His more advanced jet-propelled car, Wingfoot Express
— named for the symbol of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company of
Akron, which was sponsoring him, and driven by Tom Green of Wheaton,
Ill. — set a world land-speed record of 413.2 miles an hour at
Bonneville on Oct. 2, 1964. Mr. Arfons had sustained a heart attack
while watching another driver crash his car during testing. Mr. Green
was an engineer with limited race-driving experience, but he had helped
Mr. Arfons rebuild the car.
Three days later, Art Arfons, who was sponsored by Firestone, a major
competitor to Goodyear also based in Akron, broke that record in a car
powered by a General Electric J79 turbojet aircraft engine, clocking
434.03 m.p.h. About a week after that, Craig Breedlove,
a California hot-rodder, surpassed that mark in his jet-powered Spirit
of America car. Then Art Arfons and Mr. Breedlove took turns breaking
each other’s records.
I only bring this up as an excuse to post an old favorite song of mine by the Beach Boys, "Spirit of America."
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