Gay motorcycle racer Lisa Taylor set a personal best speed of 226 mph while speed racing last month at the Mojave Air and Space Port in Mojave, Calif.
Taylor and her teammate Loretta Flores, with Kerry Alter Land Speed Racing, became members of three different 200 MPH clubs at the Mojave Magnum speed event. The event has separate speed clubs based on distance raced. The Mojave Mile is for 1-mile runs and the Mojave Magnum is for 1.5-mile runs.
Taylor, a retired Arizona motorcycle officer and event rookie, earned membership in the Mojave Mile 200 MPH Club with a run of 215.7 mph on her Kerry Alter-prepared Suzuki Hayabusa. Taylor then raced the same Hayabusa on the 1.5-mile course to a new personal best 1.5-mile speed of 226 mph, earning her membership in the Mojave Magnum 225 MPH Club.
"This was just my second event with Kerry Alter Racing and I'm delighted with the results. I've followed Kerry's racing exploits for years and last fall we worked out a deal for me to drive his Hayabusa," said Taylor. "My first competition with KAR was the Gila Bend Race Wars in February. It's a half-mile competition and I posted a top speed of 189 mph on the Hayabusa to earn the ‘Fastest Female' award. I don't know who was more excited, me or my wife, Elaine."
Flores, a 24-year old motorcycle technician from Tempe, set a new personal best top speed of 204.2 mph on Alter's 2015 Ducati 1299 Panigale, earning her membership into the Mojave Mile 200 MPH Club.
"I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of both Lisa and Loretta for their outstanding performances at one of the fastest race courses on the West Coast. Both worked hard and smart to meet their objectives," said Alter, team owner and driver. "We set a lot of goals for this event and achieved all of a them."
I admit to knowing nothing about speed racing, but it is yet another sign that open LGBT athletes are in every sport imaginable.
