Breaking the Sound Barrier On Land???
On Wednesday, October 15th, 1997, the ThrustSSC was timed at 759.333 miles per hour, which is Mach 1.015. The all-important backup run was successfully made within the hour, at 766.609 miles per hour.
After verifying the timing equipment, the USAC officials granted the team a new world land speed record. The average speed between the two runs was 763.035 miles per hour, which is Mach 1.020.
Not bad, considering the slug of a plane that brought them there only did 340.
A goal that many among us had thought of as being unattainable had been reached. And now, if you want to set a new unlimited world land speed record, first you’re going to have to break the sound barrier.
When an excited reporter asked him what the world looked like from the inside of a car going over 700 miles per hour, Andy replied, “The same as stationary, only faster.”
Some of the most prolific race car drivers in the world shook their heads in amazement when they heard of what ThrustSSC jet car team members Ron Ayers, Jeremy Bliss, Glynne Bowsher, Jeremy Davey, Andy Green, Richard Noble, Robin Richardson, and their hundreds of helpers had accomplished. What they accomplished goes far beyond words.
Upon reaching the goal of setting a supersonic land speed record on October 15th, 1997, Noble announced that the ThrustSSC was officially retired. The car is now on display in the Coventry Transport Museum.
