Subaru was an established brand in 1990, but it was a year of transition. In previous years, it had been known for stout compact and subcompact cars, but that year, Subaru introduced its new flagship, the Legacy, to the United States. The early reviews for the Legacy (known as Loyale worldwide) were highly promising, and Subaru Technica International (STI) worked with Subaru of America to cook up a hot recipe to show just what this vehicle could do. It turned a trio of the vehicles loose on the enormous 5.7-mile banked speed oval at the Auto Test Center in Stanfield, Arizona, over most of the month of January 1989. The goal was to annihilate speed and endurance records in the production class of the Legacy. Subaru succeeded admirably, to say the least.

"24 Drivers, 18 Days, 14 Records Broken"
 

Part of the team effort was California-based auto industry veteran Tony Pearson, who was then involved in project and launch planning for Subaru of America. Tony worked with Roger Banowetz, then the manager of accessory research at Subaru Research and Development in Cypress, California. The test center was jointly owned by another manufacturer and Calsonic, which kept Fuji Heavy Industries supplied with exhaust and heating components. Because of its existing relationship with Calsonic, Subaru was able to rent the center. 

The Holy Grail here was capturing the USAC and FIA records for 100,000 kilometers, or 62,137.12 miles, using AWD Legacy Sedans featuring the 2.0-liter, turbocharged EJ20 flat-four that powered the cars in the Japanese market. (The U.S. market received the EJ22.) Rain interfered with the record runs but the team pressed on, using 24 drivers. The cars ran nonstop except for fuel, oil, tire and driver changes over 18-plus consecutive days. “There were three vehicles, and one of them was the ‘rabbit,’” says Pearson, referring to the mechanical rabbit that paces greyhounds in dog racing. “Subaru had always been known as kind of a quirky car company, but with the new Legacy, it wanted to make a big splash, going after all the FIA records. Everybody knew this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

"Media and Subaru executives were on hand to witness the record, and so were officials from USAC, which sanctioned the attempt for FIA. "

 

The record runs lasted 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with driver changes scheduled in two-hour shifts, which matched the fuel-tank range of the Legacy fleet. Driver changes took about 90 seconds. The right-hand-drive cars – a U.S.-certified version of the Legacy didn’t exist yet – were home-market versions. The cars clipped along at an average of 145 mph until the rains hit, but even then dropped their pace by only about 10 mph, says Pearson. They were fitted with roll bars, fuel cells and aerodynamic wheel discs.

 

FIA World Land Speed Record History

The FIA, which regulated the Subaru Legacy endurance record, is the arbiter of flat-out speed. Here are a few milestones. 

1914

A German manufacturer surpasses 124 mph, the first record under the two-way rule set by the group that would become the FIA. It requires two runs in opposite directions to negate the benefit of a tailwind on a single run.

1947

Britain’s John Cobb reaches 394.196 mph in a car powered by two W12 Napier supercharged aircraft engines. The record stands until 1963.

1963

U.S. driver Craig Breedlove sets the first jet-age land speed record (LSR) – 407.447 mph – in the three-wheeled, turbojet-powered Spirit of America. The FIA delayed recognizing the record because the car wasn’t wheel-driven.

1997

In a car propelled by two jet engines, British pilot Andy Green breaks the sound barrier – and his own LSR record of 713.990 – and sets the current high mark of 760.343 mph.

2018

Green’s racing team has announced that it plans to reach an astounding 1,050 mph in the jet-and-rocket-powered Bloodhound SSC. 

On the support side, a man, his wife and his brother-in-law were responsible for feeding a mixed diet of hamburgers and rice to the team, around the clock. About a half-dozen people from Michelin monitored tire management, which required changes every 96 hours, while a team of students from Arizona State University checked air pressures and fluid levels.

“Everybody knew this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
— Tony Pearson

All the effort added up to victory. Averaging 138.780 mph over the 100,000 kilometers, Subaru clipped the USAC and FIA record for vehicles in its class. All told, it took Subaru 447 hours, 44 minutes, 9.887 seconds to capture the speed and distance mark for its category. It wasn’t all a breeze though, Pearson remembers. The lead car suffered from a fire caused by oil leaking onto its exhaust and also struck a jackrabbit on the track, damaging its front chin spoiler. 

Despite the obstacles, some 14 international records fell to the Subaru Legacy. There’s a photo, Pearson says, that shows one of the Fuji Heavy Industries team drivers wiping away tears after the record was secured. Pearson understood perfectly. “I think they only did one TV commercial about the run,” he says. “But this was what helped to build the reputation of Subaru in the United States.”

Only one mechanical issue cropped up over 100,000 km – an oil leak on a hot manifold caused a small fire. The only other hiccup occurred two-thirds of the way through the run, when a rabbit ran out on the track, causing damage to one of the cars’ chin spoilers.
Only one mechanical issue cropped up over 100,000 km – an oil leak on a hot manifold caused a small fire. The only other hiccup occurred two-thirds of the way through the run, when a rabbit ran out on the track, causing damage to one of the cars’ chin spoilers.

Subaru’s 100,000 km Endurance Run!

For two weeks in January of 1989, on the 5.7-mile banked Auto Test Center in Stanfield, Arizona, a team of engineers, technicians and drivers from various corners of the world joined to shatter more than a dozen FIA production-class speed and distance records, including the big one: the fastest 100,000 km in the production category. The 100K fell after 447 hours, 44 minutes, 9.887 seconds of continuous high-speed driving. The attempt was recognized by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile and certified by on-site officials from the United States Auto Club, an FIA member.

“Each team member was trained on his particular job that he had to perform when the vehicles came in for their driver change,” says Tony. When cars came off the track, crew members had two minutes to refuel, check fluids, check air pressure in the tires and execute a driver change. The crew changed tires every 96 hours.
“Each team member was trained on his particular job that he had to perform when the vehicles came in for their driver change,” says Tony. When cars came off the track, crew members had two minutes to refuel, check fluids, check air pressure in the tires and execute a driver change. The crew changed tires every 96 hours."
Cars ran day and night, regardless of weather conditions, for 18 straight days. Top speeds hovered at 145 miles per hour, and those speeds only decreased by about 10 miles per hour in the pouring rain.
Cars ran day and night, regardless of weather conditions, for 18 straight days. Top speeds hovered at 145 miles per hour, and those speeds only decreased by about 10 miles per hour in the pouring rain.
The driving suits were color-coordinated with the cars – red suits went with the red cars, white with white and yellow with yellow – in order to keep the many drivers and many cars straight in the wee hours of the morning.
The driving suits were color-coordinated with the cars – red suits went with the red cars, white with white and yellow with yellow – in order to keep the many drivers and many cars straight in the wee hours of the morning.
Noriyuki Koseki was the founder of STI, and was the driving force behind all of Subaru’s early motorsport endeavors. He acted as the coordinator for this program and spent significant time behind the wheel during the attempt.
Noriyuki Koseki was the founder of STI, and was the driving force behind all of Subaru’s early motorsport endeavors. He acted as the coordinator for this program and spent significant time behind the wheel during the attempt.