The Land Speed Pioneers - Trailblazing Speed Record Breakers

[@ttkiwis6980]

Criminally low view count. Bravo Sir for such great content.

[@dfz6925]

This channel deserves love. Share it with people. Who doesn't like fast cars and a spot of history.

[@underengineered_1077]

I can’t believe I’ve only learned about this channel 2 days ago. This is my favorite topic, and the way you present the information is very clear and very interesting. I am not exaggerating when I say this is my new favorite channel on the Internet, hands-down.

[@garyeasson8956]

I fully agree as I only found it on Sunday, where has it been hiding under engineered

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

Thanks for recognizing the big leap made by the streamlined (and mid-engined!) Stanley Rocket. 127mph in 1906! And that's American. And for showing Fred Marriot's 1907 attempt when at 150mph (tales vary), Fred drove the first Flying Car (no one understood downforce yet). The boiler rolled spewing down Ormond Beach. Fred and car parts were slowed, and reduced injuries by luckily splooshing into the Ocean.

[@cliford302]

I'm watching this on the 118th anniversary of Henry Ford's race in 999 Thanks for the great video

[@jeffallinson8089]

Absolutely loved this tale of the pioneers and their incredible cars. Thanks so much for this.

[@StefanMarjoram]

Great film! Having tried to draw all the LSR record cars, recorded the rebuild of the Beast of Turin and tried to work out the history of 999/Arrow I know just how difficult it is to disentangle the stories and photos from these early days. Any article about the early days should probably have a disclaimer. Journalists of the day would exaggerate wildly - reading the newspapers it seems Barney Oldfield set a new record every weekend! Then there's the rivalry between nations, manufacturers and timing organisations muddying the waters too. A few decades pass and the odd respected writer gets his facts wrong in a book - add another few decades and his error passes as fact. It's a minefield :) One thing that is definitely true is that these pioneers were insanely clever and brave - and created some of the most exciting stories in motoring history. There's a couple of my photos of the Darracq in the film. If you ever want to replace them with some clearer ones just let me know. Getting to sit in the mechanics seat, sometimes on the very roads that the records were set is such an enormous privilege and I'm very happy to share a small bit of it :)

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Hi Stefan - thanks so much for taking the time to comment! Your point about dodgy information becoming historical fact is well made, as I often find that my research sources conflict with each other and I end up either walking a line between them or leaving out stuff that I can't corroborate. Apologies for inadvertently using a couple of your photos in the film, I try to attribute the photos I use appropriately but it's not always possible to discover who owns them, and even more difficult to make contact! I'm very grateful for the offer of clearer photos - I may revisit (which is to say edit and re-post) this film later this year as there are a couple of errata that have been pointed out to me and I'm also minded to get rid of the background music. If I return to the film I'll be in touch, thank you very much!

[@StefanMarjoram]

@@ScarfAndGoggles No worries - I'm always keen to support anything educational. Just in case you do revisit it - the Serpollet Easter Egg that sold a couple of years ago was a recreation. I think there's also a possibility that the Darracq was the first car to do two miles in a minute - though Marriott eventually set the fastest speed (but you'll have to double check this - I don't want to add to the misinformation :)

[@yanito1979]

Really enjoying your videos, I have always been fascinated with land speed record attempts. Thanks for your hard work. 👌🏼

[@bobcatly7703]

I'm fascinated by the way they went to the trouble of streamlining the bodies of the cars but left the drivers sitting tall, almost outside the body.

[@AtheistOrphan]

Bob Catly - I thought that too.

[@nigelcarren]

Two years ago here in rural Bretagne, I was sifting through a wallet of hat-pins found in the bottom of an antique sewing-machine gifted to my girlfriend as part of a house clearance. As I turned the Pin-wallet over I couldn't believe it, pinned in the seam was an original 1905 Enamel Gordon Bennett Cup, Michelin Bibendum lapel-pin! Perhaps this badge had witnessed Charles Rolls or Nazzaro themselves in their prime.. pushing both life and machine to their limits on that July day? 🇬🇧⚒️🏆

[@Hetstaine]

Just stumbled across your channel today, great stuff, nice tight format, plenty of info and no long uneeded intro. Subbed and binging away, thanks for the content man, love it :)

[@willgrime]

David - (I assume I’m talking to David Tremayne) - what a wonderful collection of videos! These are a fabulous record of a most fascinating branch of motorsport, and I’m enjoying them tremendously, especially this one on the beginnings of LS record breaking. Really looking forward to more. Love your commentaries, and the restrained music choices. Outstanding!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Wow - incredibly flattering but I’m not David Tremayne, just an enthusiast who thinks these stories ought to be told! So glad you’re enjoying the channel, I’m researching and writing my next video now and hope to post it soon. Lots more on my to-do list too...

