At first glance at the picture and after reading the brief article it looks like Richard Noble is ignoring what I thought was one of the shrewdest things of the SSC Thrust. The Thrust implemented in its suspension design the capability to angle the whole back of the vehicle up so that both drag and the jet engine thrust could produce enough of a downward vector to fight the ground effect lift. I wonder if he found that to be actually less important than he thought when Thrust ran earlier or if that part is just not apparent in this article. Getting something up to and beyond the speed of sound has been done many times before. But Richard Noble and his team are the only ones to consistently do this while staying in contact with the Earth.

Go for it guys, records were made to be broken!

I find myself more intrigued with the challenge of making a 50cc moped go 100MPH than I am making what's essentially an aircraft without wings go 1000MPH on the ground.

Is their any payback to such an accomplishment beyond having your names posted on a plaque somewhere? Learning how to increase the power and efficiency IC engines beyond existing boundaries has payback. Turning an obsolete jet aircraft into a land vehicle (in my opinion) does not.

Step 1- break the speed of sound on land.

Step 2- The ultimate! Beat the spead of gossip!!!