Motorcycle racer and holder of 18 motorcycle and 6 auto land speed records. Donald A Vesco was born in Loma Linda, California, he was interested in cars and motorbikes from an early age, his father owning a body shop. He took up motorcycle racing in the late 1960s and this included drag racing, TTs and road races in the San Diego area. Honda were just breaking into the American market and gave him an expensive RC161 machine and he stayed with them until he moved to Yamaha in 1963. He rode their RD56 250cc GP bike in the 500cc event in the US Grand Prix at Daytona and won! In 1966 he opened a Yamaha dealership in his home town at East Cajon which became a racers hangout. During the 1960s he became a factory rider for Honda, Yamaha, BSA and even Bridgestone. He slowly gained an interest in World speed records breaking the motorcycle land speed record in 1970 at 251.66mph on Bonneville Salt Flats. He continued to break the record finally reaching 318.598mph. He then went after the four wheeled (wheel driven) record finally reaching 458.440mph in his "Turbinator" powered by a gas turbine helicopter engine. He broke records even after losing an eye in 1996. He finally died in Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, after losing a long battle with prostate cancer.
Motorcycle racer and holder of 18 motorcycle and 6 auto land speed records. Donald A Vesco was born in Loma Linda, California, he was interested in cars and motorbikes from an early age, his father owning a body shop. He took up motorcycle racing in the late 1960s and this included drag racing, TTs and road races in the San Diego area. Honda were just breaking into the American market and gave him an expensive RC161 machine and he stayed with them until he moved to Yamaha in 1963. He rode their RD56 250cc GP bike in the 500cc event in the US Grand Prix at Daytona and won! In 1966 he opened a Yamaha dealership in his home town at East Cajon which became a racers hangout. During the 1960s he became a factory rider for Honda, Yamaha, BSA and even Bridgestone. He slowly gained an interest in World speed records breaking the motorcycle land speed record in 1970 at 251.66mph on Bonneville Salt Flats. He continued to break the record finally reaching 318.598mph. He then went after the four wheeled (wheel driven) record finally reaching 458.440mph in his "Turbinator" powered by a gas turbine helicopter engine. He broke records even after losing an eye in 1996. He finally died in Scripps Mercy Hospital, San Diego, after losing a long battle with prostate cancer.
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