[@ianmacfarlane1241]

Another wonderfully narrated and highly informative video. These videos are an absolute pleasure to watch - simply done, nothing extraneous, and full of fascinating photographs of extremely interesting, and often quite beautiful cars - the 1902 Mors Z being a particular favourite, as it seems to have the balance spot on between the bare, skeletal cars and the naively, (as much as I hate to call anything naive in this video, it's the best description I can think of) streamlined cars. An excellent channel, deserving of many more views.

[@markspoor4663]

Thank you for the tastefully soft background music.

[@MrDriftspirit]

Thank you very much for this entertaining and short time travel. So many pictures with a lot of exhausted researched informations. Very well done in all videos i have watched till yet.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@shadowraith1]

Thank you for a fascinating look at the birth of land speed record breaking. The photography is eye catching to say the least.👍🏎🏎🏎👍

[@STR82DVD]

New sub. Great stuff lad. Thanks from Ottawa.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@candrewgreen]

Excellent program with excellent narration, why can't all KZbin videos be like this!

[@pierredecine1936]

My Great-Great Grandfather - James Carnell, an original Ormond Beach Settler - was the Notary for many of these Speed Records ...

[@EricBarbman]

13:27 trying to burn his rival's canvas car with the flames from his exhaust, that's some serious Dick Dastardly sh*t, here !

[@dwaynecoomber6610]

Awesome work 👏 👌 👍 love your videos

[@keithstudly6071]

Sadly, there was much controversy about LSR records in the early day and this was partly by deign. The profit in the LSR game was setting new records which encouraged the people involve to break records, but not by much. They would then be able to go back and set new records several times in the same car. Barney Oldfield was quite aware of this when he set records in the 'Blitzen Benz' several times. In 1911 Bob Burman was allowed to drive because Oldfield had been suspended by the AAA and he bested Oldfield's 1910 record by 10 miles per hour (141MPH). That prompted Oldfield to say "Burman made me look like a damm fool." Oldfield had never run the Blitzen flat out because he didn't need to and was looking forward to setting the record at least a few more times in it. The AAA sanctioned records set by Tommy Milton's Duesenberg Special in 1920. Jimmy Murphy set the record at 152 MPH and Milton was furious as he paid for the car and the record was set while he was away in what was supposed to be a test run. When he came back weather was less favorable and it took several runs on multiple days by Milton before he could claim the record at 156.046. I mentioned the AAA (American Automobile Association) which was the major sanctioning body in the USA. There were other bodies and the largest was the IMCA. In 1922 an IMCA sanctioned record was set by Sig Haugdahl in the "Wisconsin Special" at 180.27 MPH, a record that AAA and the larger world never really recognized but which had a large number of witnesses that backed it up.

[@MBSLC]

Excellent presentation! Thank you!

[@johnhrichak]

Thank you sir! Your content is above reproach.

[@MrStabby19812]

There's a Darracq still raced regularly at Goodwood. Probably the same car.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

It is the same car - last seen at Goodwood in October 2021!

[@tankosl]

And also at Castle Combe!

[@nobodynoone2500]

It is said, and I trust it, that the fist race was shortly after the second car was built. It was, perhaps, even sooner if you count horses and people.

[@markwalmsley9868]

Instantly subscribed Excellent content 💪👍

[@tkreitler]

As a child, I was fascinated with the attempts by Campbell and Breedlove and the land speed record in general. I used to spend a considerable amount of time thinking about and drawing up my vision of a car that could contend for the title. I haven't given land speed racing much thought in the last 40 years until finding Scarf And Goggles. Thank you for the hard work that goes into this excellent channel.

[@BooktownBoy]

So glad I found your channel. Superb.

