The Team

Ivan Gundersen

Ivan Gundersen is an avid weekend cyclist, visionary entrepreneur with a passion for innovation. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona and is a licensed in professional mechanical engineer. Ivan started his career working at AeroJet and Johnson & Johnson, then became co-owner and President of his family business. Now retired, Ivan put his energy and efforts on the Sprocket Rocket, as he was determined to break the land speed world record.

Chuck Johnston

Chuck Johnston is a devoted weekend cyclist, seasoned engineer, with deep technical knowledge and expertise. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona and is a licensed in professional mechanical engineer. Chuck is retired from a long career in the high-tech circuit board testing equipment industry and spent his spare time working alongside Ivan on the Sprocket Rocket.

Denise Mueller

Team Captain and Pilot

Denise is an American cyclists who has cemented her name in the Guinness World Record books. She has an unwavering passion, love for speed, and inner drive “to be the fastest!” Denise currently holds the prestigious title of “the world’s fastest person on a bicycle,” reaching an incredible speed of 183.9 mph. She is the first and only woman in history to hold the world record in paced bicycle racing, which was first established in 1899.

Denise was born into a family of daredevils and competed as a junior cyclists in her teens and finished in the top three in national and international competitions more than a dozen times. She won national championships in road, track, and mountain biking 15 times. At the age of 19, she retired to work for her family business and to raise her family.

In 2009, Denise came out of retirement and resumed bicycling and running, competing in marathons and Ironman Triathlons. Her trainer, coach, and mentor from her teens and later in life is John Howard, a three-time Olympian and former holder of the world speed record in paced bicycle racing, before Fred Rompelberg. At this time, John shared with Denise that no woman had ever attempted the speed record, which she set as her new goal.

With her love for speed and adrenaline, combined with her competitive drive and natural athletic abilities, Denise began training for this inconceivable endeavor.

In 2016, she made her first attempt at the world record on the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, establishing the women’s world record at 147.7 mph.

In 2018, she returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats with the goal to break the overall record set by Fred Rompelberg, who encouraged her efforts and allowed her to use the same pace car he had used in setting the world record at 167mph. Denise road a custom-built carbon KHS bicycle behind a custom-build vehicle driven by professional race car driver, Shea Holbrook, to minimize air resistance. To their surprise, Denise broke the world record for paced bicycle land speed by reaching 183.9 mph.

Now, Denise leads Team Sprocket Rocket as the Team Captain and pilot of the vehicle with a new goal to break the world record in human-powered land speed.

Charlene Yarnall

Co-Pilot

Lenita Anthony

2nd Position

Lori Hoechlin

3rd Position

Barbara Sullivan

4th Position