Valerie Thompson (born April 17, 1967) is an American motorcycle drag and land speed racer. She is a 7-time motorcycle land-speed record holder and charter member of the Mojave Magnum "200 MPH Club."
Valerie Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Motorcycling |
| Website | valeriethompsonracing |
In 2012, Thompson was selected to drive the North American Eagle Project jet car for an attempt to break the long-standing land speed record for a woman, set by Kitty O'Neil in December 1976, at 512.71 mph (825.13 km/h).[1][2][3] The Project's vehicle did not break O'Neil's record until sometime after Thompson's time with the team, when driver Jessi Combs was killed during deceleration, after an August 2019 run where she set the speed record for a woman, at 522.783 mph (841.338 km/h).[4]
Thompson raced the BUB Seven Streamliner at the 2017 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials.[5]
References edit
- ^ "1976: Deaf stuntwoman Kitty O'Neil sets women's land-speed record". History. August 21, 2018. Archived from the original on November 6, 2018. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- ^ 512mph female land speed record attempt Visordown.com, March 14, 2012
- ^ Valerie Thompson picked to drive supersonic land speed record car Fox News, March 18, 2012[permanent dead link]
- ^ "American jet-car racer and Mythbusters host Jessi Combs posthumously awarded world land-speed record for a woman". ABC News and Current Affairs. Associated Press. June 25, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
- ^ Rafferty, Tod (August 25, 2017), "Valerie Thompson and Denis Manning Return to Bonneville: Highlights filmed for Dana Brown's "Rockets and Titans"", RideApart