[@paintbox9899]

love the pioneer era for motorbikes and cars. Thanks brilliant video!

[@tankosl]

Great video, you've answered so many questions I had!!!

[@MoosesValley]

Thanks, great video. Some incredibly brave men driving what today would be considered "death traps".

[@runlarryrun77]

Pretty sure quite a lot of folks back then would have looked at these & also considered them to be death traps.

[@MoosesValley]

@@runlarryrun77 Yes, that's very true. 👍 But people back then might not have fully understood the danger. eg. they might have thought no seat belt was a good idea because you would be thrown clear if the car crashed. Definitely death traps back then, but even more so now.

[@dazuk1969]

Some of those cars look terrifying to drive...big pram wheels, no safety kit whatsoever...all cloth caps n moustaches. Brave dudes really. I wonder where this desire to constantly go faster comes from ?..seems to be in the genes of something...nice one though dude, i enjoyed that.

[@peterrenn6341]

I had the opportunity to ride on (not in!) the V8 Darracq at Brooklands a few years ago and yes, it was utterly terrifying. I've been around a few circuits in things like D-type Jags etc. but this was the one where I thought "if I survive this, never again!" Huge respect to those who drive these things but they could and did kill people. If you're Ok with that, climb aboard :-)

[@tomrogers9467]

Male ego fuelled by testosterone. Look how many motorcycle riders smear themselves all over the pavement in their 200 HP bikes. Snowmobilers are almost as bad, but they prefer “painting” trees and rocks with their faces. (I ride a snowmobile, and regularly see these idiots far, far exceeding the safe speeds for the trails! Lost one friend to exactly that cause.)

[@dazuk1969]

@@tomrogers9467 Sometimes our need for speed exceeds our talent Tom. Sorry to hear about your friend...peace to ya.

[@charlessanborn551]

I enjoy this channels content and format

[@karenashcraft8812]

beautiful cars

[@RoyCousins]

A great video, thanks for sharing. Kenelm Lee Guinness an American? "Bill" Guinness was born in London, a scion of the Irish brewing company, a Captain in the Horse Guards, and lived in England most of his life.

[@gowdsake7103]

Love the streamlining with all of him above

[@ronaldneehao9723]

Best video s on u tube fantastic thanks again from New Zealand

[@kenbobca]

I truly enjoy your videos. Thank you for making them.

[@AaronSpielman]

Excellent video, again.

[@peterm4475]

Disappointed you did not mention Glen Curtiss making the record in 1907 at 136 MPH on a motorcycle.

[@greyone40]

That would have been nice. Glenn was a genius who would justify a video about him alone. Hint hint. His developments in aviation were excellent also.

[@dr2stroke611]

because this is about 4 wheel land speed records and 'official' land speed records. his was an 'unofficial' record

[@nfreeman7]

Great videos! Keep them coming!

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks! Will do!

[@PhantomoftheHeadShop]

I have read several times that it wasn't impossible to close them but because they were difficult to close with a clean seam so to speak that while they could be closed they were prone to infection.

[@AVportau]

16:12 "no mention of Barney Oldfield".... mentions Barney Oldfield.

[@tamasmihaly1]

Should’ve been a Darwin award winner. He goes hunting with his friends and then hides in a bush to pretend like he’s the animal that they’re out there to hunt. Brilliant.

[@scottcass4243]

Good video, Thanks!

[@hg60justice]

interesting you comment on the latest steam record, but not an electric. but that's changing monthly it seems.

[@henrychubbs2823]

Another fine effort.

[@longdog67]

Visited Brompton cemetary a week ago. Found the grave of Percy Lambert. The first person to drive 100 miles in an hour. Any knowledge of him?

[@Melancholy43952]

The very first race took place shortly after the second car was manufactured.

[@a.j.carter8975]

❤ superb video. 1000psi of superheated steam just behind your head. No thanks. Thank you so much. Keep posting please.

[@ronaldharris6569]

Those crude electric cars are awesome

[@chrisball3634]

My grandfather unofficially held the land speed record in a Fiat!

