Between 1963 and 1965, the World Land Speed Record was broken nine times on Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. This is the story of the extraordinary men and machines behind the Battle Of Bonneville.

NOTE: Craig Breedlove's August 1963 record was initially not recognised since Spirit Of America, with three wheels and a jet engine, did not conform to current FIA rules. The FIM recognised SOA as a three-wheeled motorcycle, but FIM was not the sanctioning body for the World Land Speed Record. Subsequent records by Art and Walt Arfons and Breedlove were not ratified as World Land Speed records until December 1964, when the FIA and FIM agreed to jointly recognise their accomplishments as outright World Land Speed, and furthermore that thrust-powered records would be allowed within the rules. During the intervening period, Donald Campbell set a wheel-driven record of 403 mph at Lake Eyre, Australia in Bluebird CN7, but his record was eclipsed when Breedlove's 1963 was ratified. My video telling the story of Campbell's CN7 is here:
   • Video  

FURTHER READING
I buy a lot of books! Here are a selection of books that have inspired me or have been useful in my research.
Disclaimer: I get a commission every time you purchase a product through my affiliate links below.

Thrust: The Remarkable Story of One Man's Quest for Speed by Richard Noble
https://amzn.to/46mgJUI

Railton: Man Of Speed by Karl Ludvigsen
https://amzn.to/3pjmZfg

Goldenrod: The Resurrection of America's Speed King by John Baechtel
https://amzn.to/3D2KCMt

Speed Duel by Samuel Hawley
https://amzn.to/3r4AgIT

The History Of Speed by Martin Roach
https://amzn.to/3NIl9Nh

Donald Campbell: The Man Behind The Mask by David Tremayne
https://amzn.to/43YqkQ2

Bluebird and the Dead Lake: The Classic Account of how Donald Campbell broke the World Land Speed Record by John Pearson
https://amzn.to/3qY8v4P

Leap into Legend: Donald Campbell and the Complete Story of the World Speed Records by Steve Holter
https://amzn.to/42VsDBS

Bluebird CN7: The Inside Story of Donald Campbell's Last Land Speed Record Car by Donald Stevens
https://amzn.to/43SPW0H

Parry Thomas: The First Driver to be Killed in Pursuit of the Land Speed Record by Hugh Tours
https://amzn.to/3PASr34

Quest For Speed: The Epic Saga of Record-Breaking On Land by Barry John
https://amzn.to/44f8isp

The Fast Set: Three Extraordinary Men and Their Race for the Land Speed Record by Charles Jennings
https://amzn.to/43QjV9k

Man Against the Salt by Harvey Shapiro
https://amzn.to/3NMzgSV

Ultimate Speed: The Fast Life and Extreme Cars of Racing Legend Craig Breedlove by Samuel Hawley
https://amzn.to/46lpkXv

Infinity Over Zero: Meditations on Maximum Velocity by Cole Coonce
https://amzn.to/3qYlWSp

Speedquest: Inside the Blue Flame by Richard Keller
https://amzn.to/42WKuIN

Crusader: John Cobb's ill-fated quest for speed on water by Steve Holter
https://amzn.to/3XoRpcn



Footage and stills from Castrol, Firestone, Goodyear, Getty and unknown sources, used under Fair Deal / Fair Use.

Oxygen Garden by Chris Zabriskie is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Source: http://chriszabriskie.com/divider/
Artist: http://chriszabriskie.com/