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Inspiration comes to us in many unique ways. For Craig Breedlove, 3-time land speed record breaker in his Spirit of America, inspiration came from John F. Kennedy’s inauguration speech, when he urged Americans to “ask not what your country can do for you- ask what you can do for your country.” Inspired, Breedlove decided to serve his country by pursuing to become the fastest man on Earth.
The Spirit of America was first conceived in early 1960, when Breedlove approached a local machine shop owner, Ed Perkins, who committed shop space and $10,000. Craig took the money and bought a $500 military surplus J-47 jet engine. Breedlove would also later get support from Goodyear and Shell. The Spirit was one of the first jet powered cars to be built, featuring a three-wheeled chassis and rudder steering, designs unique to the Spirit among other jet-powered cars. 1962 marked the Spirit of America’s debut at the Bonneville Salt Flats, but its maiden run was marred by many malfunctions. Upon arriving, the team tried to fire up the J-47 engine, to no success. They examined the car and ruled that the engine couldn’t start. Shell shipped a replacement engine to the team, which was installed in an impressive 12 hours. After getting the car up and running, the air rudder steering system wasn’t working, sending the car veering off in either direction. Defeated, the team returned to Los Angeles to reassess. While packing up, it was found that the steering mechanism was locked into transport mode and the front fin could only move half an inch from lock to lock. Fixing the steering, they took it out for one last run and made a good time to end the 1962 season.
Breedlove returned with the Spirit in 1963, with a newly added six-foot tall tail fin and a burning passion to break the land speed record. On August 5, Breedlove had a run of 407.45, both breaking the record, and returning it to America after 34 years of British land speed dominance.
Interestingly, the FIA (the governing body of motorsport) refused to certify Breedlove’s record, as the car did not have four wheels and wasn’t wheel driven. The FIM (the governing body of motorcycle racing) did recognize it, meaning two simultaneous land speed records were recognized until 1964, when the FIA and FIM agreed to confirm that the land speed record would be recognized by any vehicle running on wheels. 1964 emerged as a legendary battle on the salt flats between Craig Breedlove and Art and Walt Arfons, half-brothers from Ohio with backyard-built cars. In October of 1964, the land speed record was broken 5 times, ping-ponging from Walt to Art to Craig to Craig again, and finally back to Art. On October 15, the Spirit of America became the first car to travel over 500 mph. During this record-breaking run, Breedlove lost control of the parachute and brakes. Sent careening through the salt flats for 6 miles, the Spirit would smash through a telephone pole at 400 mph and be sent flying off a levee into a salt pond. Breedlove miraculously survived unharmed, and the Spirit of America would be repaired and eventually be donated by Yadira Breedlove to the Museum of American Speed 60 years later.
Craig Breedlove would later set two more land speed records, including the first record to be above 600 mph, in the Spirit of America- Sonic 1, a second edition of the Spirit. A third car, the Spirit of America- Formula Shell LSRV, was built and raced but failed to break any records. Craig Breedlove passed away in 2023, leaving behind a legacy of greatness and innovation in the pursuit of speed.
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