Mickey Thompson a All American Hero

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Mickey Thompson a All American Hero

Dust, dirt and sweat – Mickey
Thompson competing in his
beloved Baja 1000 race

There have been several iconic names in American racing over the years. Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt conquered the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt made Daytona their own, and Craig Breedlove was the first man to break the 500mph and 600mph land speed barriers. However there is one name that – although less well known – stands head and shoulders above the others because he drove it all.

Marion Lee Thompson, better known as Mickey, was a drag racing champion, land speed record holder, Indy 500 innovator and Baja 1000 off-road racing pioneer. He’s also the man responsible for many leading street, track and off-road innovations such as sidebiter off-road tires, the slingshot dragster, founding SCORE and establishing off-road stadium events.

Mickey Thompson: Drag Racer

Thompson in one of his pioneering
slingshot dragster chassis

Born with a need for speed, Thompson was in his mid-20s when he became hooked by the emerging sport of drag racing. Building his own dragsters he quickly realized that the tires were often the limiting factor during races. His solution was to sit the driver behind the rear axle to improve traction. Thompson’s 1954 introduction of the slingshot became the dragster design until the rear engine concept of the 1970s. He also pioneered the Christmas tree light starting system for drag racing and invented the funny car dragster.

Mickey Thompson: Land Speed Record Holder

The 406mph Challenger I
speed record machine

As if dragsters weren’t fast enough, Thompson built a land speed vehicle with the aim of breaking the 400mph barrier. With a little help from four supercharged Pontiac engines under the hood, Thompson became the first American to drive over 400mph with a single pass of 406mph.

Mickey Thompson: Indy 500 Racer

Thompson’s Innovative low-profile tires as seen on his 1963
Indy 500 car (left)

Thompson’s first attempt at the Indy 500 in 1962 netted his team the Mechanical Achievement Award. The following year he returned with a revolutionary mid-engine car and more importantly the very first low profile, wide width tires to be raced at Indy. With it Mickey Thompson Tires was born and Thompson began selling his innovative tires to Indy 500 competitors.

Mickey Thompson: Off-Road God

Despite his monumental achievements in land speed, drag and Indy racing, Thompson is perhaps most revered among off-road racers, where his pioneering work can still be felt today. At the turn of the 1970s Thompson began competing in – and winning – the Baja 100, before founding the SCORE off-road racing championship. Finally in 1979 he came up with the idea for ‘stadium’ off-road racing events and its motorcycle equivalent; Supercross.

Mickey Thompson: Wheel Guru

The Mickey Thompson Big Rig
simulated 10-lug wheels

Since his land speed record days Thompson had been designing his own wheels, and by the 1980’s his company had developed the world’s strongest and widest lightweight forged alloy wheel. Other innovations included the Classic Simulated Bead Lock Wheel and ET Drag Wheel, but pickup owners revere the company for the Mickey Thompson Wheels – the world’s first direct bolt-on simulated 10-lug wheel.

Mickey Thompson: The Legacy

Even in death Thompson still made nationwide headlines: he and his wife were tragically murdered outside his home in 1988. The crime went unsolved for 14 years until one of Thompson’s former business partners was charged with the crime, finally being sentenced to life in 2007.

Despite this tragedy the Mickey Thompson name lives on in Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels. The company he founded continues to develop new innovations in competition, road and off-road tires today. 4WheelOnline offers a Large selection of Truck Wheels including Mickey Thompson Wheels

By John Bone

Posted on September 23rd, 2013

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