This month Mal Hewett travelled to Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah with his support crew and 1950 modified vintage 1350cc Vincent Rapide motorcycle.

On August 15 and 16, Mal smashed the current record of 164km/h in the Modified Vintage Gas class.

“Sunday the 15th we lined up for our first record attempt ... The bike ran strong and Mal made a pass at 151m/h (243km/h), 50m/h above the Modified Vintage Gas record,” explained team member Bill Lockwood.

“This qualified us to have the bike impounded overnight and complete a backup run first thing the next morning.

“Mal did the backup run at about 8.20am and ran 152.6m/h (245.58km/h).”

“This provided us for the record for Modified Vintage Gas at an average speed of 151.83m/h for the two runs.”

Not to be satisfied with only one victory, the Australian national speed record holder was back on his bike within a matter of days.

This time by adding a fairing (a shell placed over the frame of his motorcycle) he took a shot at the Modified Partially Streamlined class.

In his first run in this class Mal reached 156.86m/h (252km/h) in a 10m/h headwind across the brilliant white salt lakes.

And, up bright and early the next day at 4.30am, Mal flew across the lake at the highest top speed of the trip - a neck-breaking 160.7m/h (258.6km/h).

“This gave us the Modified Partially Streamlined record at 160.078m/h,” Mr Lockwood said.

Mal told The Roxby Downs Sun before he set out of his dream that setting records on the legendary Bonneville would not come easy.

The record was a culmination of 10 years hard work, and the realisation of a life-long dream for the Olympic Dam maintenance specialist, who celebrated the win quietly at Wendover casino.

“Mal has been inundated with phone calls, text messages and emails of congratulations from all over the world, particularly from Australia,” Lockwood said.

“Mal and his team would like to thank everyone in their support and messages of congratulations as the continue to fly in.”