"We want to build the car to aviation standards, not just to racing standards. If this were an airplane we would be comfortable flying it," said project leader Jeffrey Baxter, a graduate student in business, in a YouTube post shortly before last year's unsuccessful test. Driver Jim Burkdoll, president of the Utah Salt Flats Racing Association, survived the flipping last year unscathed. A 30-year veteran of speed trials, Burkdoll piloted the car for the second test, achieving a peak speed of 175 mph and flying into the record books.