bid to break the land-speed record in a 2,000mph car

 

In an unassuming garage on the edge of the Mojave desert, the wonderfully named Waldo Stakes is poking around with a few unimpressive-looking objects. Sitting not far away, looking like a large and clumsy metal version of a string of pearls, sits his pride and joy. It doesn't look like much but it may one day be the fastest thing on Earth - moving at an eye-popping 2,000mph. Artist's impression: The Sonic Wind LSRV aims to be the fastest land vehicle in history, with a top speed of 2,000mph - that's faster than the top speed of Concorde Stakes has literally cobbled together parts form an experimental military rocket plane, a Nasa  spacecraft and nuclear missiles to create the Sonic Wind Land Speed Record Vehicle. Considering the fact that, if it ever reaches its potential top speed, it would be one-and-a-half miles away before you finished saying its name - most people in the know refer to it as the LSRV. Stakes, a general contractor by day, has spent most of his spare time working on the Sonic Wind, which is a 50ft long multi-wheeled dart he hopes will break the land speed record set in 1997. A little way off completion: The Sonic Wind as it is now, around 40 per cent completed, with its titanium fuel tanks and spheres scrounged from Nasa craft and ballistic missiles Distinctive tail configuration: Designer Waldo Stakes, right, says the attitude of the fins will force shock waves to fan out either side of the Sonic Wind, stabilising it in the same way as training wheels on a bicycle It uses parts taken from the military X-15 rocket aircraft, which set an unbeaten sub-orbital speed of 4,519mph on October 3, 1967. Other parts have their origins in Redstone and Corporal nuclear missiles, and a Nasa Apollo service module. Stakes claims he picked up all of these specialised parts for a few thousand dollars back in the Eighties. If you think the Sonic Wind sounds dangerous, it is... even before it starts moving. Borrowed parts: The X-15 still holds the air speed record of 4,519mph, set in 1967. Stakes has the X-15's engine and hopes it will propel his land vehicle to glory Look a little familiar? A rear view of both the Sonic Wind and the X-15 show the same engine exhaust nozzle NEED FOR SPEED: HOW SONIC WIND COMPARES... 194mph: Suzuki Hayabusa, the fastest production motorcycle. 267.856mph: Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, the fastest production car. 614mph: Maximum speed of Boeing 747-400 passenger jet. 763mph: Current land speed record, set by Briton Andy Green in the ThrustSSC in 1997. 1,350mph: Maximum speed of Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde. 2,000mph: Proposed top speed of the Sonic Wind LSRV. 2,275mph: Maximum speed of the SR-71 Blackbird. 4,519mph: X-15, the fastest non-orbital aircraft. 18,000mph: Space Shuttle top orbital speed. Stakes says he plans to use a fuel mix of methanol and liquid oxygen, which makes the Sonic Wind little more than a controlled bomb. And he claims that, theoretically at least, his engine will produce around 60,000 pounds of thrust, which is more than the U.S. Air Force managed to get out of the X-15 during its flying days. The Sonic Wind will be able to maintain an acceleration of 100 miles per second to achieve a top speed of between 1,400mph and 2,000mph. He says the elegance of his design uses the shock waves produced by a craft travelling at supersonic speed to cushion and stabilise the vehicle. The hard part, he says, is getting through the 'sound barrier' - around 760mph, where the air can no longer move out of the way of the vehicle. Both land-speed drivers and supersonic pilots experience buffeting from shock waves that build up around their craft as they approach the speed of sound. In land speed attempts, this buffeting can cause fatal deviations from the vehicle's straight-line trajectory. Stakes says the ride is remarkably smoother after breaking the sound barrier. He says the Sonic Wind's design features a moveable airfoil and an aerodynamic shape that creates low pressure beneath the vehicle. The current champion: The imposing British-made ThrustSSC holds the record of 763mph, set by driver Andy Green on October 15, 1997 - 50 years and one day after Chuck Yeager first broke the 'sound barrier' in the X-1 Seven small wheels at the front of the vehicle and two fixed wheels at the back - with rims that move around a triangular frame - will add all-important stability. But the clincher is its missile-like fin configuration at the rear, which forces the shock waves to fan out each side of the car. Using these lateral shock waves in the same way as training wheels on a bicycle, Stakes hopes he can smoothly break the sound barrier and move to greater speeds in the less turbulent air beyond. Stakes told FoxNews that he planned to wrest the record away from the British, bringing the title back to the U.S. The contender: A British team has already started work on the BloodhoundSSC, the vehicle they hope will break the ThrustSSC's 14-year record He also plans to use a female pilot, and has two unnamed U.S. Navy F-18 pilots in mind. Any successful land speed attempt would be the first time a female would hold the record. While the Sonic Wind's first test is a few years off, Stakes already as a few sites picked out for the historic run. The Bonneville Speedway in Utah is 12 miles long and has been the site of several speed records, including Sir Malcolm Campbell's Bluebird record of 301mph in 1935. But Stakes really has his eyes on Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, the largest salt flat in the world - as yet unused by land-speed teams Today, over 500 teams from around the world have gathered on Utah's sun-baked Bonneville Salt Flats, bringing their high tech (and vintage) motor vehicles to the 63rd annual Bonneville SpeedWeek. The Southern California Timing Association hosts the annual event on the hard salt shell that covers the desert floor, setting up straight tracks that can reach as far as nine miles. Records are already being set this year, with speeds reaching over 350 miles per hour (560 kph). Reuters photographer Jim Urquhart traveled out to the scene near the Utah/Nevada border to capture some of the sights of Bonneville SpeedWeek 2011.

