIA regulations on two grounds: it had only three wheels, and it was not wheel-driven, since its jet engine did not supply power to its axles. Some time later, the Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) created a non-wheel-driven category, and ratified Spirit of America's time for this mark.[11] On July 17, 1964, Donald Campbell's Bluebird CN7 posted a speed of 403.10 miles per hour (648.73 km/h) on Lake Eyre, Australia. This became the official FIA LSR, although Campbell was disappointed not to have beaten Breedlove's time.[42] In October, several four-wheel jet-cars surpassed the 1963 mark, but were eligible for neither FIA nor FIM ratification.[42] The confusion of having three different LSRs lasted until December 11, 1964, when the FIA and FIM met in Paris and agreed to recognize as an absolute LSR the higher speed recorded by either body, by any vehicles running on wheels, whether wheel-driven or not.[1]

Date Location Driver Vehicle Power Speed Comments
Over 1 km Over 1 mile
(mph) (km/h) (mph) (km/h)
August 5, 1963 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America Turbojet 407.447 655.722 [11][41] Initially considered unofficial since the vehicle had 3 wheels. Later ratified by FIM.
October 2, 1964 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Tom Green Wingfoot Express Turbojet 413.2 665.0 [11]
October 5, 1964 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Art Arfons Green Monster Turbojet 434.03 698.50 [11]
October 13, 1964 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America Turbojet 468.719 754.330 [26]
October 15, 1964 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America Turbojet 526.277 846.961 [26]
October 27, 1964 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Art Arfons Green Monster Turbojet 536.710 863.751 [26]
November 2, 1965 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America – Sonic 1 Turbojet 555.485 893.966 555.485 893.966 [43]
November 7, 1965 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Art Arfons Green Monster Turbojet 576.553 927.872 576.553 927.872 [26]
November 15, 1965 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Craig Breedlove Spirit of America – Sonic 1 Turbojet 594 955.950 600.601 966.574 First thrust powered record to be ratified by the FIA
October 23, 1970 United States Bonneville Salt Flats, United States United States Gary Gabelich Blue Flame Rocket 630.478 1014.656 622.407 1001.667 [44]
October 4, 1983 United States Black Rock Desert, United States United Kingdom Richard Noble Thrust2 Turbojet: 1 × Rolls-Royce Avon 634.051 1020.406 633.47 1019.47 [44]
September 25, 1997 United States Black Rock Desert, United States United Kingdom Andy Green ThrustSSC Turbofan: 2 × Rolls-Royce Spey 713.990 1149.055 714.144 1149.303 [44]
October 15, 1997 United States Black Rock Desert, United States United Kingdom Andy Green ThrustSSC Turbofan: 2 × Rolls-Royce Spey 760.343 1223.657 763.035 1227.986 [45] First to break the speed of sound

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Land Speed Record Agreement". The Times. No. 56193. December 12, 1964. p. 7, col E.
  2. ^ "List Of FIA Absolute World Records" (PDF). FIA. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  3. ^ "Official List Of World Speed Records Homologated By The FIA In Category C" (PDF). FIA. Retrieved April 9, 2023.
  4. ^ "FIA land speed records". FIA. Archived from the original on October 11, 2008. Retrieved October 16, 2008.
  5. ^ Regulations for Record Attempts – CHAPTER 2 Archived November 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine – FIA
  6. ^ "§105. Conditions for the recognition of international or world records". Sporting Code: Chapter 7: Records. FIA. Archived from the original on December 21, 2008. Retrieved October 16, 2008.
  7. ^ a b c Northey, Tom (1974). "Land Speed Record: The Fastest Men on Earth". In Ian Ward (ed.). World of Automobiles. Vol. 10. London: Orbis. p. 1162.
  8. ^ Martin, James A.; Saal, Thomas F. (2004). "Ch 17: Land Speed Record to 1939". American Auto Racing: The Milestones and Personalities of a Century of Speed. McFarland. p. 39. ISBN 978-0-7864-1235-8.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Northey, p.1163.
  10. ^ a b Northey, p.1164.
  11. ^ a b c d e f Northey, p.1166.
  12. ^ a b c d e Strohl, Daniel (September 26, 2019). "What exactly is the women's world land-speed record?". Hemmings. Retrieved June 25, 2021. ... the Fédération Internationale de L'Automobile, which oversees world land-speed record attempts, doesn't recognize separate men's and women's records. ... The Guinness Book of World Records – to which the North American Eagle team submitted Combs's data – appears to be the only record-keeping entity that does recognize gender-separated land-speed records ... The idea of creating a separate, though unofficial, category for women's land-speed records likely originated with Levitt ... Goodyear and Firestone didn't place Murphy, Skelton, and Lee Breedlove in those cars to empower women; they did it instead to market to women ... That the women's land-speed record does not officially exist may be a relic of less enlightened times when men believed women to be inferior and incapable of handling an automobile, but it may also, ironically, serve the interests of gender equality.
