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The Irish Sun

Watch pimped-out white van break THREE speed records to become world's fastest front-wheel drive Ford

A TRADESMAN'S van has made history by smashing three speed records to become the fastest front wheel drive Ford on the planet. The souped up 2001 Escort sped down a quarter mile drag strip in just 8.72 seconds at Santa Pod Raceway in Podington, Beds. 5 Terry and his fizzingly fast Ford Credit: Smash 5 Cheeky tweaks to the engine made it the fastest front-wheel drive Ford on the planet Credit: Smash Driver and owner Terry Newton, 41, hit a top speed of 168.4mph during his second qualifying pass at last weekend's It beat the previous fastest FWD After obliterating the record on 'I hadn't driven since October and we were only going out to check if the van still worked. Most read in Motors 'You set off and you just change gears before pulling a 'When I found out we'd beaten the record, I instantly cried remembering my seven-year-old daughter Elektra said to go win it when I saw her on Wednesday. 'We matched the record last year but to beat it is unbelievable as it takes so much work just to shave off those milliseconds when you reach these high speeds.' Terry, of Fat Pig Racing, swapped the van with a mate for a Mk4 Escort six years ago - and didn't have high hopes after blowing the head gasket driving it home to Preston, Lancs. Most read in Motors The The two-litre turbo engine, which makes it quicker than a Bugatti Chiron Super Sport, burns seven litres of methanol per quarter mile. It provides around 1,100 brake horsepower and could do 230mph but is too powerful to accurately measure without wheel spinning. Terry, who usually drives a He added: 'There's still work to do. I'm hoping to win an event next month against 'I got a phone call from world-famous 'To be the proud owner of the world's fastest Sun readers wanting to watch Terry in the Doorslammers event at Santa Pod Raceway on May 16-18 can save 20 per cent on tickets by using code SUN20 at checkout. 5 The tradesmen hit a whopping 168.4mph, beating the previous Ford record of 152mph over twenty years ago Credit: Smash 5 Terry cried at the finish line admitting "I didn't think it was possible" to get a Ford to go that fast Credit: Smash 5 Standing proud at the Santa Pod Raceway, Podington, Beds. Credit: Smash