![\"Valerie](\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Valerie-Thompson-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/h3>\n<\/h3>\nSeven-time land speed record holder, Valerie Thompson may have begun her racing career a little later than most, but this week’s featured Behind The Wheel <\/em>driver has quickly sped past many who have tried to stand in her way.\u00a0 Nicknamed ‘America’s Queen of Speed’, Thompson’s first love for drag racing began in her mid-30s.<\/p>\n \u201cThe racing bug bit me after I purchased my Harley-Davidson Fat Boy and moved to Arizona,\u201d said Thompson.\u00a0 \u201cI spent a lot of time on this bike and after riding with a few of my male friends, enjoying the speed around the s-curves and being told that I was out of control on the road, I took the bike to a local race track to run some hot laps. \u201d<\/p>\n By 2006, Thompson would begin unraveling a very successful future in drag racing as she began competing with the All Harley Drag Racing Association (AHDRA) on quarter-mile tracks throughout the US.\u00a0 While proving that she had what it takes to outrun most of her competition within the male dominated organization, Thompson was given her first unique opportunity to set records on another Harley.<\/p>\n \u201cShortly after I began competing with the AHDRA, a local Harley Davidson dealership came on as a sponsor and gave me the opportunity to compete on their first factory drag bike – the V-Rod Destroyer,\u201d said Thompson.\u00a0 \u201cIt was a really cool opportunity because several of my competitors were drooling and chomping at the bit to race one of these bikes.\u201d<\/p>\n After competing on a ‘must have’ machine for the next two years, Thompson, placed third in the nation out of 40 competitors and was also one of the top females in the V-Rod class.<\/p>\n During this time, this drag racing celebrity also had her first taste of television stardom when her then sponsor Go Daddy asked her to appear in a Super Bowl commercial.\u00a0 \u201cThis was a very cool experience and I didn’t even know that it was going to be a Super Bowl commercial,\u201d said Thompson.<\/p>\n As her drag racing career continued to take off, this speed demon diva raced her way to the top of the circuit when she jumped onto an NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle.\u00a0 \u201cAlthough there was a lack of sponsorship dollars coming in when I started, I was able to purchase a Pro Stock Motorcycle from the legendary George Bryce,\u201d said Thompson.\u00a0 \u201cAfter testing this bike in Wisconsin for about six months, I was able to compete in four NHRA Pro Stock events in 2008.\u201d<\/p>\n As her drag racing career seemed to be on the fast track to superstardom, Thompson encountered a road block.\u00a0 \u201cUnfortunately, sponsorship opportunities for NHRA drag racing seemed to tank in 2009 and I had to find another avenue to keep competing,\u201d said Thompson.<\/p>\n Just like many gray clouds, there was a silver lining for this Queen of Speed.\u00a0 \u201cI was introduced to BMW by a teammate of mine named Kerry Alter, which actually started the ball rolling into my Although there was a time when she felt doubt and even considered hanging up her prized motorcycle helmet collection, after Thompson jumped onto her first BMW S 1000 R land speed motorcycle she knew that she had found her true calling.<\/p>\n In 2012, this calling to set land speed records led to Thompson creating her own land speed racing team.\u00a0 Valerie’s first year as a team owner\/driver met with tremendous success, after setting three national speed records and gaining membership in the Mojave Magnum 200 MPH Club after reaching a top speed of 209.5 MPH on 1.5 mile course.\u00a0 By 2014, Thompson also became the 24th<\/sup> female member of the Bonneville 200 MPH Club along with receiving The Texas Mile ‘Most Runs Over 200 MPH Award’.<\/p>\n![\"Helmet](\"http:\/\/www.racingjunk.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/03\/Helmet-Collection-300x225.jpg\")
setting speed records,\u201d said Thompson.<\/p>\n