Land Speed Record Broken After 26 Years

Al Teague has broken a 26-year-old land speed record for a piston-driven car, clocking a two-run 409.9-m.p.h. average over western Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats.

Teague of Santa Fe Springs bettered the two-run mark of 409.277 m.p.h. set in 1965 by Bob and Bill Summers.

Teague’s record probably will be recognized only on a national level. For international recognition, racing rules, set when clocks were far less accurate, require recognized records to be 1% faster than the existing record. Under those requirements, Teague would have needed a 413-m.p.h. run.

Regardless, Teague said his accomplishment was a payoff for years of hard work.

“It’s been a dream for me. And I did it. I beat the old record. I’ll come back, now, in a month and go faster,” he said as he wiped salt from his car.

Over the last decade a stream of cars has tried to break the Summers’ record. At least six cars tried last year. Included in the pack were everything from Summers’ four-engine clones to Teague’s single engine car.

Over the years, he has crept up on the record. He came closest last year when he went over 400 m.p.h. in September. He started this event at 389, then went 392, then 402 and finally 409.

Teague’s engine is a basic drag-racing engine, a 426 Chrysler bored out to 493 cubic inches. It burns a mixture of nitro and alcohol and produces about 1,500 horsepower.