Your American History Reference Guide!
Land speed record
Land Speed Records 1898-2002
The information below is for self-propelled wheeled vehicles travelling over open ground. As such, it does not include records set by vehicles travelling on rails or motorized sleds over frozen lakes.
Additionally, the records below do not distinguish between different recognized classes of the land speed record, such as top speed for a motorcycle (333.117 mph), top speed for a steam-driven vehicle (145.607 mph), or other top speeds that are not absolutes.
These are average speeds over the given distance. Two figures are given, one for the speed measured over a kilometre long course, and one for a mile long course. The country field refers to the driver's nationality. Early records were not set according to clearly defined rules and thus some of them are controversial.
Disputed records are on a yellow background.
THIS TABLE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS most of the information is accurate but don't consider it as an absolute reference.
Date
Location
Driver
Driver Country
Vehicle
Power
Speed over 1 km
Speed over 1 mile
Comments
December 18, 1898
Achères , France
Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat
France Jeantaud Duc
Electric
39.24 mph (63.15 km/h)
January 17, 1899
Achères, France
Camille Jenatzy Belgium CGA Dogcart
Electric
41.42 mph (66.66 km/h)
January 17, 1899
Achères, France
Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat
France
Jeantaud Duc
Electric
43.69 mph (70.31 km/h)
January 27, 1899
Achères, France
Camille Jenatzy
Belgium
CGA Dogcart
Electric
49.93 mph (80.35 km/h)
March 4, 1899
Achères, France
Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat
France
Jeantaud Duc Profilée
Electric
57.65 mph (92.78 km/h)
April 29, 1899
Achères, France
Camille Jenatzy
Belgium
CITA No 25 La Jamais Contente
Electric
65.79 mph (105.88 km/h)
First record over
100km/h
April 13, 1902
Nice , FranceLeon Serpollet
France
Gardner-Serpollet Oeuf de Pâques (Easter Egg)
Steam
75.06 mph (120.80 km/h)
November 5, 1902
Ablis, France
William K. Vanderbilt
USA Mors Z Paris-Vienne
IC 76.08mph (122.44 km/h)
November 5, 1902
Dourdan, France
Henri Fournier
France
Mors Z Paris-Vienne
IC
76.60 mph (123.28 km/h)
November 17, 1902
Dourdan, France
M. Augières
France
Mors Z Paris-Vienne
IC
77.13 mph (124.13 km/h)
July 17, 1903
Ostend, Belgium
Arthur Duray
Belgium
Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid
IC
83.46 mph (134.32 km/h)
November 5, 1903
Dourdan, France
Arthur Duray
Belgium
Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid
IC
84.73 mph (136.36 km/h)
January 12, 1904
Lake St. Clair, USA
Henry Ford USA
Ford Arrow
IC
91.37 mph (147.05 km/h)
On frozen lake
March 31, 1904
Nice, France
Arthur Duray
Belgium
Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid
IC
88.76 mph (142.85 km/h)
March 31, 1904
Nice, France
Louis Rigolly
France
Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid
IC
94.78 mph (152.53 km/h)
May 25, 1904
Ostend, Belgium
Pierre de Caters
Belgium
Mercedes Simplex 90IC
97.25 mph (156.50 km/h)
July 21, 1904
Ostend, Belgium
Louis Rigolly
France
Gobron Brillié Gordon Bennett Cup
IC
103.56 mph (166.66 km/h)
November 13, 1904
Ostend, Belgium
Paul Baras
France
Darracq Gordon BennettIC
104.53 mph (168.22 km/h)
January 24, 1905
Daytona Beach , USAArthur MacDonald
France
Napier 6
IC
104.65 mph (168.42 km/h)
December 30, 1905
Arles, France
Victor Hémery
France
Darracq V8 Special
IC
