The Story Behind The Big Win
by Al Teague
It was the realization of a dream.
It is hard to describe the exhilaration of that day. A dream that started so long ago,
helped along by so many friends year after year, going to Bonneville with their own moneywithout them I would have no record. Literally.
I'm especially
grateful to a guy named Mark Dees. I had been unable to pay the $1000.00 entry fee required for FIA timing which would qualify us for the official Land Speed Record. Mark, a fellow racer, overheard us saying we couldn't run the FIA. He walked over and handed the officials $1000.00 and said, "Al is running FIA, and I am sponsoring him."
Just like in 1966, my heart was racing as I climbed into the cockpit and we had been rushed
getting to the line before the meet closed. Bob Higbee approached the car, gave me the customary tug to the belts and said, "I know you know where you are going." And I did.
I clocked 425 mph in
the measured mile, but I had run so far down the course that the car got stuck in the mud. We had less than one hour to prepare the car for the return run change the oil, refuel and repack the chutes. It was only with the super-human assistance of the crew that we were under way for the return run with two minutes to spare. Jim Lattin tugged on the shoulder harness and sent me off. At the other end, Bob Higbee informed me we had made it and won our FIA record!
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