Craig Breedlove, driving the jet-powered Spirit of America, established a new land speed record on this day in 1965 when he reached a speed of 600.601 mph (966.574 km/h). The record run took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. Breedlove became the first person to break the 400 mph (644 km/h), 500 mph (805 km/h) and now the 600 mph barriers in his quest for speed. Gary Gabelich would outdo Breedlove five years later when he piloted the rocket-powered Blue Flame to 622.407 mph (1001.1 km/h) at the same location.
