Brooklands marks land speed record centenary

STORY: Brooklands marks 100 years since a land speed record was last set

at the first purpose-built banked motor racing circuit

Location: Weybridge, England

Kenelm Lee Guinness clocked 133.75mph

in a V12 350hp Sunbeam on May 17, 1922

(SOUNDBITE) (English) CURRENT LAND SPEED RECORD HOLDER, ANDY GREEN, SAYING: “The 350 hp Sunbeam here set the outright world land speed record and that is significant for several reasons because the last ever track record before they started to go out to places like Bonneville salt flats and the big long beaches and deserts, it was the last place it was done on a racing track. It was also the last track racing car ever to do it. Every car there after was a purpose-built straight line race car.”

(SOUNDBITE) (English), RETIREE, JACKSON LITTLEFORD, SAYING: “I think the fact that the Brooklands itself is an extremely special place, obviously it’s the birthplace of the British Grand Prix, it’s the birthplace of British motorsport, and it’s somewhere to be celebrated.”