Overview

Until the 1950s, the land speed record (LSR) was held by a series of European gentlemen racers such as British driver John Cobb, who hit 394 miles per hour in 1947. That record held for more than a decade, until the car culture swept the U.S. Hot-rodders and drag racers built and souped up racers using car engines, piston aircraft engines and, eventually, jet engines. For this determined and dedicated group, the LSR was no longer an honor to be held by rich aristocrats with industrial backing -- it was brought stateside. In the summer of 1960, the contest moved into overdrive, with eight men contending for the record on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. Some men died in horrific crashes, others prudently retired, and by mid-decade only two men were left driving: Art Arfons and Craig Breedlove. By 1965, Arfons and Breedlove had walked away from some of the most spectacular wipeouts in motor sport history and pushed the record up to 400, then 500, then 600 miles per hour. ""Speed Duel"" is the fast-paced history of their rivalry. Despite the abundant heart-stopping action, ""Speed Duel"" is foremost a human drama. Says author Samuel Hawley, ""It is a quintessential American tale in the tradition of The Right Stuff, except that it is not about extraordinary men doing great things in a huge government program. It's about ordinary men doing extraordinary things in their back yards."" AUTHOR: Samuel Hawley studied history at Queen's University and is the author of The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China. ILLUSTRATIONS: b/w photographs

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9781554076338

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[starred review] In the 1960s, young American hot-rodders, working in garages and backyards, mounted a challenge to the World Land Speed Record (LSR) long held by gentlemen British racers like Malcolm Campbell and John Cobb. Best known among them was Craig Breedlove, a movie-star-handsome young Californian with his Spirit of America jet-powered car. Chief challenger was Art Arfons, a drag racer from rural Ohio in his Green Monster. Also in pursuit of the record were Walt Arfons, Art's estranged brother; Athol Graham in his homemade City of Salt Lake ; and Nathan Ostich, a doctor who designed and drove his Flying Caduceus as a hobby. Hawley captures the seat-of-the-pants excitement and terror of crashes at 600 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats. This well-told overview of the car culture of the 1960s, with photos of the legends of the LSR, is a gripping read that will provide a jet-fueled adrenaline rush to racing fans and readers who enjoy social history in the style of Mark Kurlansky and Erik Larson.--Susan Belsky Library Journal (11/15/2010)

Hawley, a Canadian historian, brings the highest standards to bear on the often-told but still inspiring story.--Kevin A. Wilson AutoWeek (11/22/2010)

Author Information

Samuel Hawley studied history at Queen's University and is the author of The Imjin War: Japan's Sixteenth-Century Invasion of Korea and Attempt to Conquer China.

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