Craig Breedlove
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Norman Craig Breedlove Sr.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> (March 23, 1937 – April 4, 2023) was an American professional race car driver and a five-time world land speed record holder. He was the first person in history to reach Template:Convert, and Template:Convert, using several turbojet-powered vehicles, all named Spirit of America.<ref name="NYT" />
Land vehicle speed records
[edit]In 1962,<ref name="Twite">Template:Cite book</ref> he made his first attempt, in a freewheeling tricycle (ignoring FIA rules requiring four wheels, at least two driven; in the event, FIM happily accepted it)<ref name="Twite"/> powered by a General Electric J47 turbojet engine.<ref name="Twite"/> On August 5, 1963, this first Spirit made its first record attempt, using just 90% of available thrust to reach Template:Convert over the measured mile.<ref name="Twite"/> The return pass, on 95% power,<ref name="Twite"/> turned up a two-way average of Template:Convert.<ref name="Twite"/> Spirit of America was so light on the ground that it did not even need to change tires afterward.<ref name="Twite"/>
For 1964, Breedlove faced competition from Walt Arfons' Wingfoot Express (piloted by Tom Green),<ref name="Twite"/> as well as from brother Art Arfons in his four-wheel, FIA-legal Green Monster.<ref name="Twite"/> With more engine power, Breedlove upped the record to Template:Convert "[w]ith almost insolent ease",<ref name="Twite"/> then to Template:Convert,<ref name="Twite"/> making him the first man to exceed Template:Convert.<ref name="Twite"/> This pass was not without incident, however, for one of his drogue parachute's shroud lines parted, and Spirit of America ran on for Template:Convert before hitting a telegraph pole and coming to rest in a lake.<ref name="Twite"/> This record stood all of twelve days before Green Monster broke it, recording a two-run average of Template:Convert.<ref name="Twite"/>
In response, Breedlove built an FIA-legal four-wheeler, Sonic I, powered by a Template:Convert J79 turbojet.<ref name="Twite"/><ref>Template:Cite book</ref> November 2, 1965, Breedlove entered the FIA record book with a two-run average of Template:Convert.<ref name="Twite"/> This lasted even less time than before, for Green Monster came back five days later at Template:Convert.<ref name="Twite"/> On November 15, Breedlove responded with a Template:Convert record (after turning in an amazing Template:Convert return pass),<ref name="Twite"/> which held until 1970.<ref name="Twite"/> (It would be broken by Gary Gabelich's Blue Flame, which reached Template:Convert.)<ref name="Twite"/> To take the record back, Breedlove planned a supersonic rocket car, "complete with ejector seat."<ref name="Twite"/> Also in 1965, Breedlove's wife, Lee Breedlove, took the seat in Sonic 1, making four passes and achieving Template:Convert,<ref name="Twite"/> making her the fastest woman alive, and making them the fastest couple, which they remain.<ref name="Twite"/> According to the author Rachel Kushner, Craig had talked Lee into taking the car out for a record attempt to monopolize the salt flats for the day and block one of his competitors from making a record attempt.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During 1968, Lynn Garrison, President of Craig Breedlove & Associates, started to package a deal that saw Utah's Governor, Calvin Rampton, provide a hangar facility for the construction of a supersonic car. Bill Lear, of Learjet fame, was to provide support, along with his friend Art Linkletter. Playboy magazine hoped to have the car painted black, with a white bunny on the rudder. TRW was supplying a lunar lander rocket motor. A change in public interest saw the concept shelved for some time. They also negotiated for the use of the late Donald Campbell's wheel-driven Bluebird CN7 record-breaker.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
After a lengthy break from world records and making his name as a real estate agent, Breedlove began work on a new Spirit in 1992, eventually named Spirit of America Formula Shell LSRV. The vehicle is 44 ft. 10 in. long, 8 ft. 4 in. wide, and 5 ft. 10 in. high (13.67 m by 2.54 m by 1.78 m) and weighs Template:Convert, construction is on a steel tube or space frame with an aluminium skin body. The engine is the same as in the second Spirit, a J79, but it is modified to burn unleaded gasoline and generates a maximum thrust of 22,650 lbf (100.75 kN).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The second run of the vehicle on October 28, 1996, in the Black Rock Desert, Nevada, ended in a crash at around Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Returning in 1997, the vehicle badly damaged the engine on an early run and when the British ThrustSSC managed over Template:Convert, the re-engined Spirit could do no better than Template:Convert. Breedlove believed the vehicle was capable of exceeding Template:Convert, but was never tested.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In late 2006, Breedlove sold the car to Steve Fossett, who planned to attempt the land speed record in 2007.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Fossett died in a plane crash in 2007, and the car was put up for sale.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Breedlove's vehicle, renamed the "Sonic Arrow", was rolled out on the Black Rock Desert for a photo opportunity on October 15, 2007. The car is now on permanent display in the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Endurance and speed records for AMC
