PENNZOIL recently released a 6 part video entitled "Breaking Barriers" (hosted by Tim McGraw) ... and Act 2 is an interview with (Hot Rodding Hero) Alex Xydias: Tim McGraw meets legend Alex Xydias, the man who put hot-rodding on the map in Southern California with his SoCal Speed Shop and set a Land Speed Record at the Bonneville Salt Flats. We explore the Hot Rod explosion that followed World War II with Southern California at the epicenter of innovation and speed.
Although not completely H.A.M.B. friendly ... ... here's Act 1: Tim McGraw introduces John Hennessey, owner of the Venom GT Production Vehicle poised to challenge the Bugatti Veyron's Land Speed Record. In exploring the history of the automobile we uncover the timeless competition to set and break records. We discover how Henry Ford put his name on the map, how the Model T became the template vehicle for hot-rodding and celebrate America's first land speed hero, Frank Lockhart.
... Act 3: In the early 60's, inspired by the words of JFK, a young hot-rodder from Los Angeles, Craig Breedlove, builds a jet-powered vehicle "The Spirit of America" to return the Land Speed Record back to America from Great Britain. During a two-year period Breedlove battles it out with a handful of racers and becomes the first man on earth to travel 400, 500 and 600 MPH in a vehicle.
... Act 4: From muscle cars to the advent of the computer chip, we catch up with the current Land Speed Racing unlimited class record holder Andy Green, the man who broke the sound barrier and drove 763.035 MPH in the Thrust SSC vehicle. Technology is now an intrinsic part of all automobiles and we explore the shifting ethos and skillset of tuners and hot-rodders as they adapt.
... Act 5: The Hennessey Performance team arrives in Florida to attempt to break the Land Speed Record for a production vehicle. They battle the odds against nature and technology showing the challenges of what it takes to endure and triumph. It's never as easy as one might expect.
... and Act 6: After tireless effort, The Hennessey Performance team breaks the Bugatti Veyron Land Speed Record and clocks a verified speed of 270.42 MPH becoming the fastest production vehicle in the world. We explore with our legends and heroes what it takes and means to set a record and live a life in pursuit of speed.
The Jalopy Journal
