I've never been there, but I'd imagine things could get a bit monotonous in the frozen forests of Finland. So what do you do if you're stuck near the Arctic Circle and handed the keys to a high-performance piece of farm equipment weighing seven tons and outfitted with enormous, studded tires? Why, you go out and set a Guinness World Record for fastest speed ever recorded for tractors (obviously).
To help break up the long, cold winters, the hearty Scandinavians have been known to practice their ice and snow-driving skills with exacting precision, and thus, some of the world's best rally drivers hail from those northern lands. One such individual is four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen, who climbed aboard the above-featured Valtra T234 tractor to set a new top speed record of 130.165 km/h (80.88 mph). That's with a full interior, I might add.
You're probably asking yourself, "Why would anyone attempt this on snow?" The answer is simple: to prove it can be done. You see, Kankkunen's T234 came prepared with Nokian Hakkapeliitta TRI tires, the first tractor compound designed specifically for icy winter conditions. Apparently, it's also good for high-speed runs.
This video reminds me of all the other ridiculous speed records out there, like world's fastest lawn mower or V-8-powered barstool. Ah yes, that's the nature of the indomitable human spirit. If it goes, you can bet there's someone out there who wants it to go faster, even if it's a bit... odd.
Meet The Fastest Tractor In The World: Video originally appeared on topspeed.com on Monday, 13 April 2015 08:00 EST.
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