08/21/2001 – Rocket Ranger/SPAL Sets New Landspeed Record

WENDOVER, UTAH – SPAL Advanced Technologies in conjunction with Ford Motor Company shattered the existing land speed record for all pick-up trucks recording a record-speed of 202.434 m.p.h. at the Bonneville Salt Flats on Monday, Aug. 14. The Rocket Ranger reached an unofficial top speed of over 208.09 m.p.h. during the record run.

The Rocket Ranger recorded an initial record-breaking speed of 198.111 m.p.h., over 20 miles per hour over the existing record. Then according to Speed Week regulations, all record-qualifying vehicles are required to “back up” the previous day’s record by running the following morning at 7 a.m. The Ranger was impounded in the in-house lot for the remainder of the afternoon and night. During the impound time, Team Rocket Ranger was allowed four hours to make repairs or minor changes to the body, changing the motor was not allowed. The team took advantage of the time to lower the front chassis approximately 1.5 inches, and to reinforce areas behind the headlights and grill areas.

At the time of the final run on Monday morning, the weather conditions were optimal, offering thick cool air and a dry track perfect for the type of engine in the Rocket Ranger. The Ranger was launched at approximately 7:20 a.m. MDT.

SPAL Advanced Technologies, founded in Correggio, Italy in 1959, has been designing, producing and marketing high performance axial fans, centrifugal blowers for more than 30 years. Iowa Export – Import is SPAL’s distributor with complete engineering and warehousing operations serving all of North America.