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Fortunately I was not at Goodwood this year gathering any autographs - (you
want to see the copious amounts of money within motor sport then you have
to go), as I have had to organise a land speed record attempt for PrimeTime
with their three LSR cars. The main attraction of the record attempt is
the jet car 'shoot out' between the current record holder 'Vampire (300.3
mph average speed in 2000) and the new lighter weight car - 'split
second'. The electric car e=motion geared for the shorter course is
entered as well.
The link to the USA is that the runway used is at RAF Fiarford
Gloucestershire, which is a base of the USAF here in the British Isles. It
was thanks to a General somewhere within the Pentagon that we got access to
the finest runway in the UK. Two and a quarter miles or so of pristine
asphalt that is self draining. Timed distances of 1/4 mile, 500 metres and
1 kilometre are being set up.
The reason for it being this weekend is that one of the jets will open the
display at RIAT 2006 - the World's largest air tattoo - next weekend, on
each of its two public show days (15th & 16th July if you are here).
It is the nature and personalities of the two guys involved that has
created the Richard Noble Thrust SSC project over shadowing the driving
skills of Andy Green (and more importantly his analytical skills in dealing
with rear wheel steer and double chute failures). The American example I
can think of is the Walt Arfons 'Wingfoot Express' programme that had the
larte Tom Green driving it.
Malcolm Pittwood, Derby, England
Team Manager for PrimeTime Land Speed Engineering.
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