This mechanical monster is the world's fastest v-twin motorcycle. And if you're the kind of person who likes to take risks on two wheels - and you've got a spare £45,000 - then you can get your hands on one. For the Confederate X132 Hellcat Combat motorcycle is finally going into limited production, after it this summer broke the land speed record for big block v-twins. Available to buy: James Hoegh with the X132 Hellcat Combat motorcycle, on which he broke the land speed record for big block v-twin motorbikes in Utah this summer after riding it to 172.2 mph Face melting speed: Despite an ultra-light weight of just 490lbs, the monster 2,000cc bike pumps out 160 brake-horsepower which helps it to reach incredible speeds James Hoegh set the record, clocking a face-melting 172.2 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah - the equivalent of 200 miles per hour on tarmac. Confederate founder Matthew Chambers, described the new Hellcat by saying, 'This is the motorcycle we were conceived to execute when I founded the company 21 years ago. 'I have every confidence that we have delivered all we ever dreamed of giving.' Rip up the commute: Confederate are offering a limited run of just 36 of the handcrafted motorbikes for sale, which are a modification of their standard Hellcat model All American: Confederate products are U.S.- made, and they claim each part is made to the highest standard Personalised: Each bespoke model of the X123 Hellcat Combat shipped will be ergonomically tailored for the buyer, down to including their name printed on the fuel tank. This bike is marked for test rider James Heogh The monster 2,000cc bike pumps out 160 brake-horsepower which, combined with the ultra-light total weight of just 490lbs, help this mechanical marvel reach incredible speeds. Named after the legendary F6F Hellcat fighter plane of WWII, the X132 Hellcat is the result of an uncompromising design and manufacturing approach. The centrepiece of Confederate's approach is the Hellcat's billet aluminum case. Instead of the usual casting method, the Hellcat's case is machined from two blocks of billet 6061 aircraft grade aluminum. The company says:  'This new case unites America's best V-Twin technology and America's superior powertrain technology into a singularity. 'Although this material selection and craft methodology is expensive, it is simply the best approach for maximising strength and guaranteeing permanence.' VIDEO: Confederate motorcycles showcase the 200mph bike! Play Video The standard model: The Combat bike is a modification of Confederate's regular X132 Hellcat, pictured Precision engineered: Each component of the Hellcat shows evidence of attention to detail 'Heirloom product': The basic model retails for a cool $50,000 The core: The Hellcat's ngine, transmission, swingarm pivot and frame mounts into singular core that is carved from a single piece of aluminium Clay Morrison, director of marketing, added: 'Because we design and craft each Confederate motorcycle to be a multi-generational heirloom product, we require that each component, from the carbon-fibre wheels to the smallest stainless steel bolts, be of the highest quality, no matter the cost. 'Our clients deserve nothing less.' Confederate are offering a limited run of just 36 of the handcrafted motorbikes, which are a modification of their standard Hellcat model. Each model shipped will be ergonomically tailored for the buyer, down to including their name printed on the fuel tank. Pricing for the X132 Hellcat Combat is set at $72,000. The standard model is priced at $50,000, with orders already pouring in from throughout the world, the company claims.

