Valerie Thompson and Team “7” Racing, led by AMA Hall of Famer Denis Manning, will travel Down Under in an attempt to capture the world’s fastest motorcycle title at the 28th Annual Speed Week and World Speed Trials competition, held at the Lake Gairdner salt flats in South Australia, March 12-19.

Open to cars, motorcycles and trucks, the 28th Annual Speed Week competition is hosted by the Dry Lakes Racers Australia (DLRA) from March 12-16. The World Speed Trials is a new event for motorcycles only, scheduled March 17-19 and regulated by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) the global governing/sanctioning body of motorcycle racing as well the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA). Thompson and Team “7” Racing will use Speed Week for testing and tuning, while planning their record attempt during the World Speed Trials.

“I have raced on the dry lake beds and salt flats throughout the US, but I’ve never had the opportunity to race at the Lake Gairdner salt flats. I hope our first visit to Australia leads to my first world speed record in a streamliner with Team “7” Racing, the most dedicated crew I’ve ever worked with,” said Thompson. “It seems appropriate we have to travel halfway around the globe to capture the world’s fastest motorcycle title, a dream I have chased for a long time,” she added optimistically.

The current record of 376.36 mph (605.69 km/h) has previously been held three times by the Manning-designed streamliner. Under 10 mph separate the top speeds of the current record holder and the Team “7” Racing entry, setting the stage for the world’s fastest motorcycle title battle.

This story will be recorded and produced by P-51 Pictures and MN8 Films, creators of the award-winning motorcycle racing documentary 'Out of Nothing,' and Executive Produced by Dana Brown, creator of 'Dust to Glory' and 'On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter.' P-51 and MN8 will join Thompson, Manning and Team “7” in Australia to capture the big event for their feature-length documentary, Rockets and Titans (working title), planned for release in 2019.

Thompson stunned the racing world at the 2016 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials with a speed of 304.263 mph (489.663 km/h) piloting the Team “7” Streamliner. On just her fifth run in a streamlined motorcycle, Thompson became the first female driver in a two-wheeled vehicle over 300 mph. She also earned the Fastest Time of the Meet award.

Thompson holds seven land speed records on a variety of bikes, ranging from Harley-Davidsons to BMWs, and is a member of six land speed racing 200 MPH Clubs. She is the only woman in history to compete for the world’s fastest motorcycle title, and breaking the current record would be her first in a purpose-built motorcycle streamliner.