In 1952, Jack Ehret began his quest to break the Australian land speed record held by rival rider Les Warton.

After a year of preparations, technical challenges and a battle to obtain permission from local authorities to stage the event, on January 19, 1953, he succeeded.

Ehret averaged a speed of 141.5 miles per hour (227.7kph) over two runs on a quarter-mile stretch of road at Gunnedah in north-eastern NSW.