In their quest to be America's Fastest Family in Land Speed Racing, Salt Lake City, Utah-based Nish Motorsports has been chasing a dream for 43 years. Since 1965, owner Terry Nish, 70, and his three sons Mike, 48, Jeff, 47, and T.J., 42, have been focused on breaking the 409.277mph Land Speed World Record set that same year by the legendary Sommers brothers. At the TOP 1 Oil World Land Speed Shootout this September 22-27, Mike Nish will lead the team in another attempt to carve its name in Land Speed history. Team Nish Motorsports hopes their Royal Purple Streamliner car will take them to 425mph.
In 2007, with the help of Klein Engines and veteran crew chief Cecil McCray, the team upgraded the Royal Purple Streamliner with a ten-liter, 1,800 horsepower Big Block Chevy engine. The upgrade was proposed after a piston failure swept away their dreams at last year's Land Speed Challenge. In 2007, Team Nish Motorsports in their Royal Purple Streamliner earned Hot Rod Magazine's Top Time Award at Speed Week with a speed of 380.046mph for the second time.
The Nish family has been making a name for itself in Land Speed Racing one member at a time, and currently holds 12 Land Speed world records. With more than 40 years of professional race car driving experience, Terry converted to Land Speed Racing in 1993 and currently holds three records. His most notable was set in 1995 with a 320.114mph run in the Vesco-Nish Streamliner. Quickly surpassing his dad's records and adding to the Nish legacy is Mike, with five individual records. None was more memorable than his 386.387mph run in 2006, which surpassed the team record by 10mph.
"My son will be the lucky one who gets to fulfill my dream," Terry said.