Hesperia, California (January 20, 1998) - On the first of February, Californian Waldo Stakes will begin testing his "Sonic Wind" composite rocket sled on a frozen lake in central Wisconsin, in his lifelong quest to become the fastest man to travel on the earth's surface.
Stakes is a twenty year veteran of land speed record racing, as a driver, crew chief and designer. He's been directly involved in 21 class land speed records.
A pioneer with a vision, Stakes is choosing to run on a frozen lake instead of the customary salt flat or dry lake bed, using a rocket-powered composite "sled" instead of traditional wheeled vehicles power by jet aircraft engines. Research and development has taken ten years.
Over the next 5-6 years, Stakes hopes to reach numerous land speed records and milestones, including the speed of sound, the world land speed record, the 800mph, 900mph and, maybe, the 1000mph barrier.
Runs this winter will be held to under 200mph while he learns what the vehicle likes and how it responds. Stakes' plans to increase speeds each of the next 5-6 years, taking his time as speeds increase to assure safety.
Made of ballistic fiberglass and aluminum, Sonic Wind is the smallest vehicle ever designed for such high-speed runs, with an empty weight of only 440 pounds, and a frontal area of just 2.8 square feet. It is 23 feet 7 inches long.
Power comes from a LR-11 rocket engine from the Air Force's X-15 project, running on alcohol and liquid oxygen. A rocket has major advantages over a jet engine, including no moving parts, a fraction of the weight, and the absense of air intakes, which increase drag. Stakes may eventually run on liquid oxygen and kerosene, which could boost the vehicle beyond 1000mph. Windtunnel testing and computer simulations suggest the vehicle will accelerate about 50mph per second on a constant, all the way to 900mph. The rocket was developed by Stakes and Ken Mason, a noted bi-propellant rocket engineer.
Sonic Wind will run on a uniquely prepared course. A man-made ice-field will be formed, creating the smoothest course ever prepared for high speed runs. A frozen lake is the perfect surface, as the only thing with less drag than a blade on ice is teflon on teflon. There is no need to invent supersonic wheels and bearings.
The project has received national and international recognition, having been covered in magazines such as Popular Science, AutoWeek, The New York Times Magazine, Omni, Hot Rod Mechanix, Hot Bike, and Bonneville Racing News. It has appeared on the CBS and CNN television networks.
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