Driver who broke the sound barrier attempts another land speed record in Utah

WENDOVER, Utah (AP) — The first and sole individual to break the sound barrier in a car returns to the Bonneville Salt Flats this week, aiming for another land speed record. British driver Andy Green, a retired Royal Air Force fighter pilot, will be piloting the JCB Hydromax, a hydrogen-powered vehicle manufactured by British construction equipment firm JCB.

Green aims not only to set another record but also to promote hydrogen as a clean-energy alternative. Green hit a top speed of 368.347 mph (592.797 kph) in recent practice sessions, but needs to beat the current record of 350.092 mph (563.4 kph) to officially claim the record. The hydrogen-powered car's creators claim it emits no carbon dioxide, but the majority of hydrogen is currently produced from fossil fuels.

Green will start the race just after sunrise to avoid the desert heat, and spectators will observe from a quarter mile away on the straightaway, which is 10 miles (16 kilometers) long. This attempt comes a year after a driver died during a land speed record attempt at the Bonneville Salt Flats.