Gary Gabelich (born August 29, 1940, died January 1984) was a Croatian-American who won (land speed records are "set" and not "won")the land speed record with his rocket powered automobile "Blue Flame" on October 23, 1970, achieving the average speed of 622.287 (record speed was 622.407)miles/h (1001.452863 km/h) on dry lake bed at Bonneville Salt Flats in Wendover, Utah. This record was the first record over 1000 km/h, it remained unbeaten until 1983, when Richard Noble broke it driving Thrust 2. Gabelich was seriously injured in the crash of an experimental 4 wheel drive Funny Car. Gabelich died in January 1984 in a motorcycle crash. August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1940 calendar). ... 1984 (MCMLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1970 land speed record being set at Bonneville Salt Flats by Gary Gabelich Land Speed Records from 1898 The information below is for self-propelled wheeled vehicles travelling over open ground. ... A Redstone rocket, part of the Mercury program The traditional definition of a rocket is a vehicle, missile or aircraft which obtains thrust by the reaction to the ejection of fast moving fluid from within a rocket engine. ... The Blue Flame was the high-performing, ultra high-speed, rocket-powered vehicle which achieved the world land speed record on Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah on October 28, 1970. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... In mathematics, an average or central tendency of a set (list) of data refers to a measure of the middle of the data set. ... A mile is the name of a unit of length, usually used to measure distance, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... H is also a multi a-side single by Japanese singer Ayumi Hamasaki. ... km redirects here. ... Bonneville Salt Flats The Bonneville Salt Flats are a 121 km² (47 mi²) salt flat in northwestern Utah. ... Location within the British Isles Wendover is a picturesque market town that sits at the foot of the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, England. ... Official language(s) English Capital Salt Lake City Largest city Salt Lake City Area  Ranked 13th  - Total 84,876 sq mi (219,887 km²)  - Width 270 miles (435 km)  - Length 350 miles (565 km)  - % water 3. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Richard Noble, OBE (born March 6, 1946) was a holder of the land speed record, and was the project director of the ThrustSSC, which currently holds the land speed record which was set at Black Rock Desert. ... Thrust2 is a British designed and built jet propelled car, which held the world land speed record between, 1983 and 1997. ...

External link

• Blue Flame