Home Court Advantage : Valerie and her Harley on her private backyard pickleball court . “ Pickleball is a critical element of my racing fitness regimen ," she says . “ It helps keep me fit and improves my reaction time . I may retire from racing when I go 400 mph , but I ’ ll be playing pickleball long after that .”
Valerie Thompson is the world ’ s fastest female racer on two wheels , and after playing the nation ’ s fastest-growing sport just eight times , she has built a permanent court at her home in Scottsdale , Arizona , bringing her competitive determination and mental focus to pickleball .
Valerie ’ s passion for speed led to her street racing a Harley-Davidson Fatboy on nearby Scottsdale Road . Friends finally told her to take her passion for speed to the racetrack . “ Organized drag racing was a lot more fun and much safer than street racing , so I set a goal to ‘ go pro ,’” she recalls .
In 2006 , she began competing in the All Harley Drag Racing Association ( AHDRA ) series while attending a variety of drag racing schools to hone her skills . After traveling 14 states she captured the Best Appearing Team award and placed third in just her second year of AHDRA racing .
While still drag racing , she seized the opportunity to race a friend ’ s Harley-Davidson Panhead at the famed Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah where she set an AMA National Speed record her first time on the bike . She instantly fell in love with land speed racing and has been going strong ever since .
Today , Valerie Thompson holds 10 land speed records , is a member of several prestigious 200 mph Clubs and was inducted into the Sturgis Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2018 . The land speed motorcycle streamliner she races is named the BUB 7 , designed by Denis Manning , John Jans and Team 7 Racing .
The BUB 7 features a monocoque chassis with a one-ofa-kind 3000cc V4 engine and a three-parachute braking system . Instead of a steering wheel , Valerie guides the streamliner with a yoke system . For maximum safety , her seat is custom-formed to her body in the tiny cockpit she jokingly calls the “ world ’ s fastest office .”
“ Once my helmet goes on and I ’ m strapped into the cockpit , I can barely move , but I ’ m totally focused on the moment at hand ,” says Valerie . “ I experience a combination of anticipation , anxiety , adrenaline , and a pinch of fear . It ’ s a pure rush that ’ s hard to describe . It ’ s similar to how I feel when I step on the court to play a mean game of pickleball with my friends and husband , Ray . There is no greater concentration than that !”
In March 2018 , Valerie piloted the BUB 7 streamliner at Lake Gairdner in Australia to a top speed of 328.467 mph , making her the fastest female motorcycle racer in the world .
A few days later , her team attempted to break the current world record of 376.363 mph , but Valerie
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JULY / AUGUST 2021 | MAGAZINE 33