Sometimes there is such a thing as the fastest code: http://forwardscattering.org/post/13

Edit: In the black book the 'ain't no such thing as the fastest code' seemed to be a bit of 'folksy' wisdom, illustrated by various anecdotes about fast code being upstaged by yet faster code.

However it rubs me a little the wrong way, considering that it's not actually a true statement as demonstrated in my link above.