KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. — In what can only be described as “The Fast and the Furious: Florida Drift,” a $3 million hypercar decided that July 1, 2024, would be a great day for some impromptu gymnastics. The Hennessey Venom F5, a car so fast it makes light speed seem sluggish, was performing a straight-line test on the old Space Shuttle runway when it suddenly remembered it had aspirations of being a stunt plane.
News 6, ever eager for a good story, learned that the Venom F5 was in the middle of attempting to break 300 mph when it decided to trade speed for style, performing an unplanned barrel roll and landing gracefully—upside down—on the concrete. The result? Minor runway damage, a bruised ego for Team Hennessey, and a small repair bill. Oh, and the driver? He walked away without a scratch, probably ready to star in the next “Mission: Impossible.”
The Venom F5, which sounds more like a supervillain’s alias than a car, is the brainchild of John Hennessey, a man who clearly thinks “too fast” is just the right speed. Powered by an 1,817 horsepower engine and boasting an interior that’s more fighter jet than sedan, this carbon-fiber rocket is already sold out—because nothing says “responsible purchase” like a car that can outpace a jet.
So, how fast was this hypercar going before its big moment? That remains a mystery, hidden behind the redacted curtain of “trade secrets.” Apparently, some secrets are so spicy, even the government won’t share them.
Five days after the crash, Hennessey took to Instagram (because where else does one break important news?) to reassure his followers that the Venom F5 was doing fine—just a little scuffed—and that his team was already back to tinkering with their “experimental aerodynamic setup.” In other words, they were figuring out how to keep the car from trying out for Cirque du Soleil again.
The runway, a 15,000-foot monster that once welcomed space shuttles back to Earth, is one of the few places where you can legally push a car past 250 mph without catching the attention of local law enforcement. But don’t get any ideas—renting this beast of a runway for your own vehicular shenanigans will set you back $2,200 for four hours. That’s a small price to pay for a high-speed joyride, but you might want to save a little extra for the cleanup crew—just ask Team Hennessey, who got stuck with a $712 bill for Hazmat cleanup after their runway romp.
Despite the crash, the runway was back in business just two-and-a-half hours later, proving that at Kennedy Space Center, the show must go on—preferably at breakneck speeds. As for John Hennessey, he remains grateful to his team and the folks at Kennedy Space Center for their quick response. No word yet on whether they’ll be installing airbags on the runway itself.
For now, the Venom F5 is back in the shop, licking its wounds and gearing up for its next attempt to prove that too much speed is never enough. And who knows? Maybe next time, it’ll stay right side up.
Super Car Studios 