Currently, the ultimate land speed record for an Earth-bound vehicle is owned by the Thrust SSC team of Englishman Richard Noble. It was back in the 1990s when their multi-gazillion dollar effort broke the sound barrier and set the still-standing 763.1-mph record. There’s a team of Americans, who in comparison to the Brits are epic underdogs, putting the final touches on their hot rod, which they believe can best 800 mph.

Ed Schadle and Keith Zanghi are the two men behind the “North American Eagle” a thrust driven land speed car that hopes to set the world on its ear and get the record back from England. The car itself is wild in its simplicity and brilliant in its approach. 

Basically, these guys took an F-104 Starfighter jet plane and turned it into a car. They reduced the length of the tail and nose cones, removed the wings, and placed wheels and more appropriate steering gear under the giant dart, and here we are.

Can they actually pull off the massive upset? Can their homebuilt creation defeat an English monster that was engineered and designed on the computer for years before construction started? Hey, crazier stuff has happened.

XEconomy.com had a great story about the team, the car, and the record that they are chasing. We wish them all the luck in the world and if this group of rag tag, dedicated, busted knuckle lunatics can knock off the Thrust SSC and claim the record, they’d be personal and national heroes.

Source — XEconomy.com — A Day in the Life of the North American Eagle