A couple of weeks ago I talked about how Jesse James from the TV show, “Jesse James Is A Dead Man”, Donald Trumps “Celebrity Apprentice” and other fame would be attempting to set a land-speed record for a hydrogen-powered internal combustion engine vehicle (ICE).
Yesterday, James did just this by rocketing his Streamliner to a record 199.7 mph, beating out the previous land-speed hydrogen ICE holder the BMW HR2, which was clocked in Germany at 185.5 mph. The company that clocked Jesse James’ record ride on the El Mirage dry lake bed in California’s Mojave Desert, was Southern California Timing Association.
Now, in August 2007 the Ford 999 set a land-speed record on the Bonneville Salt Flats for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at 207.297 mph. But, these are two very different cars using extremely different technology. Both technologies however, fueled by hydrogen are zero emissions (or near zero emissions), meaning these race cars are non-polluting which is unheard of in the race car world.
Jesse James’ world record setting ride will be aired on his TV show on SpikeTV Sunday, August 9, 2009. Breaking the 200 mph barrier would have been sweet, but breaking the previous record by over 14 mph with only a water vapor trail for emissions, will let the world know that hydrogen cars are not gutless, little tofu-eating vehicles.
Hydrogen cars can be about speed and zero emissions if you want them to be.
Here is a reply I received from “LandSpeed” Louise Ann Noeth:
I would hope you might not want to lead your readers astray and offer some factual insight about this fake record claim.
Cable TV personality Jesse James claims he set the world record for hydrogen-powered vehicles on June 16th on the southern California El Mirage dry lake.
The claim is without merit since the activities were conducted without benefit of any motorsports sanctioning authority. The vehicle was neither inspected, nor certified and all the timing personnel were on the James TV payroll.
World speed records require two runs over a one-mile course within one hour. James was 5,148 feet short — being timed one-way for a total of 132 feet; he made only three or four passes over an eight to ten-hour period. Any world record holder will tell you it’s quite a technical feat to hold speed for a full mile.
The baseless speed stunt was reportedly for “the season-ending episode of James’s TV show, Jesse James is a Dead Man.” The episode is set to air in early August.
James claims to have bested the FIA ratified BMW HR2 record of 185 mph. The BMW HR2 race car set 9 international and FIA-ratified land-speed records for hydrogen cars at the Miramas Proving Grounds in France. The BMW HR2 is one of the few hydrogen cars developed with internal combustion engine (ICE) technology instead of fuel cell technology.
Mr. James efforts count for absolutely nothing on the world motorsports stage and amount to little more than a self-promoting “TV racer” PR stunt since he chose to ignore the sport’s sanctioning rules that have applied to all records certified for the past 80 years.
When contacted to explain the fraudulent claim, James responded with a short crude retort that reminded this writer that vulgarity is indeed the refuge of a destitute mind.