Rob Waters Takes on Australian Land Speed Records
When it comes to pursuing Australian land speed records on Lake Gairdner’s salt flats in South Australia, few embrace the excitement as much as Rob Waters from Western Australia.
This week, the owner of Daynite Towing, based in Welshpool, is making his third attempt at breaking records in the outback and hopes to return to Perth with at least one national record to his name.
Specializing in heavy vehicle recovery, Waters has opted for two Kenworth trucks for the Dry Lake Racers Australia’s annual Speed Week event instead of a traditional streamlined speed machine. One truck is a dedicated land speed vehicle named “The Prospector,” while the other is a modern circuit racing truck.
Despite its challenges during last year’s Speed Week, when it had technical issues, The Prospector is looking to achieve impressive speeds this time. The circuit truck is freshly back from a racing campaign in New Zealand.
Both trucks are set to compete for records, with the circuit truck aiming for the Modified Diesel category, and The Prospector vying for the Unlimited Modified Diesel class. Waters is cautiously optimistic about breaking the 150 mph (242 km/h) barrier and potentially reaching 160 mph (257 km/h).
Australia measures land speed records in miles per hour, a nod to the Bonneville speed trials in the U.S. Waters hopes to join the “150 Club,” although he is unsure about pushing for 170 mph (273.6 km/h) due to The Prospector being essentially a road-going vehicle. Future speeds beyond 175 mph (281.6 km/h) would necessitate significant modifications.
Currently, the record in the Unlimited class sits at 155.748 mph (250.653 km/h), and Waters believes The Prospector, equipped with a 13-liter Caterpillar diesel engine delivering over 1120 kW of power, can surpass that. Last year, although he reached 134.999 mph (217.261 km/h), he was hindered by a glitch in the truck’s engine computer.
For Waters, the journey to the salt lake and experiencing the camaraderie there is equally important. He describes the trip from Perth as a grand adventure, as he travels with a B-triple, which carries both trucks and all essential gear, covering a distance of 2200 km in about three days with relaxed driving hours.
