Craig Breedlove facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Craig Breedlove
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| Born | March 23, 1937 |
| Died | April 4, 2023 (aged 86) Rio Vista, California, U.S.
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | Venice High School |
| Occupation | Professional race car driver |
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| Children | 3 |
Craig Breedlove (born March 23, 1937 – died April 4, 2023) was an American professional race car driver. He became famous for breaking the world land speed record five times! He was the first person ever to drive a car faster than 500 miles per hour (805 km/h). He was also the first to go over 600 miles per hour (966 km/h). He did all this using special jet-powered cars, which he always named Spirit of America.
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Breaking Land Speed Records
In 1962, Craig Breedlove began his amazing journey to break speed records. His first car, called Spirit of America, was a unique three-wheeled vehicle. It was powered by a powerful jet engine!
On August 5, 1963, this first Spirit of America made its first record attempt. It reached an incredible average speed of 407.45 miles per hour (655.74 km/h). This made Craig Breedlove the fastest person on land!
The 500 MPH Barrier
In 1964, Craig faced competition from other drivers. But he was determined to go even faster. He improved his Spirit of America car and pushed the record to 468.72 miles per hour (754.34 km/h).
Then, he made history! He reached 526.28 miles per hour (847.07 km/h), becoming the first person to ever go over 500 miles per hour. This record-breaking run was exciting, but it also had a scary moment. One of his drogue parachutes (used to slow the car down) broke. The Spirit of America kept going for 5 miles (8 km) before hitting a pole and ending up in a lake! Luckily, Craig was safe.
The 600 MPH Challenge
After his first car, Craig built a new one called Sonic I. This car had four wheels and an even more powerful jet engine. On November 2, 1965, he set a new record of 555.483 miles per hour (893.999 km/h).
Just thirteen days later, on November 15, 1965, Craig Breedlove broke his own record again! He reached an astonishing 600.601 miles per hour (966.501 km/h). This made him the first person to ever drive a car over 600 miles per hour! This record stood for five years.
Craig's wife, Lee Breedlove, also made history in 1965. She drove Sonic I and reached 308.506 miles per hour (496.492 km/h). This made her the fastest woman alive! They became the fastest couple in the world.
Later Attempts and the Sonic Arrow
After a long break, Craig Breedlove started working on a new Spirit of America car in 1992. This car was named Spirit of America Formula Shell LSRV. It was very long, about 45 feet (13.7 meters), and weighed 9,000 pounds (4,082 kg). It used the same type of jet engine as his second car, but it was updated to be even more powerful.
In 1996, during a test run in the Black Rock Desert, the car crashed at about 675 miles per hour (1,086 km/h). Craig was okay, but the car was damaged. He returned in 1997, but a British team broke the record first. Craig's car reached 676 miles per hour (1,088 km/h) after repairs. He believed his car could go over 800 miles per hour (1,287 km/h), but it was never tested at that speed.
In 2006, Craig sold the car to Steve Fossett. It was later renamed the "Sonic Arrow." Today, the "Sonic Arrow" is on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum.
Setting Records for AMC Cars
In 1968, Craig Breedlove worked with American Motors Corporation (AMC). His job was to help their sports cars, the Javelin and the AMX, set new speed and endurance records.
In January 1968, before the AMX car was even officially released, Craig, his wife Lee, and Ron Dykes set many new records. They broke 14 world speed records for cars of any engine size. They also set 106 national and international records for cars with smaller engines.
They used two special AMX cars for these record runs on a banked track in Texas. One car, driven by Craig and Lee, averaged 140.79 miles per hour (226.58 km/h) over 24 hours! Another AMX, driven by Craig, reached 174.295 miles per hour (280.501 km/h) over a 75-mile (121 km) distance.
Later that year, Craig took the AMX to the Bonneville Salt Flats. He set an official record of 189 miles per hour (304 km/h) and even had an unofficial run over 200 miles per hour (322 km/h)!
In November 1968, Craig also drove an AMC Javelin. He set a speed record of 161.73 miles per hour (260.28 km/h) in the Javelin, which was a record for many years.
His Legacy and Awards
Craig Breedlove passed away on April 4, 2023, at the age of 86. He died from cancer.
His incredible achievements in speed racing earned him many honors:
- In 1993, he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America.
- In 2000, he joined the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
- In 2009, he was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame.
The famous band The Beach Boys even wrote a song called "Spirit of America." It was inspired by Craig Breedlove's land speed record set in 1963.
Craig Breedlove's Land Speed Records
Here are the world land speed records Craig Breedlove set:
- August 5, 1963 – He reached 407.45 miles per hour (655.74 km/h) in Spirit of America at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah.
- October 13, 1964 – He reached 468.719 miles per hour (754.342 km/h) in Spirit of America at Bonneville, taking the record back from another driver.
- October 15, 1964 – Just two days later, he broke his own record and went over 500 miles per hour! He reached 526.277 miles per hour (847.070 km/h) in Spirit of America at Bonneville.
- November 2, 1965 – He reached 555.483 miles per hour (893.999 km/h) in Spirit of America Sonic I at Bonneville, reclaiming the record again.
- November 15, 1965 – Thirteen days later, he broke the 600 miles per hour barrier! He reached 600.601 miles per hour (966.501 km/h) in Spirit of America Sonic I at Bonneville.
Images for kids
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Lynn Garrison used this model to promote the use of the Bluebird car on the Utah Salt Flats.
See also
In Spanish: Craig Breedlove para niños