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Breedlove was put on the payroll at American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1968 to prepare the automaker's pony and high-performance cars, the Javelin and the AMX, for speed and endurance records.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
In January 1968, one month before the official introduction of the AMX model, Breedlove, his wife Lee, and Ron Dykes,<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> established fourteen United States Automobile Club (USAC) and Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) certified speed records for cars of any engine size, and 106 national and international speed and endurance records for cars with less than Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Two cars were prepared for the endurance speed runs on a five-mile banked track in Texas.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The shattered records included a Class C AMX (the No. 2 Lee Breedlove car) with the standard Template:Convert AMC V8 engine (bored to 304 cubic inches) with a 4-speed manual transmission, achieving a 24-hour average of Template:Convert that was set by Craig and his wife Lee. New records in a Class B AMX (the No. 1 Craig Breedlove car) using the optional Template:Convert "AMX" V8 (397 cubic inches) with a 3-speed automatic transmission, that included a Template:Convert distance with a flying start at Template:Convert, as well as a Template:Convert over a Template:Convert distance from a standing start.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
After the cars were displayed at the Chicago Auto Show in February 1968, Breedlove took the AMX to Bonneville. He established a USAC sanctioned record of Template:Convert<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> as well as an unofficial run of over Template:Convert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Later in the year, American Motors entered three similarly equipped Javelins with Template:Convert AMC V8 engines in the C/Production class at Bonneville.<ref name="BreedloveJavelin">Template:Cite web</ref> The racing class limits modifications to aerodynamics, but requires changes for safety and also allows engine modifications.<ref name="Hagerty">Template:Cite web</ref> The cars included Edelbrock cross-ram "STR-11" intake manifolds with two Holley carburetors, special cylinder heads that were modified by Joe Mondello (an engine builder who became known for Oldsmobile engines) as well as "Doug's" exhaust manifolds, and "Crower" camshafts.<ref name="Hagerty"/> During November 1968, the "Speed Spectacular Javelin" run by Breedlove was the fastest, reaching Template:Convert establishing a speed record that stood for several years.<ref name="BreedloveJavelin"/>
Death
[edit]Breedlove died on April 4, 2023, at the age of 86, at home in Rio Vista, California. The cause of death was cancer, his wife, Yadira Breedlove, said.<ref name="NYT">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Awards and legacy
[edit]In 1993 Breedlove was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and in 2000 into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 2009, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Beach Boys' song "Spirit of America" was "inspired by Breedlove's land speed record, set in 1963."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Land vehicle speed records
[edit]- August 5, 1963 – Breedlove reached Template:Convert in Spirit of America at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, thus earning him the land speed record.<ref name="Twite" />
- October 13, 1964 – Breedlove reached Template:Convert in Spirit of America at Bonneville, reclaiming the record from Art Arfons.<ref name="Twite" />
- October 15, 1964 – Just two days later, Breedlove broke his own record and breached the 500 mph barrier at Template:Convert, in Spirit of America at Bonneville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- November 2, 1965 – Breedlove reached Template:Convert in Spirit of America Sonic I at Bonneville, reclaiming the record from Art Arfons.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- November 15, 1965 – Thirteen days later, Breedlove breached the 600 mph barrier at Template:Convert<ref name="Twite"/> in Spirit of America Sonic I at Bonneville.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>