[@yeetyeet4380]

At what speed for how long? that sounds interesting

[@chrisball3634]

@@yeetyeet4380 unfortunately, i was very young when my grandfather died. My father told me subsequently that there were newspaper cuttings of the holding, but when grandfather and grand mother died, the cuttings disappeared! Very sad! Incidentally, my grandfather actually worked for Fiat at the time. Thank you very much for enquiring.

[@yeetyeet4380]

@@chrisball3634 Sorry to hear that, hope you are doing well.

[@dancingtrout6719]

lol mine too

[@lestersabados1306]

I resided on Nantucket in the early 90s,and saw a Stanley steam car that was running

[@davidf2281]

Confucius say: Man who hide behind tree making noise like wild boar while friends hunt wild boar will probably die on the way to the hospital.

[@imyou6051]

I love Mitch-gan.

[@antonhoward9027]

Only the original engine from the 200hp Darracq was still in existence. I know Mark Walker who replicated the car around that engine.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks - I've seen it at Goodwood but didn't know that!

[@engineerinhickorystripehat]

@@ScarfAndGoggles he's blown it up at least once

[@MrTumbleweed22]

💣💥​@@engineerinhickorystripehat

[@chesspiece81]

I know the key to speed let's make the body as streamline as possible. And what should we do with the driver, sit him inside the body? No! Sit them on top of it.

[@musicwelikemang]

They really didnt know much about aero back then did they?

[@psychlops924]

I had no idea Daytona started out as an LSR competition. They should bring it back.

[@keithstudly6071]

You usually see it listed as Ormand Beach. Not enough room or traction in the sand. If you went one way too far you were in the sea, and the other you were in soft beach sand and would dig in.

[@avalon1rae]

My heroes

[@chesspiece81]

We look back at these 25 L V8 engines making 200HP and compare that to what we have now and think "wow the power per liter is so sad" Considering we have production 2 L ICE making 400hp. Image how power dense our engines will be. I had a GSXR 1k that had a stock rotating assembly, stock cams, and stock heads and it made 168.7 hp at the tire NA. I had only replaced the exhaust, velocity stacks on the throttle body, removed the Suzuki SET exhaust valves and had the bike tuned. This was from a naturally aspirated 1000cc 1 liter 16 valve engine that almost made what the 1905 28 liter V8. It's amazing how much technology has evolved and how quickly the development has gone on.

[@TheRealSmithFamily]

Yes, but let us not forget the all important torque 25 liters makes.

[@captianfish6957]

Yeah but these 25 liter motors are making like 800 pound feet of torque. Lotta long stroke motors back in the day

[@chaseman113]

Wait, that Stanley crashed at a 150 mph and dude survived. It still crashed faster then current record holder.

[@sciencedavedunning3415]

The Stanley Rocket of 1907 had springs ( but no shock absorbers ), no air dams or spoilers ( to keep it down), massive torque, hollow front end, and tiller steering. 1907 was a letdown year, poor weather, ripples in the Ormand Beach sand, and since no internal combustion competitors could approach the 1906 record of 127 mph, many simply stayed home. Fred Marriot insisted on seeing if the improved "Rocket " could set a greater record. Eye witnesses estimated his speed at 190 mph as he entered the timing gate. Massive torque at the rear axle lifted the hollow front end in a 'wheelie' until the smooth underside of the car caused it to 'kite', and take to the air. When the car came down into the sand, the front wheels were no longer straight, and they dug in, causing the car to flip, roll, and break apart. The Stanley bros were horrified and said nothing to the reporters, they never raced again. Witnesses Henry Flagler and John D Rockefeller (both heavily invested in Standard Oil ) told reporters that the Stanley boiler "blew up at 50 mph" and the explosion "blew out windows for miles around " Photos of the wreckage show the boiler rolled way down the beach at nearly 200mph, but it was intact. These lies were printed in newspapers up and down the east coast. Steam cars threatened the profits of oil companies because steamers required 1/5 the engine lube oil of internal combustion cars of that era. Bottom line.............. Had the 1907 Rocket been equipped with shocks, air dams, proper weight displacement, and had a smooth running surface, it could easily have set a 200+mph record that would have held 20 years, till Seagrave beat 200mph in his twin V12 Sunbeam behemoth on the same beach. Steam would have been the industry standard, no anti‐knock tetra-ethyl lead.............. ever ! No carcinogens from burning engine lube oil........... ever ! And only 10٪ of the allowed Carbon Monoxide from every car made since the lies were told ! It is safe to pursue electric cars because they cannot compete with internal combustion. Steamers were always superior. Only steamers can resolve the energy and air pollution crisis. Research the issue. If you agree, spread the truth, friend.

