I've always been obsessed with going fast. From my first pedal car to home-made go-karts and mini-bikes to almost 20 years of driving hobby-level stock cars, it's always been about the thrill of mashing the throttle.
    A natural extension of that attitude is that I had heroes early on who, in my eyes, were the guys that epitomized and legitimized the search for speed. I'm talking about World Land Speed Record legends such as Craig Breedlove, Art Arfons, Gary Gabelich, and a long list of others before and after who strapped into land rockets and casting aside the high risks of speed record attempts, lit the fuse and went for it.
    So it was with great interest that I read recently that an American supercar manufacturer by the name of SSC is attempting to capture the production car maximum speed record with its Ultimate Aero supercar. This sleek gull-winged two-seater is powered by a twin-turbocharged 6.3-liter V-8 that is rated at 1,183 horsepower.
    The current production car maximum speed record is 253 mph and is held by a Bugatti EB16.4 Veyron. The Ultimate Aero, in late March testing, was achieving 230 mph at just 56 percent throttle, so things are shaping up nicely for an American car to reclaim the record. Unfortunately, the attempt to go for the record on a 12-mile stretch of Nevada highway recently was cancelled due to a snowstorm. Plans are underway to reschedule the record run attempt.
    With the non-production vehicle World Land Speed Record now owned by Great Britain's duo of Sir Richard Noble and his driver Andy Green who piloted the "Thrust" car faster than the sound barrier several years ago on top of Bugatti holding the production car record, it's high-time for America to get back these records.
    Good luck to SSC and the Ultimate Aero whenever the next speed record attempt is made. And, by the way, if anyone is thinking of building a WLSR vehicle to unseat the Brits and "Thrust" and needs a driver, don't call me. I love going fast, but anything over 700 mph and I get car sick!