  13. ^ Hull, Peter G. "Napier: The Stradivarius of the Road", in Northey, Tom, ed. The World of Automobiles (London: Orbis, 1974), Volume 13, p.1483.
  14. ^ G.N. Georgano Cars: Early and Vintage, 1886–1930. (London: Grange-Universal, 1985).
  15. ^ "Women in Motorsport – Timeline". Btinternet.com. Archived from the original on July 24, 2012. Retrieved October 17, 2010.
  16. ^ Samuel Hawley (2011). Speed Duel: The Inside Story of the Land Speed Record in the Sixties. Firefly Books. ISBN 978-1-77088-007-8.
  17. ^ Twite, Mike (1974), "Breedlove: Towards the sound barrier", World of Automobiles, Orbis Publishing, 2: 231
  18. ^ "Knowingly Navigating the Unknown Archived October 31, 2015, at the Wayback Machine", Maria Russo, The New York Times, May 7, 2013
  19. ^ Ellen Jares, Sue. "The Renaissance Woman of Danger—That's Tiny Kitty O'Neil". People. Archived from the original on December 2, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  20. ^ Phinizy, Coles. "A Rocket Ride To Glory And Gloom". SI Vault. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  21. ^ "Deaf stuntwoman Kitty O'Neil sets women's land-speed record". History. Archived from the original on June 13, 2019. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
  22. ^ "Female land speed record broken by Jessi Combs after 48 years". SlashGear. October 15, 2013. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  23. ^ Asmelash, Leah (August 28, 2019). "Race car driver Jessi Combs, known as the 'fastest woman on four wheels,' dies while trying to beat record". CNN. Retrieved October 26, 2019.
  24. ^ "American jet-car racer and Mythbusters host Jessi Combs posthumously awarded world land-speed record for a woman". US: ABC/AP. June 25, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  25. ^ a b Northey, p.1161.
  26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Fowler, Dave (2019). "Land Speed Record Holders Timeline". Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  27. ^ Ross, Frank (1976). Car racing against the clock : the story of the world land speed record. Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. pp. 10–13. ISBN 978-0-688-41743-7.
  28. ^ Nagy, Attila (July 18, 2014). "The Blazing Fast Evolution Of Land Speed Record Cars". Gizmodo. Australia. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  29. ^ a b c d e f Posthumus, Cyril. Land Speed Record: A complete history of the record-breaking cars from 39 to 600+ mph (Osprey Publishing, Reading, 1971)
  30. ^ Cars Against the Clock, The World Land Speed Record, Robert B. Jackson (New York, Henry Z. Walck, Inc.), p.19, ISBN 0-8098-2078-1
  31. ^ [1] Archived July 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine – The British Steam Car Challenge
  32. ^ Seherr-Thoss (October 1987). "History of Automobile World Records". FIA.
  33. ^ a b c d e Scott A. G. M. Crawford, "Campbell, Sir Malcolm (1885–1948)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2011 accessed 20 April 2013 Archived October 22, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ "Hier, sur la plage de Pendine, l'Anglais J. P. Thomas a atteint la formidable vitesse de 277 kil. à l'heure!". L'Auto: 1. April 28, 1926 – via BnF/Gallica.
  35. ^ "A nouveau, J. P. Thomas a battu hier les records du monde du mille et du kilomètre qu'il s'était appropriés la veille!". L'Auto: 1. April 29, 1926 – via BnF/Gallica.
  36. ^ Holthusen, Peter J.R. (1986). The Land Speed Record ISBN 0-85429-499-6
  37. ^ Northey, Tom (1974). "Land Speed Record: The Fastest Men on Earth". In Tom Northey. World of Automobiles. Vol. 10 (London: Orbis), pp.1164–5.
  38. ^ a b c d e f g h i Northey, p.1165.
  39. ^ "Proteus Bluebird CN7". The National Motor Museum Trust. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  40. ^ "Bluebird CN7 – Donald Campbell". Land Speed Record. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  41. ^ a b Twite, Mike. "Craig Breedlove: Toward the Sound Barrier", in World of Automobiles (Volume 2, p.231).
  42. ^ a b "Land Speed Record History | Bloodhound SSC Risbridger". Archived from the original on September 12, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2017.
  43. ^ Cars Against the Clock, The Fastest Men on Earth, Clifton, Paul, New York, The John Day Company, page 238, L.C. 66-15097
  44. ^ a b c "FIA land speed records, Cat C" (PDF). FIA. Retrieved July 12, 2009.
  45. ^ "Introduction". FIA. Archived from the original on December 30, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  46. ^ "June 2016 Newsletter". Retrieved July 4, 2016.
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