[@tonyw4863]

@@sciencedavedunning3415 "Only steamers can resolve the energy and air pollution crisis" - comedic comment I hope as steam is made by very inefficient fossil fuel burning!

[@sciencedavedunning3415]

@Tony W .......... Steam cars burn any fuel well away from engine lube oil, resulting in only 10% of the carbon monoxide produced by any internal combustion car, and none of the sulfurics or carcinogens . Fossil fuels, any fuels, can be burned more cleanly and efficiently than internal combustion. Furthermore, since the steam car has no compression ratio , no single fuel commitment, a single steam car could run on whatever fuel was selling cheapest that week, with no change in performance, thus putting all fuels in direct economic competition for lower prices across the board. Would you rather commit your internal combustion car to a 'clean' fuel like hydrogen, accept the severe loss of performance , only to discover that by burning in the presence of engine lube oil you were burning that oil still......... and still producing the same levels of CO, sulfurics, and carcinogens ? If you want a car that can fit into exsisting fuel supply infrastructure, burn fuel cleaner and quieter, last longer, out run, out climb, out pull, and out perform internal combustion in every way, only a steam car can do this. The steam car could have as few as 40 moving parts in the engine and drive train........... Less energy goes into building it. It sells for less cost. Top RPM is 900 at highway speeds , no vibration , friction, or bearing pound. Engine lasts a million miles. We should always have been driving steamers. There would never have been a need for tetra-ethyl-lead anti-knock compounds.

[@toomanyuserids]

They didn't have an Adrian Newey. Some damping and a tiny bit of front down force...

[@redtobertshateshandles]

Crashed the Stanley at 240km/h. And lived.

[@generalkayoss7347]

100mph in 1904 really was blazing fast!

[@chrishenniker5944]

Electronic speed traps just before the First World War? I never knew that. Perhaps we're more advanced than I thought.

[@NBSV1]

Some of those old systems actually had a stopwatch with a solenoid and a lever that hit the button. Pretty wild when you assume it takes the same amount of time for it to click every time.

[@keithstudly6071]

Old phrase "At the wire" was invented then. The cars ran over a wire at the finish line that triggered the clocks. Once someone snagged the timing wire and snapped it and it hit a following driver in the neck and killed him by severing an artery in his neck.

[@chrishenniker5944]

@@keithstudly6071 Did the car break the wire to trigger the circuit, so how did it work?

[@keithstudly6071]

@@chrishenniker5944 No, the wire was placed slightly above the racing surface and the cars would roll over it. That would deflect it enough to trigger the switch, when it was working correctly!

[@chrishenniker5944]

@@keithstudly6071 So, it was a cable pulling out the switch as the car rolled over it.

[@paulsanderson4139]

WAY COOL MAN

[@MadDocLive]

Are you planning to do any stories on the American only recognised land speed record breakers? I must admit I don't anything about them.

[@tomrogers9467]

So interesting than an electric vehicle should have broken some of those records, yet 120 years later, we still haven’t adopted the technology to any great extent. Still using lead acid batteries for the most part in the average (non - electric) vehicle.

[@garyeasson8956]

Edison was a leader in battery technology but lead acid was cheaper so his technology fell by the wayside.again it was cheaper to produce lead acid so look up Edisons green battery technology Tom Rogers 😀

[@carlcushmanhybels8159]

a vw electric racer set the pikes peak hill climb record 2 years ago. they added noises to its run, worried a spectator would be killed wandering onto the road hearing only quiet. electric racers' charge runs down very fast though.

[@davonmulder8458]

5:18 G E K O L O N I S E E R D

[@leduch]

wicked merci bien , njoylife

[@stevebriggs6469]

Love you videos. Thanks. FYI: Kenelm Lee Guinness wasn't American.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks - unfortunately on this occasion I didn't cross-check Wikipedia with another source! Glad you're enjoying the channel.

[@stephenjones4339]

Very interesting shame nothing on film but still good.

