The Bonneville salt flats in Utah reverberated with the achievement of a new land speed record set by a British team, marking a timely revival of interest in the storied history of speed records. This legacy is being brought to light through an exceptional archive detailing over a century of groundbreaking vehicles and their dedicated operators.
On Tuesday, JCB’s hydrogen-powered Hydromax vehicle claimed the International Automobile Federation (FIA) land speed record, hitting a remarkable speed of 406.320 mph at Bonneville.
Notably, the car was piloted by Andy Green, a former RAF wing commander who previously set the overall land speed record of 763.035 mph in 1997 with the ThrustSSC, becoming the first individual to break the sound barrier on land.
Green’s accomplishments with both the ThrustSSC and the JCB Hydromax are part of a rich tapestry of land speed records that is being revisited, much of which is being made accessible to the public for the first time.
The FIA is currently engaged in digitizing over two million documents and photographs from its archives for public access. The section pertaining to land speed records, housed in the FIA’s storage facility in Valleiry, France, is among the initial projects to be released.
“This is the first time these materials are available to the public outside of their storage boxes in Valleiry,” stated Roger Banowetz, president of the FIA land speed records commission. “I’ve advocated for the digitization of the land speed record archive, as it is crucial to make this information accessible to everyone.”
The archive is not limited to documents and images; it also includes handwritten notes, letters, and official records annotated by individuals involved in or witnessing record attempts, providing a tangible connection to the past.
The quest for speed began shortly after the motorcar was invented at the close of the 19th century, initially powered by electricity. The first recorded speed was set by Frenchman Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat in 1898 at 39.24 mph using a Jeantaud car, a record quickly contested by Belgian Camille Jenatzy. This rivalry continued for two years until Jenatzy became the first to exceed 100 km/h in his torpedo-shaped vehicle, La Jamais Contente.
What ensued was an intense competition that captured the public’s imagination, particularly during what is often referred to as the golden age of land speed records, where British competitors played a prominent role. Kenelm Lee Guinness set a record in a Sunbeam 350HP post-World War I, followed by four record-setting feats from Malcolm Campbell, who became a legendary figure in the 1930s alongside fellow Britons George Eyston and John Cobb. At the beginning of that decade, the record was 231 mph, but it soared to 367 mph by its end.
The archive serves as a testament to an era when these achievements were headline news. Visuals of Cobb’s Railton Special being assembled evoke a sense of nostalgia, while technical reports from his record attempts include understated notes, such as the acknowledgment of an “unusually rough” course.
Photographs from Campbell’s 1935 endeavors at Bonneville reveal not only his Blue Bird car racing across the salt flats but also a candid moment featuring the timekeeper, annotated with a humorous note about early morning attire. That year, Campbell surpassed the 300 mph threshold, a feat accompanied by significant challenges, as he recalled experiencing an oil film on his windshield and toxic fumes infiltrating the cockpit before a tire explosion made control nearly impossible.
The inherent dangers of this sport are a stark reminder of the risks involved for participants. Banowetz remarked, “You cannot simply step into these vehicles and expect to cruise down the course.” He highlighted the unique challenges posed by the salt flats compared to other surfaces, which typically offer much less traction.
The correspondence between Campbell and Colonel C.G. Péron, the general secretary of the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus, which later became the FIA, is also included in the archive. Campbell sought suitable locations for his record attempts between 1928 and 1931, with Péron providing support, even reaching out to the French military in Algeria on Campbell’s behalf.
The pursuit of speed did not wane in the postwar era, expanding beyond sheer speed to include timed endurance runs. The archive also documents a remarkable record set in 1959 by an unexpected contender, an aerodynamic Austin-Healey Sprite. This vehicle achieved an average speed of 138.75 mph over 12 hours and 1,665 miles, with meticulous details noted by hand, including a casual remark about a dramatic spin experienced by driver Gus Ehrman when the engine cover flew off at 135 mph.
