YORK, England—British tractor maker JCB recently set a world speed record for tractors—135.2 mph—with the help of Balkrishna Industries Ltd., which supplied specially constructed Ridemax IT tires built to run at speeds up to 150 mph.
JCB (JC Bamford Excavators Ltd.) carried out the record attempt at Elvington Airfield in York with motorbike racer and truck mechanic Guy Martin at the wheel.
The record-setting vehicle, Fastrac Two, is a specially engineered version of the tractor maker's Fastrac series, equipped with turbocharged version of a six-cylinder, 7.2-liter JCB 672 diesel engine rated at over 1,000 hp.
The record-setting version was lightened by 10 percent from the stock version and equipped with aerodynamic bodywork, JCB said.
BKT supplied special minimally treaded versions of its Ridemax IT 696 tire line, size 400/80R28, which under normal operating conditions are speed limited to 40 mph.
JCB noted it could have used aircraft or other specialty tires for the record attempt but said it "isn't in our nature" to compromise and instead chose to reach out to BKT for help on the tire aspect.
The feat was ratified by Guinness World Records. The old record was set in 2018 at 87.3 mph.