 

 

 

Jeannie Pflum makes a run on the Butler, Pflum & Wagner motorcycle during the second day of the 63rd annual Bonneville SpeedWeek on the Bonneville Salt Flats outside Wendover, Utah, on August 14, 2011. Hundreds of drag race cars will attempt to set land speed records during the course of the week. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart)

 

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The temperature nears 120 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) during the second day of the 63rd annual Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Dave Lloyd of Canadian Arrow Williams team stays cool in the driver's seat with a fan during the second day of the Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The No Nitro Hammond lakester makes a run during the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, outside Wendover, Utah, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Monique Sache of Vancouver, Canada, photographs race cars during the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Gilles Pujol of the French team Les Triplettes de Bonneville works on his motorcycle before the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The Munz & Busby roadster makes a run during the second day of the 63rd annual Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The Dennis Varni streamliner makes a run during the third day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 15, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Race fans Chuck Cummings (left) and Bill Flint place plastic pink flamingos in the salt near their viewing area during the third day Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 15, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Bob Jackson works on his modified roadster during the first day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 13, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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RPM Racing's Civic spins out of control during the third day Bonneville SpeedWeek, on the Bonneville Salt Flats outside Wendover, Utah, on August 15, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The Costella/Cunha Nebulous Theorem VIII streamliner makes a run during Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Fabio Montani of Italy, after completing a run in his streamliner during the third day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 15, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Race inspectors look over the Spirit of the Lakes' modified race car during Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 13, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Jeff Erwin of Seattle, Washington walks to his video camera on the salt at Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The Blowfish Barracuda makes a run during the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Ferguson Racing's streamliner race car makes a run at the 63rd annual Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 13, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Scout jumps on her owner's legs, as her owner, Jim Mosher, has his motorcycle inspected during Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 13, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Crew members work on the Spirit of Rett streamliner before dawn on the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Larry Whiteley rides his custom bicycle on the salt during the first day of the 63rd annual Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 13, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The Contrivance Engineering race car makes a run during the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The Brant-Wright-Speranza streamliner deploys a chute at the end of its run during the third day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 15, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Tim Mersereau prepares his 1941 Ford Coupe for a run during the third day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 15, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Spectators use umbrellas to shield themselves from the sun during Bonneville SpeedWeek, on the Bonneville Salt Flats outside Wendover, Utah, on August 13, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Kevin Brooks pushes his vintage BMW motorcycle to be inspected during the first day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 13, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The 2 Richards Racing roadster makes a run during the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Fabio Montani of Italy completes a run in his streamliner during Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 15, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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Rick Vesco of Vesco Racing prepares before getting in his team's streamliner during the second day of Bonneville SpeedWeek, on August 14, 2011. (Reuters/Jim Urquhart) #

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The sun rises before the third day of the 63rd annual Bonneville SpeedWeek on the Bonneville Salt Flats outside Wendover, Utah, on August 15, 2011.

• Modified car has twice as much power as a £1m Bugatti Veyron

 

This is the incredible moment a racing driver broke a world record by hitting 257mph - in a modified Ford.

Sean Kennedy, 29, smashed the existing record for acceleration over a mile-long stretch while driving a highly-tuned Ford GT in Texas.

The daring motor sports enthusiast rocketed to an incredible 257mph in the humble car, which has been souped up with a 5.4-litre V8 engine and two massive turbo-chargers.

Scroll down for video

Turbo-charged: The modified Ford GT, which has broken a world record by hitting 257mph on a mile-long runway

Fast as lightning: Racing driver Sean Kennedy hits the extreme speeds to smash the acceleration record

Numbers game: The Texan car enthusiast believes the £275,000 Ford has the potential to do even better

Mr Kennedy went from a stationary position to an astonishing 200mph by the halfway mark, before setting the new 'standing mile world' by the end of the track.

It was not even the Texan's car - with Mr Kennedy driving the Ford for local businessman Mark Heidaker.

The Ford GT was built by Hennessey Performance, with the U.S. company saying the car's power was 'conservatively estimated' at around 2,000bhp - twice as much as a Bugatti Veyron.

But while a Veyron will set its owner back £1million, the Ford will cost a mere £275,000.

Yet despite going faster than any other car over the distance, adrenaline junkie Mr Kennedy is confident he can do even better.

Highly tuned: The car's power is 'conservatively estimated' at around 2,000bhp - twice as much as a £1m Bugatti Veyron

Designated daredevil: Mr Kennedy was driving the Hennessey Performance Ford for local businessman Mark Heidaker

Revved up: The adrenaline junkie was already doing more than 200mph at the halfway stage

Gear shift: Next, the car lovers hope to take the Ford to a eyebrow-raising 260mph using the lower gears

He said: 'I was impressed with how hard it pulled in fourth and fifth gears on that run.

'I think I can do better in the lower gears next time and we can run an even better speed.

'We want to go 260.'

The previous record on a mile-stretch was 250.1mph, set by a similarly tuned car.