The duel in the desert became a solo effort on Friday as cash-strapped American Craig Breedlove shelved his quest for a sixth land speed record.
"We are negative several, several thousand dollars. We are unfortunately going to have to put things on hold," Spirit of America team spokeswoman Cherie Danson said. "We are not in a position to go on until we get more funds."The announcement came shortly after the British team headed by the fastest man on wheels came within 10 mph of Richard Noble's 14-year-old record.
Noble's Thrust SSC, with Royal Air Force pilot Andy Green, 35, behind the wheel, raised roostertails across the Black Rock Desert at speeds of 550 mph and 624 mph on Friday.
"It was like a locomotive, very very steady," Noble said. "I've never seen these things before because I've always been in the car."
He expects Thrust to exceed 624 mph on Saturday, although an official run is not likely until early next week when the sanctioning timers are in place.
Noble, 51, hit 633.48 mph in October 1983 on the same remote desert playa 125 miles north of Reno. He wants Green to eclipse that record on the way to the speed of sound, which would be about 750 mph at Black Rock's 4,000-foot altitude.
Breedlove, 60, set the land speed record five times in the mid-1960s, all on Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. He was the first driver to top 400 mph, 500 mph and 600 mph. His goal this year is another record and 700 mph.
He drew first blood on Saturday with a 227 mph dash, then ran into grief after a 328 mph run on Monday when something was sucked through the intakes and into the engine, sending his car and most of his crew back to Rio Vista, Calif., for a new power plant.
"We are anxiously expecting the results of the engine tests," Danson said on Friday. "We expect it's working fine. If it's not, it's enough to sink us anyway."
Noble said he hoped Breedlove could return.
"There's an enormous amount of respect on both sides. What we're trying to achieve is so momentous. If it were easy, everybody would be doing it.
"He's an American national hero. I think it's high time the Americans should support him and get him back again."