How To Survive A Crash At 265 MPH
Danny Thompson set out last month to best his Bonneville speed record of 256 mph in an ethanol-powered Mustang. He hit 265 mph and then flipped his 'Stang end over end. Here's the astonishing view from the passenger seat.
Thompson, son of famed Bonneville driver Mickey Thompson, was driving a Hajek Racing Mustang with a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 boosted to 1,100 hp, running on E-85 fuel. In 2009, Thompson drove the same vehicle to an average of 255.764 mph, hitting 258.410 mph at the end of its run, setting the record for its engine class in Blown Fuel Altered Coupes.
But during this year's attempt, the nose of the Mustang generated enough lift to launch the car end over end across the salt flats for nearly a quarter of a mile.
Despite the violence unleashed by the crash, Thompson suffered no injuries, a testament to modern safety engineering for high-speed vehicles. Even the iPhone 4 in the front of his suit emerged unscathed.
Send an email to Justin Hyde, the author of this post, at justin@jalopnik.com.
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