Introduction

Speed Scotland with driver Rick Pearson will be returning to the Bonneville Salt Flats in August 2011 for the famous “Speed Week” aiming to break the all time record for a 1 litre-engined car. The current record standing at 313mph/504kph should be within reach: the “Flower of Scotland” streamliner having reached 265mph in shake-down testing.

The Car

The Flower of Scotland is a 22ft long streamliner, built specifically for racing on Salt with aluminium disk wheels and a 1-litre turbocharged Kawasaki motor generating in the region of 700bhp. The cockpit boasts 2 parachute levers, 3 fire extinguisher levers, an infra-red television screen in case of methanol fire in the engine bay, steering wheel and a one-way shift button.

The Team

Speed Scotland is headed by Derek Palmer, legendary team boss of Promotorsport, the 2001 European Touring Car privateer Champions. Consisting of a band of volunteers they have prepared the “Flower” for this year’s attempt in their spare time, seeing her safely in her crate for the voyage to Bonneville at the end of June.

The Driver

Rick Pearson is an experienced ex-professional race driver who during his career has raced all across the UK and Europe and is now based in Zurich, Switzerland. Despite having raced Le Mans cars and various cutting-edge touring cars he maintains that the 1-litre record is by far the greatest challenge he’s faced. If Rick breaks the record, he’ll become only the 7th Brit in the prestigious Bonneville 300mph club, joining Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell, John Cobb and Capt Eyston, Richard Noble and Wing Cmdr Andy Green. A household name in Holland where for several years he terrorized the local racers and commentators !

Rick races on the salt in a 7 layer NOMEX race suit which is designed to look like a Tuxedo/Dinner suit including FIA approved bow-tie!