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SALT LAKE CITY – Nolan White, who set the land-speed record for piston-driven cars at more than 400 mph, died from injuries sustained last week at Bonneville Salt Flats. He was 71.
He died Sunday at University Hospital, John Healey, staffing coordinator at the hospital, said Monday night.
Emergency crews cut White from the car’s tangled frame. He was rushed to an emergency center in Wendover and then airlifted to University Hospital.
White crashed his twin-engine car Thursday. He had just passed through the measured mile at 422 mph on the first of the two required runs and was preparing to stop the car when the cord holding the vehicle’s three parachutes broke as it was released.
White was still going 350 mph and was headed toward Interstate 80 when he attempted to steer the vehicle away from the highway, hit a soft surface and rolled.
The car’s engines were ripped from the vehicle and found more than 100 feet from where it came to rest.
White, who was from San Diego, was a veteran of more than 40 years at Bonneville. He broke Al Teague’s 1991 record of 409.986 mph last July. White averaged 413.156 mph on the required two runs during the annual Bonneville Speed Week trials. He had a tire blow, and he also lost his braking parachutes on that run, but he managed to stop the car in some wet salt.
He was back at the salt flats last week, hoping to better his own record, and was talking about making a 450 mph run.
He died Sunday at University Hospital, John Healey, staffing coordinator at the hospital, said Monday night.
Emergency crews cut White from the car’s tangled frame. He was rushed to an emergency center in Wendover and then airlifted to University Hospital.
White crashed his twin-engine car Thursday. He had just passed through the measured mile at 422 mph on the first of the two required runs and was preparing to stop the car when the cord holding the vehicle’s three parachutes broke as it was released.
White was still going 350 mph and was headed toward Interstate 80 when he attempted to steer the vehicle away from the highway, hit a soft surface and rolled.
The car’s engines were ripped from the vehicle and found more than 100 feet from where it came to rest.
White, who was from San Diego, was a veteran of more than 40 years at Bonneville. He broke Al Teague’s 1991 record of 409.986 mph last July. White averaged 413.156 mph on the required two runs during the annual Bonneville Speed Week trials. He had a tire blow, and he also lost his braking parachutes on that run, but he managed to stop the car in some wet salt.
He was back at the salt flats last week, hoping to better his own record, and was talking about making a 450 mph run.
