George Poteet knows no fear. There’s no other way to explain how he consistently straps himself into the automotive equivalent of an RPG and pulls the trigger.
He’s been doing this for year, and in September he and the Speed Demon crew clocked the fastest speed yet for a vehicle powered by an automotive engine. Although he didn’t set n Federation Internationale de l’Automobile land speed record, Poteet recorded an entry speed of 452.944 mph, a mile speed of 457.964 mph and an exit speed of 462.345 mph during the Mike Cook Bonneville Shootout.
A little perspective: At 462 mph, Poteet is covering 677 feet per second. He’s doing it in a hand-made missile powered by a twin-turbo 347 cubic-inch Duttweiler Hellfire engine good for 2,200 horsepower at full boost.
Although the run occurred in September, we’re mentioning it now because the folks at Replay XD just released the video. We especially like seeing Poteet casually reach up and close his visor.
Speed Demon was fast, but not consistent. To set an official record, drivers must make two record-breaking passes within one hour. (Each pass covers 7 miles; the speed is recorded at the last mile.) The average of the two “flying miles” is what sets the record.
Although Poteet made several runs in excess of 400 mph, mechanical failures kept him from backing any of them up within the allotted time. Therefore, Al Teague still holds the FIA record of 406.321 mph.
Still, it was an amazing feat and one hell of a ride.
Video: Replay XD
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