The British “steam team” claimed the land speed record for steam powered vehicles yesterday, clocking a two way average speed of 139.843mph. They broke the 1906 record set by Fred Marriot in a Stanley Steamer by 12 mph and change. The team closed the deal only one day before they were due to head home to England.

Admittedly, we’ve had our fun taking some jabs at the team’s struggles, but in the end they proved that they were every bit the dedicated group of racers that seem to permeate the land speed racing ranks from top to bottom. We congratulate them on their never say die attitude and apparent will to fight until the last second to set the record. Well played, fellows.

We feel this accomplishment also shows just how smart and talented the Stanley brothers were all those years ago. The Brits own the record but it’s really something to consider the amount of technology that went into pushing them 12 miles per hour faster than the contraption that Marriot drove more than 100 years ago. We bet there was far less mustache wax involved with the modern effort. More tea probably.

Here’s a link to a BBC story that includes video of the car being used in anger.