View source for List of land speed records

{{Short description|Highest speed achieved by a person in a land vehicle}}
{{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}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2020}}

[[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''' ('''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>

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>

== History ==
[[File:STES-AEG Versuchstriebwagen.jpg|thumb|German [[Experimental three-phase railcar|AEG railcar]] in 1903: {{convert|210|kph|mph}} ]]
{{further|Railway speed record}}

Until 1829 the fastest land transport was by horse. Then, [[railway speed record]]s were set.

The first automobile record 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%;"
|-
! rowspan="3" | Date
! rowspan="3" | Location
! rowspan="3" | Driver
! rowspan="3" | Vehicle
! rowspan="3" | Power
! colspan="4" | Speed
! rowspan="3" | Comments
|-
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;km
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;mile
|-
! (mph) !! (km/h)
! (mph) !! (km/h)
|-
|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]]
||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 |archive-date=December 23, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181223030050/https://landspeedrecord.org/speed-records/ |url-status=dead }}</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>
|-
|January 17, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Camille Jenatzy]]<ref name="Northey1161"/>|| GCA Dogcart||Electric
|41.42||66.66|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|January 17, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat||[[Jeantaud]] Duc||Electric
||43.93||70.31|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|January 27, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Camille Jenatzy|| GCA Dogcart||Electric
||49.93||80.35|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|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" />
|-
|April 29, 1899||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Achères, France||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Camille Jenatzy|| CITA No 25 ''[[La Jamais Contente]]''|| Electric
||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" />
|-
|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"/>
|75.06||120.80|| || ||
|-
|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-->
|-
|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>
|-
|November 17, 1902 ||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Dourdan, France||{{Flagicon|France|variant=1848b}} Maurice Augières||Mors Z Paris-Vienne||Internal combustion
|77.13||124.13|| || || <ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|July 17, 1903 ||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Ostend]], Belgium||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Arthur Duray]]|| Gobron Brillié Paris-Madrid ||Internal combustion
|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
|84.73||136.35|| || || <ref name="Posthumus (1971)" />
|-
|January 12, 1904
|{{Flagicon|United States|variant=1896}} [[New Baltimore, Michigan|New Baltimore]], United States
|{{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||{{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" /> 
|-
|May 25, 1904||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} Ostend, Belgium||{{Flagicon|Belgium}} [[Pierre de Caters]]||[[Mercedes Simplex]] 90 ||Internal combustion|| 97.25 || 156.50 || || || <ref name="landspeedr" /> 
|-
|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.
|-
|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" />
|-
|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 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
|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"/>
|-
|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
|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)"/> 
|-
|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)" />
|-
|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
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||145.89||234.98
|Fastest land speed record ever on a public road<ref name="Northey1163"/>
|-
|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
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||146.16||235.22
|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
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||150.87||242.8
|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>

|-
|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 ||
|-
|April 27, 1926
|{{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
| 172.09 || 275.341
| 171.69 || 274.590
| <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>
|-
|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
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;"|—||174.88||281.44||<ref name=crawford/>
|-
|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>
|-
|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"/>
|-
|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 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 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"/>
|-
|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/>
|-
|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/>
|-
|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"/>
|-
|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"/>
|-
|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"/>
|-
|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
|345.49 <ref name="Northey1165"/>||556.012||||
|
|-
|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"/>
|-
|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 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
|
|-
|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
|First single pass at over 400&nbsp;mph (402&nbsp;mph)
|-
|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|archive-date=June 17, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190617160050/https://landspeedrecord.org/bluebird-cn7-donald-campbell/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|648.73
|Last wheel driven absolute record.
|}

=== 1963–present (jet and rocket propulsion) ===
[[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%;"
|-
! style="width:8%;"  rowspan="3" | Date
! style="width:10%;" rowspan="3" | Location
! style="width:12%;" rowspan="3" | Driver
! style="width:12%;" rowspan="3" | Vehicle
! style="width:8%;"  rowspan="3" | Power
!                    colspan="4" | Speed
! style="width:12%;" rowspan="3" | Comments
|-
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;km
! colspan="2" | Over 1&nbsp;mile
|-
! style="width:4%;" | (mph) !! style="width:4%;" | (km/h)
! style="width:4%;" | (mph) !! style="width:4%;" | (km/h)
|-
|August 5, 1963||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], United States||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]|| [[Spirit of America (automobile)|''Spirit of America'']]||[[Turbojet]]
|||||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]]. 
|-
|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"/>
|-
|October 5, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], United States||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Art Arfons]]|| [[Green Monster (automobile)#Land speed racing|''Green Monster'']]||[[Turbojet]]
|||||434.03||698.50 ||<ref name="Northey1166"/>
|-
|October 13, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], United States||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]||[[Spirit of America (automobile)|''Spirit of America'']]||[[Turbojet]]||
||||468.719||754.330||<ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|October 15, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], United States||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Craig Breedlove]]||[[Spirit of America (automobile)|''Spirit of America'']]||[[Turbojet]]||
||||526.277||846.961||<ref name="landspeedr" /> 
|-
|October 27, 1964||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Bonneville Salt Flats]], United States||{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Art Arfons]]||[[Green Monster (automobile)#Land speed racing|''Green Monster'']]||[[Turbojet]]||
||||536.710||863.751||<ref name="landspeedr" /> 
|-
|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> 
|-
|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
||927.872||576.553||927.872||<ref name="landspeedr" />
|-
|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
|-
|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>
|-
|October 4, 1983||{{Flagicon|United States}} [[Black Rock Desert]], United States||{{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Richard Noble]]||''[[Thrust2]]''||[[Turbojet]]: 1 × [[Rolls-Royce Avon]]
|634.051||1020.406||633.47||1019.47||<ref name="FIA land speed records, Cat C"/>
|-
|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
|<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 ==
* [[List of vehicle speed records]]
* [[List of British land speed records]]
* [[List of production car speed records]]
* [[List of speed records in rail transport]]
* [[List of motorcycle land-speed records]]
* [[Aero-engined car]]
* [[Pioneer 2M]] – Soviet Union attempt at the land speed record in early 1960s
* [[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]] – 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>
* [[Goldenrod (car)|Goldenrod]] - The car which held the wheel-driven land speed record from 1965 to 1991.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.aussieinvader.com/|Aussie Invader official website}} – Australian challengers to the supersonic showdown
* [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://www.samuelhawley.com/lsr.html The Land Speed Record in the Sixties: an on-line collection] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180906102204/http://www.samuelhawley.com/lsr.html |date=September 6, 2018 }}

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