All being well, today was the day on which we would see Andy Green put on some serious speed, and so it proved, but not before the weather had given us more than a few anxious moments. Having been briefed the night before that things probably wouldn't happen until about midday, there was no need to get up too early, but given the changeable weather conditions, we decided to take no risks - it would be just our luck to loaf around and find that the car had run in a favorable weather window and we'd missed it! So we left early.

About 5 miles out of Petra the winds returned again and the sunny skies that we'd woken up to were replaced first by patchy grey cloud and then ominous darker looking jobs in the distance that clearly carried rain. We panicked for a bit when we were passed by the Castrol guys in their 4x4 heading back for Petra. Perhaps they'd already been to Al Jafr and things had been called off? (In fact, Bev had forgotten his sunglasses)

An hour later, we bumped our way across the familiar track that heads towards the Thrust desert base and were relieved to find that, subject to conditions, two runs would be made, a low speed run for he benefit of Paris-Match and ITN and a more serious run at about 350mph to check on the changes made as a result of the analysis of data from the first run. Glynne and a couple of others were mounting very expensive looking still cameras on specially fabricated brackets just in front of the tail (this one with a very wide angle fish-eye lens) and alongside the cockpit. The idea was for Andy to move off slowly enough not to shake them off, but fast enough to kick up a rooster tail of dust, while the Paris-Match guy fired the cameras remotely. The ITN guys would travel alongside taking film and stills from a Toyota Landcruiser.

(Photo: Jeremy Davey.)

At this point, we were treated to the bizarre sight of an American couple arriving to watch in a bright yellow Mercedes Taxi and just when it looked that things might be ready, a team meeting decided that due the continuously changing nature of the weather, the low speed run would be abandoned and it was all systems go for the high speed run. This time the car would be running South to North (right to left) and so a quick trip to either end of the track was in order to check things out and do some last minute fodding, while the Supacat towed SSC tail first out of the pits and up to mile 8½. A brief encounter with a herd of 30 or so wild camels who'd trotted over to investigate things caused a lively exchange of comments on the radios, but they weren't a problem since it took almost an hour to get SSC up to the startline. This is because a small team of people walked ahead picking up any errant stones or bits of rubbish dropped since the last check, thus ensuring that no damage was done to the aluminium wheels.

By this time, Brian, Dee and Ninetta had towed the Palouste starter to its destination behind the faithful V8 Land Rover and pretty soon SSC was being positioned on the track with the crew swarming over it to get it ready. The press and Thrust onlookers were moved 4 tracks away to the left of the car as the Palouste whirred into life and pretty soon the staccato burp of the start sequence indicated that the first Spey was under power. Attention moved to the other side and before long a plume of dust licked up from the desert opposite showed that the other Spey had joined its mate and was ready to go. Familiar messages on the R/T confirmed that the desert police were in place to stop stray Bedouins crossing the track and all was now ready. 'SSC, you are clear to roll' came the instruction from the pits. 'SSC, ready to roll' came the response from Andy in the cockpit. In her element and properly fettled after the changes from that vital first run to dial in track conditions, SSC looked and sounded absolutely superb and gave you a tingle down the spine just by being there.

(Photo: Jeremy Davey.)

Within seconds, the noise from the Speys grew more purposeful and slowly at first SSC edged off the line. Seconds later the pace increased dramatically and then it was off and charging followed by an ever increasing dust cloud. With the car safely in front, those at the start moved smartly through the cloud to position themselves behind the car as the engine note dropped indicating that Andy had slowed having collected more data at low speed. Suddenly, the engine note bellowed again and the plume shot skywards as he took aim at 300+mph. From the pits it was, if anything, even more spectacular as SSC reached peak speed alongside the spectators. Over the R/T we heard that the chutes had been deployed and that SSC had stopped safely.

Charging back to the pits, it was time to collect the ITN crew and head for where SSC had stopped, since a decision had been taken to follow up straight away with the camera run. This was a real race against time, since the cameras had to be refitted, the car checked over and the ITN crew positioned alongside SSC. In fading light, the go was given and this time the turnaround crew were given the task of getting things into motion even though Andy would be heading in the same direction, thus using the last few miles of the same track and saving the others. It was a weird sensation, to sit alongside all that raw power ready to be unleashed - it got weirder. Slowly, SSC moved forward with Colin from ITN gunning the Landcruiser to give the cameramen a chance to capture the car in action. With foot hard to the floor the 4x4 was suddenly left in SSC's dust as Andy blipped the Speys and shot away from us. Even though it only lasted for 30 seconds or so, we can now proudly boast that we are the only 4 people in the world to race SSC on the desert. Naturally, we did the decent thing and let Andy win! Let's hope the Paris-Match guys got the photos they wanted.

The results from the runs were exactly what was needed. The second stage of the fast run had delivered a 328mph ticket, just shy of the target, but even more importantly, the suspension, brakes and steering all worked perfectly. A walk back up the track showed straight lines apart from a couple of minor wobbles where Andy had reported cross winds and the inevitable movement as the parachutes deployed. Better still the combination of changed suspension settings and the grading off the Bedouin road handled all the surface imperfections with all four wheels staying firmly on the ground. The data shows that the car can probably be stopped with just the brakes from 450+mph in 3½ miles, so with that in mind, the omens are good for hitting 650mph with the 10.2 miles of track available..

For now, it's a 2 day break before any more runs and by then the forecasts say that the weather will have calmed down. For many club members, it's time to say goodbye, John, Neal, Ken, Bob and Brian all returning to the UK on Monday. They take with them a ton of film and some truly stunning memories. Bob Edwards, who came in from Dubai last week will take over the reports from now, so keep checking things out. If all goes well, it could be that Richard's record will be beaten after all.

©Robin Richardson

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