World's Fastest: 270.49 mph Venom GT

Cape Canaveral, Florida-On February 14, 2014, the Hennessey Venom GT set a new world speed record for 2-seat sports cars by reaching a top speed of 270.49 mph (435.31 km/h). The run was performed at the Kennedy Space Center on the 3.2-mile Space Shuttle landing runway. Brian Smith, Director of Miller Motorsports Park, experienced race driver and a former Michelin tire test engineer, drove the Venom GT to its record speed.

'I knew the car had it in it, but it's a thrill to officially validate the Venom GT's 270-mph speed,' said Hennessey CEO Don Goldman. 'Venturing anywhere above 200 mph-let alone 270-is not to be taken lightly, and we're elated to have accomplished our goal.'

Achieving the world record is a dream realized for company founder and president John Hennessey. 'I wanted to be an astronaut when I was a kid. Neil Armstrong was my childhood hero. Even though the astronaut thing didn't work out for me, I am humbled to have had the opportunity to set our speed record on the hallowed grounds of the American space program,' said Hennessey. 'Building and validating our Venom GT as the world's fastest has been a long journey and a lot of hard work. But as President Kennedy once so eloquently said, 'We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.' As a result we have built a better car and a better team at Hennessey Performance (HPE).'

'It was still pulling,' said driver Brian Smith after the record run. 'If we could run on an 8-mile oval we could go faster than that. On the very top end there was a little wandering but, hey, we're going 270 mph! The Venom GT didn't required any big corrections, and the Michelins held traction really well.'

To date, HPE has built and delivered eleven Venom GTs to owners around the world. Each vehicle is built to order and takes six months to complete. As the production run will be limited to a total of just 29 units worldwide, the Venom GT is not only the fastest but also one of the most exclusive hypercars ever produced. Its components and systems, by necessity, need to meet the extraordinary demands inherent in achieving such rarefied velocities, and the Venom GT's Pennzoil Platinum synthetic motor oil is no exception. Said Chris Hayek, Global Brand Director for Pennzoil: 'We constantly pursue the latest advancements in technology, and we couldn't be more excited that Hennessey Performance achieved this world speed record using Pennzoil's new full synthetic motor oil made from natural gas.'

About Hennessey® Performance

Established in 1991, Hennessey® Performance (HPE) now operates from a new facility comprised of a 36,000 square foot building that is located adjacent to Lonestar Motorsports Park, the company's test track and IHRA sanctioned ¼ mile dragstrip. The 143-acre complex is located about 45 minutes west of Houston, Texas along Interstate 10. Hennessey® offer a wide variety of dyno-proven, track-tested parts for modern performance vehicles. In addition, Hennessey® operates Tuner School, the world's first fully state-licensed school dedicated to teaching and training future performance vehicle tuners.

About Pennzoil®

At Pennzoil®, we're car people. We love cars and the role they play in our lives. That's why we tirelessly strive to produce the most technologically advanced, highest performing motor oils on the market. Our Pennzoil Platinum® and Pennzoil Ultra Platinum™ motor oils with PurePlus™ Technology deliver Complete Protection. Pennzoil Platinum motor oils start with something different: natural gas. PurePlus Technology is a patented, revolutionary process that converts pure natural gas into the first-of-its-kind, high quality full synthetic base oil. It's Motor Oil Reimagined. For more information about the full line of Pennzoil lubricating products, motor oils and filters, please visit www.pennzoil.com. Not just oil. Pennzoil.

posted on conceptcarz.com

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