(Craig Breedlove with a model of Spirit of America)

Whilst 5 times LSR veteran Craig Breedlove and the ThrustSSC team have been working towards running the two supersonic LSR cars together, the arrangement was always seen as only possible if both parties could reach a firm and binding agreement. On the face of this with so much to win and so much to lose it was always thought that the two teams would end up racing on different sites, rather than lose critical run opportunities through having to adhere to a firm operational agreement.

It took three days work to assemble the binding agreement and both sides have signed. The arrangements enable the two record attempts to take place on the same site with a rotating half day priority for use of the track and sharing fixed costs resource. It is expected that both cars will be on site early September.

'I think it is a very fair and sensible agreement, which creates no obvious preference,' says Noble. 'But it does depend very much on continued goodwill communication and trust between the two teams.'

Both parties have agreed to the target which is the first supersonic record to the existing FIA rules which require two ways runs with the 60 minute turnaround interval. The first supersonic record is the record which includes at least one timed and sanctioned official supersonic pass.

The cars whilst completely different are very evenly matched. Craig Breedlove's Spirit of America is a slim single engined J-79 powered 47ft long projectile painted white, whilst ThrustSSC is a 54ft long twin Rolls-Royce Spey 205 powered machine - painted black. ThrustSSC has over twice the weight and twice the power of Spirit of America - but the key to success is going to be mastery of supersonic stability and supersonic drag.

Discussions have been held with the Bureau of Land Management for the issuing of the Permits and these are anticipated shortly. Key to the success of the Black Rock Desert attempt is the reaching of a friendly and mutually beneficial agreement with the other parties who use the Black Rock desert for recreational and festival events.

Noble and Breedlove started the week commencing 28th Jan as good friends, they finished the week as professional competitors.

This is probably the last period of peace for the two teams - because in early summer the huge US national promotion will be unleashed.

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