NU Online News Service, March 22, 12:00 p.m. EDT

Leslie Porterfield, a Foremost Insurance Group independent agent who doubles as a professional motorcycle rider, has made it into the Guinness World Records book for speed, her company said.

Ms. Porterfield was named by Guinness as the Fastest Woman in the World on a Motorcycle on March 12.

She won that designation for hitting 232.522 mph at Bonneville Salt Flats on a 2002 2000cc Turbo-charged Suzuki Hayabusa during the 2008 BUB Speed Trials. Her time, which Guinness only certified this month, shattered the 1978 229.361 mph record said by Marcia Holley.

Ms. Porterfield's company said she told them "I couldn't believe it when they [Guinness] called. It takes awhile after filing the paper work with the FIM [International Federation of Motorcycling] to get the record certificate, and then with Guinness - this has been going on for awhile and when they called I was just thrilled."

She operates a motorcycle dealership in Dallas, Texas, High Five C- ycles. After setting the record in 2008, she was honored as the AMA Female Rider of the Year, featured in the Discovery Channel documentary Speed Capital of the World: Bonneville and toured the world as a public speaker.

Foremost, based in Caledonia, Mich., said she did all this while running her motorcycle dealership, where she is also an appointed Foremost insurance agent.

"Recognition such as this is an enormous achievement for any of the Foremost sponsored riders, but in Leslie's case it's especially sweet for us since she is also a Foremost Independent Agent," said Randy Slotten, marketing director, Foremost Insurance Group.

Ms. Porterfield's crew is now prepping for a round of speed trials in May at El Mirage, Calif. and her company quoted her as saying, "I don't just want to be the fastest woman in the world, I want to be the fastest person in the world. That's what's next."

Foremost Insurance provides coverage for motorcycles, automobiles, homes and other products. More information about Ms. Porterfield and other Foremost sponsored professional motorcycle riders is available online at www.foremostracing.com or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/foremostracing.

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Independent Agent Sets Motorcycle Speed Record

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