Don Vesco

Don Vesco (April 8, 1939 – December 16, 2002) was an American businessman and motorcycle racer who held multiple motorcycle land-speed and wheel-driven land speed records. In his lifetime, he set 18 motorcycle and 6 automobile speed records.

His accomplishments recognized by the American Motorcyclist Association include winning the United States motorcycle Grand Prix 500 cc class in 1963, operating a California motorcycle dealership that sponsored up to 60 racers at a time, and setting a number of motorcycle and automobile land speed records.

Speed records


His motorcycle land speed records were set in 1970 at 251.66 mph in a twin-engined streamliner "Big Red", becoming the first person to ride faster than 250 mph; in 1975, when he pushed past the 300 mph milestone for the first time with "Silver Bird"; and in 1978 at 318.598 mph in a twin-turbo powered streamliner "Lightning Bolt", a record that stood for 12 years.

In 2001, he set the FIA wheel-driven land speed record of 458.440 mph in a turboshaft powered streamliner called "Turbinator". After Don's death "Turbinator" was further improved by Brother Rick, and Vesco driver Dave Spangler averaged 493.03 mph in 2018.

Other designs
In addition to his own land speed record vehicles, Vesco had a consulting role in other streamlined vehicles. One was Max Lambky's Vincent-engined Lambky Liner streamliner. Another was the "Project 200" streamliner designed by his business partner, Matt Guzzetta, and speed tested by Vesco at El Mirage Dry Lake. Project 200 both competed in the Craig Vetter Fuel Economy Challenge, and in 1983, performed an American coast-to-coast transit without refueling, sponsored by Motorcyclist magazine.

Vesco also designed aftermarket motorcycle accessories including extended range gas tanks for offroad motorcycles sold through Don Vesco Products, which also had a line of motorcycle fairings called "Rabid Transit" designed by Guzzetta.

Death
Vesco died in 2002 from prostate cancer.

Honors
Vesco was inducted to the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1999 and posthumously inducted to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2004.

Collections
Vesco's "Big Red" #11 streamliner is part of the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum collection. His #14 streamliner, with a fiberglass body molded around a 22-inch aircraft drop tank, powered by twin supercharged Yamaha XS650 SOHC engines, is on display at the National Motorcycle Museum in Iowa. The "Project 200" fuel efficiency contest streamliner was on display at the San Diego Automotive Museum as of 2011.