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The Fastest Man on Earth

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Jive-Bomber, Feb 9, 2012.

  1. Jive-Bomber
    Joined: Aug 21, 2001
    Posts: 3,754

    Jive-Bomber
    MODERATOR

  2. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    I can't imagine sitting that far back looking down the snout of the monster known as Challenger 1......and doing it at 400+ mph. Absolute Legend.


    Side note, trailer that transported the streamliner was pretty damn cool itself!
     
  3. Willy301
    Joined: Nov 16, 2007
    Posts: 1,426

    Willy301
    Member

    Mickey was an absolute legend and his developments in the field of racing continue to this day. I think Icon certainly fits!
     
  4. chaddilac
    Joined: Mar 21, 2006
    Posts: 14,021

    chaddilac
    Member

    Agreed that trailer was cool! Great video!!
     

  5. Danny Thompson is refurbishing Mickeys Autolite Liner (later car) and planning to run it this year.
     
  6. sodbuster
    Joined: Oct 15, 2001
    Posts: 5,040

    sodbuster
    Member
    from Kansas

    Ruler! and thanks for sharing the video. I miss the salt.

    Chris
     
  7. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    One of the best and most inspiring books hot rod wise that I have ever read was his book Challenger. He told of his early days of racing using used parts and of scrounging parts in the junk bins behind shops in the evenings. His wife bought him a boring bar so he could fit the pistons he found to the blocks he had. That book is very collectable and expensive now but well worth reading if a guy can get his hands on a copy.
     
  8. Boeing Bomber
    Joined: Aug 5, 2010
    Posts: 1,079

    Boeing Bomber
    Member

    I got my copy of "Challenger" at a garage sale for .50 cents. One of my prized books. I love how he made a killing at the gambling tables in Vegas, (or Reno?) one night and used that money to start his business.
    I've read that he said he had U-joint problems, and couldn't make a back up run to his 406.6 run, keeping him out of the record books, but it was actually engine problems. He didn't want to lose his Pontiac sponsorship.
     
  9. notrod13
    Joined: Dec 13, 2005
    Posts: 1,020

    notrod13
    Member
    from long beach

    it was a controversial run, and if you ask people that knew Mickey in regular racing they have some crazy shit to say , but would never speak on record about it .... My friend did a documentary on the whole deal , never aired on tv but is amazing ! its a whole nother story that was never told in the media of the day ... too kool.
     
  10. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,516

    5window
    Member

    So tell us now.
     
  11. goetzcr
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 123

    goetzcr
    Member

    I've been learning more and more about MT recently. As a kid I knew about him as a Baja racer and seller of race equipment, and I knew he had an auto racing career. Anything tubbed with fat MT tires was super cool to me. The more I learn, the more incredible his story is. It's a damn shame how his iconic life came to an untimely end. It's also too bad that much of his "icon status" has been recognized postumously. He must have been an amazing person to be around.
     
  12. goetzcr
    Joined: Jul 21, 2010
    Posts: 123

    goetzcr
    Member

    What is the documentary, and is it somehow available?
     
  13. KaiserM715
    Joined: Apr 8, 2009
    Posts: 11

    KaiserM715
    Member

    Quite a bargain for a very hard to come by book. Hang on to it!! One of my prized books as well.
     
  14. richie rebel
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 1,184

    richie rebel
    Member

    yea, so tell us the real story
     
  15. Mickey Thompson (in my opinion) is probably the most innovative, influential hotrodder in history. In the 50s, 60, and 70s, Mickey had his hand in nearly everything. He raced cars, he built parts, he sold parts, he promoted events. The guy was everywhere, and successful in nearly everything he ever did.

    Smokey Yunick said, "Mickey had balls the size of an elephant". Smokey thought very highly of Mickey, and Smokey didn't like too many people. That's enough for me.
     
  16. flamedabone
    Joined: Aug 3, 2001
    Posts: 5,440

    flamedabone
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Thanks for the article. I'm a huge Mickey Thompson fan...not just because he was a fellow Pontiac guy, but because he was a thinker AND a do-er. Mickey was about the best example of Great American Spirit you will ever find.


    By the way...those big blown Ponchos sounded pretty damn bad ass flying through the traps.

    -Abone.
     
  17. MUNDSTER
    Joined: May 11, 2011
    Posts: 292

    MUNDSTER
    Member

    He also managed Lion's, and I think they drug in the salt when he walked.
     
  18. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    "Mickey had balls the size of an elephant". Damn straight.
     
  19. DualQuad55
    Joined: Mar 5, 2005
    Posts: 1,382

    DualQuad55
    Member
    from NH

    Mickey Thompson was indeed a smart man with the drive to succeed.
    Not to take ANYTHING away from his accomplishments, but I understand he was a shrewd business man. The SCORE deal left hard feelings with his ex-partner who was at some point a 'person of interest' after MTs death.
     
  20. richie rebel
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 1,184

    richie rebel
    Member

    i think his ex partner had him done in
     
  21. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    A little more than that, I'd say.

    "On January 4, 2007 a jury found Michael Goodwin guilty of two counts of murder in the death of Mickey Thompson and his wife. Goodwin was sentenced to two consecutive life-without-parole terms for the murders of Thompson and his wife. The judge also denied Goodwin's motion for a new trial."
     
  22. aircap
    Joined: Mar 10, 2011
    Posts: 1,748

    aircap
    Member

    The Mickster was a certifiable mechanical genius! His usual modus operandi was building several cars at once (for different styles of racing), and operating on about 4 hours of sleep a day. If he had only lived there's no telling what heights he would have climbed in the automotive arena. He was one awesome possum, for sure!
     
  23. Algon
    Joined: Mar 12, 2007
    Posts: 1,129

    Algon
    Member

    By the way...those big blown Ponchos sounded pretty damn bad ass flying through the traps.

    -Abone.[/QUOTE

    Between that and the 60 Bonneville Special station wagon push car is almost enough to get me to switch back to Pontiacs.:D Damn that sounded awesome!
     
  24. hawkerdriver
    Joined: Feb 26, 2006
    Posts: 381

    hawkerdriver
    Member


    Goodwin used to live up the street from my grand dad. He always bugged him about going into business together and what not. Gramps saw right through the guy and never gave him the time of day. Lucky for him.
     
  25. striper
    Joined: Mar 22, 2005
    Posts: 4,498

    striper
    Member

     
  26. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,516

    5window
    Member

     
  27. shane85
    Joined: Nov 30, 2005
    Posts: 256

    shane85
    Member

    wow that's rad
     
  28. jesse1980
    Joined: Aug 25, 2010
    Posts: 1,355

    jesse1980
    Member

    i read the book about his life, the fast life and tragic death. the man was a geinus and i wish i could have met him once. i would have worked for him for free back in the day when he was running lions if i was around.
     
  29. Andamo
    Joined: Jan 10, 2006
    Posts: 523

    Andamo
    Member

    Mickey was one of the people I would have liked to meet also. I always had to wait to get the newest issue of Hot Rod Magazine back in the 60's to see what his latest accomplisment was.
    Thanks for the reminder about his book also. I bought the book ''Challenger'' at a flea market a few years back for $1.00 and never did get around to reading it. That's going to change tonight.
     
  30. truckjim
    Joined: May 21, 2011
    Posts: 166

    truckjim
    Member

    Sure wish I could have been there.....
    4 Ponchos pulling hard must have been a sight to see..... and hear.
     

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