[@waldoanddenisestakes639]

I love your videos but they tend to be euro and mostly Brit biased. You’ve left out all the great American lsr attempt like Ralph de Palma, Barney Oldfield, Tommy Milton, Mickey Thompson, Nathan Ostich and All the Russian lsr contenders.as well as all the very early Daytona beach racers. Hopefully you will do some more videos on all these people.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Hi - thanks for your comment. Fair point, I’m intending to get to some of the US attempts (as well as others) but it’s a big subject when you scratch the surface! I’ve started with mostly UK based records as I’m based here and much of the resources and material I’ve collected over the years is focussed on British record breakers. Please stay tuned - I’m hoping to go more “stateside” with my videos later this year.

[@waldoanddenisestakes639]

Scarf And Goggles great don’t forget Sig Haugdahl. I went to England a year ago to see all the lsr vehicles. I did 7 museums in 9 days. I love the fact that the Brits are proud of their achievements and space their stuff. I saw everything except Babs and K7. Going back to see them and the engines from Thunderbolt. I am currently building an lsr vehicle with the rocket from the X-15 rocket plane in it. It is 50 percent complete. Keep up the good work.

[@blxtothis]

The reason for the omission is that the ‘Official FIA’ rules insist on a two way run at no more than a 60 minute interval between them, that seems to be too much bother for our Transatlantic Siblings.

[@keithstudly6071]

@@blxtothis We have a phrase for thinking like yours. 'Well he hasn't been to Harvard so it doesn't really matter'. Never the less these things did happen.

[@JoshuaShaw1932]

I agree. I was waiting for mention of The Packard Gray Wolf to no avail.. and then realized as I listened there were a few cars left out because they were not euro based. While disappointing, I am guilty of leaving the Europeans out of my Open wheel history research as well! At least he included Henry Ford (although as a Michigan resident the Mitch-again pronunciation made me smile! …I bet he has no trouble saying “Michelin” tires correctly. 👍🏼🏁

[@AtheistOrphan]

Gordon Bennett!

[@tw0pers0nalities]

wait what?! the hunting story makes no sense lol.......

[@DragnEYE]

do any of you hear the "Du DU"

[@freedom4all438]

1200 miles on one charge in 1837. Charging was free

[@AveragePicker]

No. Nothing electric was going 1200 miles in 1837. Now you might be thinking of Robert Davidson who built and electric locomotive in 1837 which, unconfirmed, supposedly once traveled 200 miles on a single charge but it also couldn't go over 4mph. It also never hauled anything.

[@RealSquares]

Huh

[@vitakyo982]

So , they killed electric cars at the very beginning of the automobile ...

[@badreality2]

Yes. Distance and speed were favored over convenience and cost.

[@stevewilson2745]

kinda sorta. electric cars just werent as viable in that time, as fuel burners. since it was easier and faster to refuel a gas-burner, thats what everyone opted to buy.

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

That's why Elon took the risk yet gets shit on constantly. Way ahead of the curve but his haters support next day delivery from Jeff.

[@chancefugitt4329]

Wonderful video, but you pronounce Michigan as if it were spelled Mish-again.

[@ScarfAndGoggles]

Thanks for comment - fair enough about my mis-pronunciation of Michigan, I messed up there!

[@gowdsake7103]

Its very simple so even the Yanks SHOULD understand, a 2 way record eliminates wind powered cheats

[@keithstudly6071]

Likely that's why they started doing 2 way runs in the 1920's. That's no reason to throw away all the one way records and pretend they did not happen.

[@EdSmith-wb6lx]

The State is called pronounced Mishigon NOT michigon just saying Ed Smith 40 S of Vegas

[@badreality2]

How come land-speed record holders knew about streamlining, thirty years before commercial car manufacturers, and forty years before the majority of the public cared?

[@GoldenCroc]

Who cares about streamlining when you go 40, maybe 50mph at most, I think the logic was.

[@tihspidtherekciltilc5469]

Media.

[@boostedremiska]

ford model ts top speed was 40-45 mph and average speed people drove a lot slower, at these speeds air resistance is not that big of a deal

[@keithstudly6071]

All the early 'streamlining' efforts in production cars were styling gimmicks. Until your going above 60 MPH it makes little difference.

