Home of the North American Eagle - World Landspeed Challenger

Spanaway, WA Against a dramatic backdrop of the high desert and open skies, Ed Shadle will perform medium speed test runs in his land speed car, the North American Eagle (NAE), Saturday, November 18, at the Dry Lake Bed in El Mirage, California. These runs are in preparation of becoming the fastest man on earth, in 2007.

Shadle’s mission, along with partner, co-owner Keith Zanghi and a team of dedicated American and Canadian engineering, aviation, and racing specialists, is to shatter the World Land Speed Record by exceeding 800 MPH. Shadle will be driving in the North American Eagle, a speed machine with more than 50,000hp.

“Continuous testing is the key to our success—clearly the horsepower is there and we know it will go fast,” said a proud Shadle. “Testing to date has been limited to 375 mph by the rubber aviation tires. With the addition of wheels machined from a block of forged aluminum, we will be able to test at much higher speeds.” Shadle went on to say.

“The North American Eagle will also continue testing with alternative fuels. Preliminary tests show positive results using the green fuels. Government and corporate researchers are looking into ways to power commercial jet engines with alternative fuels. Team NAE continues to lead the way in the research by working with Seattle BioDiesel, a leading biodiesel refinery and research laboratory” stated Co-owner Keith Zanghi.

Shadle and his team have good reason to boast; the conversion of a celebrated Mach 2, highly modified F-104 jet fighter over the last ten years has been no easy feat. The lessons learned at El Mirage will prove essential for land speed record runs next year at Black Rock Dry Lake Bed, Nevada.

On October 18, Steve Fossett, aviator, sailor, and balloonist, announced that he also plans on challenging the current land speed record next October. He purchased the car that failed 1996-1997 record attempts from racer Craig Breedlove.

With Fossett being new to land speed racing and Shadle’s 40 years of racing experience, next October is shaping up to be the biggest and ultimate extreme racing event of the 21st Century.

"There is nothing like a bit of good, old-fashioned competition to get an American's creative's juices flowing," remarked "LandSpeed" Louise Ann Noeth, photo-journalist and author of Bonneville: Fastest Place on Earth," More than a decade has rolled by since the British took home the absolute record and I think that is quite long enough. This nation certainly has the talent to recapture that honor, the question is: 'Does it have the will?'”

Noeth added, “With the goal now beyond Mach One it will require an inordinate amount of intestinal fortitude to knock the crown off Andy Green's head. Fossett seems to enjoy conquering near impossible odds, so he setting himself up for a supersonic match race. The former Spirit of America machine is a sad study of wasted potential, Fossett has his work cut out for him; the North American Eagle is already in its testing phase, but lacks the fountain of financing that Fossett commands, so both teams need to hustle if either wishes to be the new King of Speed. Either way, a tasty velocity battle is brewing."

The current land speed record of 763 MPH, or Mach 1.2, was set October 15th, 1997 by Britain’s Andy Green driving Thrust SSC. Shadle and his American-Canadian team intend to change bring the record back to North America less than a year from now.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities contact: Douglas Schwartz, NAE Media Director, at doug@sterlingci.com or call 408 246-3749

Note to editor: Due to the lack of facilities at El Mirage, this November event is only open to accredited media.

Please contact Douglas Schwartz for a Media Credential form, photographs, video, or to arrange an interview with Ed Shadle.

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