800 MPH: Fossett Aims for Land Speed Record

From Edmunds:

DENVER — Steve Fossett, the adventurer known for his record-setting sailboating and solo ballooning exploits, said his next big challenge is to break the land speed record.

The car Fossett will use is a dart-shaped, 47-foot-long, 9000-pound vehicle that looks like a jet airplane without the wings. The car's jet engine is taken from an Air Force F-4 Phantom fighter. The attempt to break the land speed record will be based in Reno, Nevada, with record attempts scheduled from July through October. Fossett said he is seeking a title sponsor and is arranging television documentary and publishing rights.

"This is surely the most dramatic of all world records, the oldest and most famous record in world motorsport," Fossett said in a news release. "I am very, very excited by the opportunity to meet this challenge — to drive through the speed of sound and reach 800 mph. This is a great goal — and we have the car to achieve it."

What this means to you: Everyone wants to be number one. Record-breaking attempts like this tend to inspire the imagination and grow the next generation of trailblazers.