Ethanol powered Ford Mustang chases speed record

Brent Hajek loves racing cars and corn. The Oklahoma corn farmer is also the proprietor of a race car museum, and has managed to combine his two passions in an effort to set a new land speed record.

The idea sprung from a record that Ford set with a Mustang Mach 1 some 40 years ago. Hajek wanted to commemorate the event by returning to Bonneville, and even got the original record driver's son to pilot his modified S197 Mustang. The idea really gained steam – and support from FoMoCo – when Hajek and co. decided to go for the record using E85 bio-ethanol.

They set a top speed of 252.78 mph, which will be a new record if and when they manage to replicate it so it can be etched into the books. In the meantime, Hajek is convinced the initiative will pave the way for Ford to produce an E85-powered Mustang straight from the factory.

Check out the video for a look at the record breaking event, and pardon the corny hair band music (and the pun).