109.65 mph (175.44 km/h)
January 26, 1906
Daytona Beach , USAFred H. Marchriott
USA
Stanley Steamer
Steam
121.57 mph (195.65 km/h)
January 24, 1907
Ormond Beach, Florida
Glenn Curtiss USA
Curtiss V8 40 hp (30kW) motorcycle
IC
136.27 mph (219.31 km/h)
November 6, 1909
Brooklands , United KingdomVictor Héméry
France
200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 1
IC
125.94 mph (202.68 km/h)
115.93 mph (186.57 km/h)
June 24, 1914
Brooklands, United Kingdom
L. G. Hornstead
United Kingdom 200 hp (150 kW) Benz No 3
IC
124.09 mph (199.70 km/h)
First 2-way record
February 12, 1919
Daytona Beach , USARalph DePalma USA
Packard 905
IC
149.875 mph (241.200 km/h)
Recognized in the USA, not recognized by the AIACR
May 17, 1922
Brooklands, United Kingdom
Kenelm Lee Guinness
United Kingdom
350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam
IC
133.70 mph (215.17 km/h)
129.17 mph (207.88 km/h)
Last record set on a closed
course
July 6, 1924
Arpajon, France
René Thomas
France
Delage La TorpilleIC
143.21 mph (230.47 km/h)
143.31 mph (230.64 km/h)
July 12, 1924
Arpajon, France
Ernest A. D. Eldridge
United Kingdom
FIAT Special Mephistopeles IIIC
146.01 mph (234.98 km/h)
145.89 mph (234.79 km/h)
Last record set on a public
road
September 25, 1924
Pendine Sands , Wales Malcolm Campbell United Kingdom
350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird
IC
146.15 mph (235.21 km/h)
146.16 mph (235.22 km/h)
July 21, 1925
Pendine Sands, Wales
Malcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
350 hp (260 kW) Sunbeam Blue Bird
IC
150.86 mph (242.79 km/h)
150.76 mph (242.62 km/h)
March 21, 1926
Southport, United Kingdom
Henry Segrave
United Kingdom
4 Litre Sunbeam Ladybird
IC
152.30 mph (245.10 km/h)
149.32 mph (240.31 km/h)
April 27, 1926
Pendine Sands, Wales
J.G. Parry-Thomas United Kingdom
Higham-Thomas Special Babs
IC
169.29 mph (272.45 km/h)
168.07 mph (270.48 km/h)
April 28, 1926
Pendine Sands, Wales
J. G. Parry-Thomas
United Kingdom
Higham-Thomas Special Babs
IC
171.01 mph (273.60 km/h)
170.62 mph (274.59 km/h)
February 4, 1927
Pendine Sands, Wales
Malcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
Campbell Napier Blue Bird
IC
174.88 mph (281.44 km/h)
174.22 mph (280.38 km/h)
Last record set in Europe
March 29, 1927
Daytona Beach, USA
Henry Segrave
United Kingdom
100 hp (75 kW) Sunbeam 'Slug '
IC
202.98 mph (326.66 km/h)
203.79 mph (327.97 km/h)
February 19, 1928
Daytona Beach, USA
Malcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
Campbell Napier Blue Bird
IC
206.95 mph (333.05 km/h)
April 22, 1928
Daytona Beach, USA
Ray Keech
USA
White Triplex Spirit of Elkdom
IC
207.55 mph (334.02 km/h)
March 11, 1929
Daytona Beach, USA
Henry Segrave
United Kingdom
Irving-Napier Golden Arrow
IC
231.56 mph (372.66 km/h)
231.36 mph (372.34 km/h)
February 5, 1931
Daytona Beach, USA
Malcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird
IC
246.08 mph (396.03 km/h)
245.73 mph (395.46 km/h)
February 24, 1932
Daytona Beach, USA
Malcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
Campbell Napier Railton Blue Bird
IC
251.34 mph (404.49 km/h)
253.96 mph (408.71 km/h)
February 22, 1933
Daytona Beach, USA
Malcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird
IC
272.46 mph (438.48 km/h)
272.10 mph (437.90 km/h)
March 7, 1935
Daytona Beach, USA
Malcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird
IC
276.16 mph (444.44 km/h)
276.71 mph (445.32 km/h)
Last record set on a beach
September 3, 1935
