Valerie Thompson Sets Ohio Mile Land Speed Record
Valerie Thompson, owner/driver of Valerie Thompson Racing (VTR), set a new land speed record in the PP-1000 Production motorcycle class when she posted a top speed of 197.46 mph aboard a BMW S1000RR at the East Coast Timing Association’s (ECTA) Ohio Mile event July 8 at Airborne Park in Wilmington Ohio. The prior record of 190.71 mph was recorded during the first Ohio Mile event held in June at the same facility.
VTR teammate, Bob Sellers, joined the “Ohio Mile 200 MPH Club” when he set a new record of 203.569 mph on his Suzuki Hayabusa in the MPS-G 1350 cc class. Thompson’s Martech Services Company sponsored S1000 RR Superbike, is reportedly the fastest production land speed BMW motorcycle after recording a top speed of 209.5 mph on a 1.5-mile race course at the Mojave Magnum in June.
Valerie Thompson says: “We experienced a lot ‘firsts’ for our team this weekend. This was the first time competing in the Ohio Mile, first time to race in an ECTA sanctioned event, and our first opportunity to promote new team sponsors, Stay Fast Custom Clothing and AAMCO Transmission & Total Car Care.
“It’s also my first record on a BMW, which is a real step up from the Harleys I’ve raced in the past. This is only our second event of the year with the new bike and it’s really responding to our tune-ups. We are looking forward to competing in more ECTA events, they do an excellent job. I can’t say enough about the wonderful work performed by all the volunteers from ‘Little Hearts – Big Smiles of Southwestern Ohio.'”
The long-standing competition was re-named the “Ohio Mile” when the event was moved from Maxton North Carolina to Wilmington when the Airborne Park facility became available this year. The next ECTA competition at Airborne Park is the “Throttle Nation Top Speed Challenge,” September 29 – 30.
Valerie Thompson Background
Thompson is a three-time land speed record holder and owner/driver of the Valerie Thompson Land Speed Racing Motorcycle Team. She has competed in the All Harley Drag Racing Association & National Hot Rod Association drag racing series. Thompson was recently selected to pilot the North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger designed to eclipse the 512 mph world land speed record set by Kitty O’Neil in 1976. If successful, Thompson will be crowned the “World’s Fastest Female.”
Valerie Thompson Racing sponsors include: Martech Services Company – maker of quality air breathing systems, CTEK Battery Chargers, La-Man Corporation, Troon Enterprises, Stay Fast Custom Clothing Company, GO AZ Motorcycles of Scottsdale, Metro Auto Auction, Swisstrax Interlocking Flooring, JEGS, Vortex Racing, Worldwide Bearings, Stand Up Photos, AAMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care, Hyperpro Performance Suspension Products, Shorai Battery, ZipFizz Healthy Energy Drink, and the North American Eagle Supersonic Speed Challenger Project.