[@badreality2]

Let me get this straight, a team built a steam car that could reach 150 mph, over 110 years ago, but the best modern engineers can do, is 139 mph? Shame.

[@richardbell7678]

To be fair, while the Stanley Rocket could hit 150 mph and the driver did survive the ordeal, Inspiration SAFELY averaged 139 mph, for the entire length of the course. The biggest challenge faced by modern land speed record challengers is designing a car that goes really fast WITHOUT leaving the ground. This is why chasing the waterborne speed record is so dangerous-- not only must the boat not fly off of the water, it must also float

[@NBSV1]

Safety, rules, time, and money. The safety expectation isn’t what it used to be as drivers aren’t considered as expendable as they used to be. They may have had rules the car had to go by which limited the power. And without a lot of people building and racing steam cars it’s hard to find the time and money to really develop one car to be the best it can be. Compared to back in the day when there were lots of people doing and developing steam.

[@musicwelikemang]

@@richardbell7678 dont forget the fact that modern engineers using steam acknowledge youre basically driving a steam based bomb on wheels. Edit: more speed = higher pressure = danger. Driver safety in 2020 trumps pride.

[@mvmallinson]

Fabulous stuff but please lose the music, it’s so distracting and totally unnecessary. Music……the curse of You Tube.

[@conanthedestroyer7123]

Only the elite rich could do these land speed records. While many struggled with making ends meet.

[@loddude5706]

'Carpe diem' - they did . . .

[@RealSquares]

So?

[@conanthedestroyer7123]

@@RealSquares So glorifying those rich folks is a waste of time. Who cares what they try to accomplish unless they work to help the fellow man.

[@RealSquares]

@@conanthedestroyer7123 nah. Wrong

[@conanthedestroyer7123]

@@RealSquares nah. Right

[@crashbox7130]

Sadly spoilt by that piano ditty that was very annoying.

[@southernviking8644]

Dude can't pronounce Michigan....

[@peterpimmelmann3330]

Mitchigan

[@runlarryrun77]

Different people from different parts of the world pronounce things differently. Deal with it.

[@richardbell7678]

It is an innocent mistake. He may have read the name, without hearing it, so he pronounces it according to the phonetic rules that he is familiar with. As someone who can speak a bit of french, it is hard not to cringe when Americans pronounce Des Moines and Detroit (not that I accuse them of saying it 'wrong', as they are the ones that live there).

[@scottbatey3130]

Who decided that the British and a few European countries should decide what the "international rules" should be? You guys are so arrogant! You make me laugh! If we want to hold a one pass race, we don't need your permission! And I'm quite sure "old man" that Barney Oldfield don't care how you were doing it over there. He was the world's first " best driver" even if he was born in the "colonies"

[@Innerspace100]

yes, you Americans don't like to be told anything. We've noticed. Speaking of arrogance...

[@mercoid]

By your logic, every country should make up their own standards for things. That doesn’t make for an even playing field. It just makes things confusing and decisive.

[@scottbatey3130]

@@mercoid wrong again!!! And, don't change the subject! We just want to know who's car went the fastest!!!

[@scottbatey3130]

@@Innerspace100 WE CALL IT FREEDOM! And we feel sorry for those who don't have it.

[@Innerspace100]

@@scottbatey3130 Oh... I see...

[@dancingtrout6719]

Electric Vehicles are not Cars they are Car Wannabe...Until they can Win the 24 hour of Leman they will never be Car... Best Car Ever wich held records for 20 yrs and 30 yrs at 24 hour of leman... these records were created in one single race in the year 1971... Was the Porche 917 k

[@SmashGhost]

Yeah, the 917 was soooo road-relevant...

[@dancingtrout6719]

@@SmashGhost Flat 12 Air Cooled ,4 Speed Trans. Liquid Frame.. ...Nothing Hotter Than a Nine One Seven Going Down The Mulsanne Straight::::::::.......

[@AVportau]

is that all you've got? a 24hr race?... bring on the electric cars, especially the driverless ones... and bye bye to your combustion dinosaurs.

[@InfiniteLoop]

Dislike for the blatant euro centricism

[@hypersonicmonkeybrains3418]

Gordon Bennett!