18 August 2006

BONNEVILLE SALT FLATS - UTAH

Time: 21:11 (US)

Temperature: 29°C

Location: Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah

The JCB’s team’s memorable Bonneville Speed Week came to a close with its first run in the cool of the early morning. The ‘yellow shirts’ were on the Salt Flats before sunrise to take the streamliner from the trailer and complete the final preparations for the bid to enter the Bonneville record books.

Run 49 08.57 - The temperature was 68F compared with the car’s 308mph run yesterday evening in 84F but, just as significantly, the equivalent atmospheric pressure was 1000ft lower. Aside from the 5mph cross winds, everything pointed to a faster run and Andy Green didn’t disappoint.

The JCB DIESELMAX hit 325mph to achieve a new diesel record of 317.021mph and became the fastest-ever diesel-powered car over the Bonneville course. The team’s confidence is high as the work begins to install the 750bhp ‘record attempt’ engines in readiness for setting an official FIA record for diesel-powered cars on the Salt Flats next week.