With the prospect of landing a man on the moon, the American public was captivated by all things “jet-powered” in the 1960s. So, it’s perhaps little wonder that when a California hot rodder named Craig Breedlove set the World Land Speed Record in his jet-powered Spirit of America, he quickly became an overnight American hero. Breedlove went on to become the first man to break 400, 500 and 600 mph on land, carving an unrivalled position for himself in motorsport history. However, while many would be content, Breedlove returned 30 years later(!) with a new rocket car to try and become the first man to break the speed of sound on land. While, he was beaten to this historic record by Andy Green and the British Thrust SSC team, he still harbors aspirations to become the first man to break the 800 mph barrier. Recently, Breedlove stopped by the VRJ offices to talk with Editor Casey Annis about his remarkable career and the demons that still drive him to be the fastest man on earth.
How did you get your start in racing?
Breedlove: I grew up in the Second World War era…I was just emerging from grammar school at the end of the war. They didn’t manufacture cars in Detroit between 1941 and 1946 so there was a 5-year absence of new cars and everybody had made their clunkers do. As soon as there were new cars available, there was a waiting list to get a new car. But for young guys, it was a boon because there were all these old cars on the market. That really fueled the hot rod phenomenon in Southern California, and then of course, it spread across the country. It just so happened that I was 12 or 13 when racing really took off and I just got caught up in it. Then I went to Bonneville shortly after WWII when that started up.
