In 1898, one of the first automobiles set a land speed record of 39 mph. Back then, few would have guessed that one day a vehicle would go faster than the speed of sound. Yet ever since then, race car drivers have had a strong need for speed, and automakers have designed their cars to go faster and faster. Readers will eagerly learn all about the competitive world of land speed racing in ""The Need for Speed"". Featuring stunning full-color photographs and exciting, readable text, this book highlights the amazing speed machines and their intrepid drivers who compete on racecourses ranging from a desert in Nevada to a dry lakebed in Australia in an effort to claim the world land speed record.