CIMdata PLM Industry Summary Online Archive
10 October 2007
Implementation Investments
American 'Speedking' Russ Wicks Sets New World Speed Record
Autodesk, Inc. announced that Russ Wicks , who holds World Speed Records of more than 200 miles per hour on both land and water, has set a new stock car world speed record of 244.9 miles per hour, which has been confirmed by Guinness World Records. Wicks successfully achieved the record on Tuesday October 9 at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Northwestern Utah while driving a 2007 Dodge Charger built to NASCAR specifications. The new record shatters Wicks' previous stock car world speed record of 222 miles per hour.
"I'm totally thrilled," said Wicks. "It's an amazing feeling to push yourself to the edge and emerge victorious. I couldn't have done it without Autodesk and Dodge, who have supported me in my attempt from the very beginning."
Wicks' vehicle was developed with the backing of the Dodge Motorsports Engineering Group and Arrington Engines. Autodesk software was leveraged to make integral performance modifications.
Throughout the testing and development phases, Wicks used Autodesk Buzzsaw -- an on-demand collaborative project management solution -- to simplify and centralize project related documents and streamline the design review process.
"The Autodesk manufacturing solution was indispensable to the development of this record-breaking vehicle," said Wicks. "From communication and collaboration, to visualization and engineering, Autodesk provided the best possible tools for the vehicle development process."
"Wicks is a true American original, and we congratulate him on his new world speed record," said Robert "Buzz" Kross, senior vice president of Autodesk Manufacturing Solutions. "With his triumph, Wicks has helped demonstrate to the world how the innovation, performance and superior technology of Autodesk software can be harnessed to develop a truly world- class vehicle."
About American Challenge
Russ Wicks is the founder of American Challenge, which is a consortium of business, engineering and motorsports professionals focused on breaking important world land and water speed records. Members of the American Challenge Technology Team come from the nation's premier high-technology laboratories. They include experts from the fields of fluid dynamics, structures, stability and control, propulsion, simulation, manufacturing and safety. This combined expertise is unsurpassed anywhere in the world. For more information, visit http://www.autodesk.com/americanchallenge .
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