Sonic Wind is a rocket powered vehicle designed and constructed to exceed the speed of sound on ice. Its initial goal is to set a new Land Speed Record on ice over the current 247 mph record. With a body that was originally designed for speeds in excess of Mach 2 and a rocket engine from a record setting supersonic test plane, the X-1, Sonic Wind has a speed potential far in excess of its first 247 mph goal.
 
 

Photos of Sonic Wind Test Fire. These photos were taken at a static test in the desert where Sonic Wind was chained down and fired up to check all systems. It was starting to get dark, so the photos may not be great, but they do show the power of the rocket engine.

If early testing goes well and Sonic Wind sets a new ice record, the plan is to push Sonic Wind to higher speeds. If it handles well at 300 mph, it will be pushed up to 400 mph and then on to 500 mph and then upward to its design speed of 900 mph and possibly even to 1000 mph!
 
 

Sonic Wind News - March 1998, "The first trip to the ice!" We made the trip back to Wisconsin, but it happened to coincide with a warm spell that brought in rainy, cloudy weather. We got Sonic Wind onto the ice for photos, but it just wasn't safe to do anything else. The ice was just getting too thin.

The Sonic Wind crew has a tough road ahead of it, a road that started over 10 years ago for designer, builder and driver, Waldo Stakes, and his partner, Ken Mason. Waldo had an early infatuation with both land speed cars and the people who built them, and Ken had an equally early fascination with rockets. This has lead them to a place where they have their own rocket powered land speed vehicle built, it's set for testing, and ready to go on to its first record attempts.
 
 

Sonic Wind News - March 2000, "The second trip to the ice!" We found a great place to run and were to be part of Lake George's Winter Carnival, but it was too warm again to run Sonic Wind. Rain and warm weather left the ice unusable for any of the snowmobile races and events that were planned, including Sonic Wind's exhibition runs. We met a lot of great people, but couldn't make a run.

With Waldo piloting Sonic Wind, Ken Mason and John Petri will be the regular crew members. Ken is the crew's resident rocket expert. He's been working on rockets, both solid and liquid fueled, since childhood. Ken has refined Sonic Wind's liquid oxygen and alcohol powered LR-11 rocket engine, an engine that originated in the Air Force's supersonic X-1 and X-15 projects. John Petri, who has been involved with record setting cars and motorcycles on the Bonneville Salt Flats for over 15 years, has come on board as crew chief. Some of his responsibilities will include vehicle safety and security on the course. These people plan to make Sonic Wind a record holder, first as the fastest vehicle on ice and then on to their ultimate goal, to have Waldo and Sonic Wind become the holders of the World Land Speed Record!
 
 

Sonic Wind in the Desert

Like the approaching storm, they both await the chance to unleash their power!

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The Team, Sponsors and Friends We couldn't do this without them!

Sonic Wind Events and Displays We have T-Shirts too!