Bonneville Salt Flats , USAMalcolm Campbell
United Kingdom
Campbell Rolls-Royce Railton Blue Bird
IC
301.129 mph (484.620 km/h)
November 19, 1937
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
George E. T. Eyston
United Kingdom
Thunderbolt
IC
312.00 mph (502.11 km/h)
311.41 mph (501.17 km/h)
August 27, 1938
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
George E. T. Eyston
United Kingdom
Thunderbolt
IC
345.20 mph (555.55 km/h)
345.48 mph (556.00 km/h)
September 15, 1938
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
John Cobb United Kingdom
Railton
IC
350.06 mph (563.37 km/h)
350.19 mph (563.58 km/h)
September 16, 1938
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
George E. T. Eyston
United Kingdom
Thunderbolt
IC
357.33 mph (575.07 km/h)
357.49 mph (575.32 km/h)
August 23, 1939
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
John Cobb United Kingdom
Railton
IC
369.74 mph (595.04 km/h)
367.91 mph (592.09 km/h)
September 16, 1947
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
John Cobb United Kingdom
Railton 'Mobil' Special
IC
393.82 mph (633.79 km/h)
394.19 mph (634.39 km/h)
First one-way over 400mph
September 5, 1963
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Craig Breedlove USA
Spirit of America Turbojet 408.312 mph (657.114 km/h)
407.447 mph (655.722 km/h)
Ratified by FIM as vehicle has 3
wheels
October 5, 1964
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Tom Green
USA
Wingfoot Express
Turbojet 415.093 mph (668.027 km/h)
413.199 mph (664.979 km/h)
October 7, 1964
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Art Arfons USA
The Green Monster Turbojet 434.356 mph (665.231 km/h)
434.022 mph (664.694 km/h)
October 13, 1964
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Craig Breedlove USA
Spirit of America - Sonic 1
Turbojet
468.719 mph (754.330 km/h)
October 15, 1964
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Craig Breedlove USA
Spirit of America - Sonic 1
Turbojet
526.277 mph (846.861 km/h)
October 27, 1964
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Art Arfons USA
The Green Monster
Turbojet 544.134 mph (875.699 km/h)
536.710 mph (863.791 km/h)
November 2, 1965
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Craig Breedlove USA
Spirit of America - Sonic 1
Turbojet 555.485 mph (893.966 km/h)
555.485 mph (893.966 km/h)
November 7, 1965
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Art Arfons USA
The Green Monster
Turbojet 572.546 mph (921.423 km/h)
576.553 mph (927.872 km/h)
November 15, 1965
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Craig Breedlove USA
Spirit of America - Sonic 1
Turbojet 600.842 mph (966.961 km/h)
600.601 mph (966.574 km/h)
October 23, 1970
Bonneville Salt Flats, USA
Gary Gabelich USA
Blue Flame Rocket 630.389 mph (1014.52 km/h)
622.407 mph (1001.67 km/h)
First record over 1000km/h
December 17, 1979
Edwards AFB, USA
Stan Barrett
USA
Budweiser Rocket Rocket
746 mph supersonic top speed claimed, rarely accepted due to dubious evidence. Did not follow official measurement rules.
October 4, 1983
Black Rock Desert , USARichard Noble United Kingdom
Thrust2 Turbojet
633.468 mph (1019.47 km/h)
September 25, 1997
Black Rock Desert, USA
Andy Green United Kingdom
ThrustSSC Turbofan 713.496 mph (1148.26 km/h)
714.144 mph (1149.30 km/h)
October 15 , 1997 Black Rock Desert, USA
Andy Green United Kingdom
ThrustSSC Turbofan 760.343 mph (1223.65 km/h)
763.035 mph (1227.99 km/h)
First supersonic record (Mach
1.016)
External links
