Land Speed Records

The annual World Human Powered Speed Challenge draws cyclists from around the world seeking to push the limits of pedal-powered motion, but it was Canadian Todd Reichart who left the competition in his wake to clock a top speed of 85.71 mph (137.9 km/h).

Wet conditions and bad weather shut down Bonneville Speed Week for the second year in a row this summer, and they didn't much help Venturi and Ohio State, but the team battled through and set a new category electric world record of 240.320 mph (386.757 km/h).

For the second year in a row Triumph has been forced to suspend its effort for a new land speed record after its pilot, Guy Martin, was injured during the Ulster GP Superbike race on Thursday, August 6.

Triumph has confirmed that motorcycle racer Guy Martin will pilot its Rocket III Streamliner in a new land speed record attempt at the Bonneville salt flats in late August.

The team behind the Bloodhound Super Sonic Car (SSC) has announced that the first test run will take place in November. The test is part of the team's preparation for a new world land speed record attempt. The ultimate targeted speed is a spritely 1,000 mph (1,609 km/h).

Imagine a Rolls Royce helicopter turbine that produces a scorching 542 hp and over 450 lb-ft of torque strapped to a bare naked motorcycle, a streetfighter. This is what Madmax Race Team brought to Elvington for the Straightliners Speed Record event, leaving with three new official world records.

A Bentley Continental GT Speed driven by actor Idris Elba has set a new British land speed record. The "Flying Mile" takes the average speed of a vehicle across two rolling-start runs of a mile (1.6 km) each. Elba achieved an average speed of 180.361 mph (290.263 km/h).

Having announced its intention in 2008 to attempt a new land speed world record, the Bloodhound team has now begun its 12-month countdown to the first test runs in South Africa. The milestone was marked yesterday with a test of the communications equipment at high-speed.

Requiring over 10,000 hours, five types of carbon fiber weave and two different resins to complete, the Bloodhound SSC land speed team unveiled the cockpit that will be driver Andy Green’s office space for his supersonic record attempt run in South Africa in 2015 and 2016.

Last week, Don Wales, grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, opened a new multimedia exhibit celebrating the golden age of British land speed record breaking entitled “Britain & For The Hell Of It” at the National Motor Museum, Beaulieu, Hampshire.

Back in 1965, Lee Breedlove set the women's land speed record on Utah’s Salt Lake Flats with a speed of 308.51 mph (496.49 km/h). That record stood for 48 years until this month, when Jessi Combs took her 52,000 hp Supersonic Speed Challenger to a speed of 392.954 mph (632.39 km/h).

The Bloodhound team from the UK has turned to 3D printing technology for one of the most critical parts of the high speed vehicle – a tip that, if all goes well, will be the first part of the car to break through the 1,000 mph (1,610 km/h) mark in 2015.