Rosco McGlashan (Born 1950)[1] OAM is an Australian drag racing record-holder, who currently holds the Australian land speed record at 500 mph (802.6 km/h). This record was set on the 27 March 1994 on the dry salt flats of Lake Gairdner, South Australia 440 km (270 mi) northwest of Adelaide.
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McGlashan set the record in his jet-powered car, Aussie Invader II. The car was powered by a 36,000 hp Atar jet engine from a Mirage jet fighter aeroplane. In February 1995 Rosco and his team headed back to Lake Gairdner for an assault at the 633.468 mph (1,013.55 km/h) world land speed record, held by Richard Noble. This attempt was not a success, due to poor salt conditions, the course being very wet in places. McGlashan ran off course and hit the metal timing equipment at 960 km/h (600 mph). McGlashan walked away but the car was destroyed.
McGlashan then built his next car Aussie Invader III. With this car McGlashan hoped to challenge Andy Green and Craig Breedlove to be the first to Mach 1 on land. But again the salt conditions were too bad for high speed record runs. And on 15 October 1997, Andy Green reached 763.035 miles per hour (1,227.986 km/h), the first supersonic record (Mach 1.016).
Needing a car with more power, McGlashan has announced that he has designed a new car, Aussie Invader 5R. This car will be rocket-powered and is designed for speed greater than 1,000 miles per hour (1,600 km/h). The rocket car will be his biggest and most powerful yet at 18 metres (58.5 ft) in length and 3 metres (10 ft) high at the tailfin.
McGlashan also drove a rocket-powered Go-Kart to 253 miles per hour (407 km/h) - still the fastest in the world.