Sunday 27th August 1978

Don Vesco averaged 318.598 mph on the Lightning Bolt. The 21-foot streamliner motorcycle featured two 1016cc turbocharged Kawasaki KZ1000 engines. After failing for weeks to reach speed in the streamliner, Vesco salvaged some high speed gears and clutch parts from World War II airplanes at neighboring Wendover Airforce Base, and pushed the streamliner to two record-breaking runs within four days, first to 315.441 mph and then to the 318.598 mark, which stood for nearly 12 years.