I don't have a definitive answer to your query but in June of 1946 The Babcock's set a record of 113.5 mph with a Hornet powered Jughaid. I'm guessing they were still running gasoline. Ray Arden gave the world the glow plug in mid-1947. By then methanol fuel was being used and nitromethane was just showing up. By 1954 the C Speed record was 160 mph. Fuel was the real game changer.
Tether car guys stuck with ignition for a long time. A series of controlled tests concluded that a good ignition set-up was equal to or marginally superior to the glow plug. But, the hassles with ignition turned things in favor of glow. Even today there are some tether car guys in Europe fooling around with modern technology ignition systems. With the glow plug the ignition timing is determined by air/fuel ratio and compression. With ignition it is possible to decouple the timing from other variables and set a precise value.
Perhaps someday...
Topic: Last ignition engine speed records? (Read 50 times)