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Development driver Don Wales suited up today on the Muroc dirt at Edwards Air Force Base to lay down a sizzlig pair of runs that qualify for another flying mile and flying kilo record — the second in two days for the British Steam Car Challenge! (see yesterday’s post for details) After weeks of grueling toil in withering desert heat, the Brits kept their wits and saved the best for last. Wales averaged 148.308 in the kilo and 148.166 in the mile.
The team now has the happy duty of deciding which of the provisional records it will submit for ratification by the FIA World Sporting Council. Odds are that owner/driver Charles Burnett III will submit an application for certification that will give both he and Wales each a piece of world record glory pie.
Wales, is the grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell, a noted icon in world record setting, and the nephew of Donald Campbell, Sir Malcolm’s son. Wales is also the nephew of Donald Campbell, Sir Malcolm’s son, who also set plenty of speed records in the 1950s and 1960s before he died in 1967 when his speed boat (Bluebird) came apart in a spectacular 300MPH crash on Coniston Lake in northern England.
Wales has had speed dreams with a car called the Bluebird Electric, but has yet to find any record-setting joy with the vehicle. It is thought that Wales might be eying an electric boat record in the future, but until then he will continue his work as a professional photographer.