Years before Bill France Sr. organized stock car racing on Florida’s most famous beach, stock cars of a different sort went wheel to wheel on tracks around the country.

Craig Breedlove’s Spirit of America was arguably one of the prettiest land-speed racers to tackle Bonneville, but it certainly met an ugly end. While chasing Art Arfons’ 434-mph speed record in 1964, Breedlove found himself unable to bring the rocket-powered Spirit to a stop while traveling in excess of 500 mph. Two parachutes and the car’s brakes failed, leaving Breedlove a helpless passenger as the car went off the race course, flew through two telephone poles and augured into a brine pond. Miraculously unhurt, Breedlove swam to safety.