Lisa Cipolla

Lisa Cipolla is a Youth Services Librarian from Washington State who became the “world’s fastest librarian” after setting two FIM Land Speed World Records at the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials at age 56.

EARLY YEARS

Little is publicly known about Lisa Cipolla’s early years or path into motorcycles. What is documented is her professional background: she holds a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities/Humanistic Studies from Pepperdine University (1991-1995) and built a career as a Youth Services Librarian in Washington State, where she spent her days managing programs for kids at the Hoquiam Library and other Pierce County Library System branches. By day, she’s reading picture books and releasing butterflies with elementary schoolers. By weekend, she’s strapping into leathers and gunning a Kawasaki toward 150 mph on the salt flats.

OTHER INTERESTS

Beyond land speed racing, Cipolla’s professional life revolves around youth literacy and community programming. Her work with the Pierce County Library System involved organizing events like butterfly releases and picture book displays—activities that require patience, creativity, and a genuine love for inspiring curiosity in young minds. It’s a career that couldn’t be more different from the high-octane world of Bonneville, which is perhaps what makes her story so compelling. She also races with Zlock Racing LLC, a Washington-based outfit that has been building and racing highly developed Kawasaki motorcycles since 1998.

EARLY SUCCESS

Cipolla’s entry into land speed racing isn’t well-documented in terms of timeline, but her affiliation with Zlock Racing LLC—established in 1983 and known for competitive roadracing builds—suggests she had access to serious machinery and technical expertise early on. Her breakthrough came in August 2025 when, at 56 years old, she arrived at the Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials with a mission: claim FIM World Records on a 600cc Kawasaki ZX6R. This wasn’t a casual hobby rider dabbling in speed. This was calculated, ambitious, and executed with the kind of precision you’d expect from someone who organizes library programs down to the minute.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2025: Set FIM World Record in the 600cc Cat.1 Gr.A1 Div.A class with a speed of 135.446 mph (217.979 km/h) over the timed kilometer at Bonneville Salt Flats.
• 2025: Set FIM World Record in the 600cc Cat.1 Gr.A1 Div.A class with a speed of 135.340 mph (217.808 km/h) over the measured mile at Bonneville Salt Flats.
• 2025: Set additional FIM World Record with a top speed of 146.799 mph (236.251 km/h) over the timed kilometer on a partially streamlined Kawasaki ZX6R.
• 2025: Set FIM World Record with a speed of 146.617 mph (235.958 km/h) over the measured mile at Bonneville Salt Flats.

INSPIRATIONS

No direct inspirations are documented, though her partnership with Zlock Racing LLC—a team with decades of experience building championship-level machines—clearly provided both technical support and racing mentorship. The decision to chase FIM records at 56 suggests a racer motivated less by youth and ego, and more by the pure challenge of it: proving what’s possible when preparation meets opportunity.

REPUTATION

Cipolla earned the playful but well-deserved title of “world’s fastest librarian” after her record runs at Bonneville. It’s a moniker that captures the delightful absurdity of her dual life—someone who spends weekdays helping kids find chapter books and weekends piloting a turbocharged missile across the salt. Her achievements were covered internationally, with outlets celebrating not just the records themselves but the unexpected profile of the woman behind them. She’s proof that speed doesn’t discriminate by profession, and that you don’t need to fit the stereotype to own the track.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Following her 2025 success, Cipolla and Zlock Racing LLC are already planning their return to Bonneville. The team has publicly stated they intend to come back “with a naked bike and nitrous,” signaling an escalation in both ambition and horsepower. She’s also registered for the 2025 Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials in multiple FIM classes, confirming that retirement is not on the agenda. If anything, she’s just warming up.

REFERENCES

FIM Motorcycle Land Speed World Records Set At Bonneville – Roadracing World
Breaking Barriers on the Salt Flats – Crypto Moto
2025 Pre-Entry Registrations – Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials
FIM Land Speed World Records on the line at Bonneville Motorcycle – FIM
FIM Land Speed Records fall at Bonneville Motorcycle Speed Trials – MCNews
Results – World records – FIM
Bonneville Speed Trials See Four New Records – Adrenaline
About Us – Zlock Racing
Clippings, August 20, 2008 – WA Secretary of State
Board Packet May 11, 2022 – Pierce County Library System