Mickey Thompson
American racing driver (1928–1988)
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Key Takeaways
- Marion Lee " Mickey " Thompson (December 7, 1928 – March 16, 1988) was an American auto racing builder and promoter.
- He achieved international fame in 1960, when he became the first American to break the 400-mph barrier, driving his Challenger 1 to a one-way top speed of 406.
- Thompson then turned to racing, winning many track and dragster championships.
- Later, he formed off-road racing sanctioning bodies SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG).
- The crime remained unsolved until 2007, when a former business partner was convicted of the murders.
Marion Lee "Mickey" Thompson (December 7, 1928 – March 16, 1988) was an American auto racing builder and promoter.
A hot rodder since his youth, Thompson increasingly pursued land speed records in his late 20s and early 30s. He achieved international fame in 1960, when he became the first American to break the 400-mph barrier, driving his Challenger 1 to a one-way top speed of 406.60 mph at the Bonneville Salt Flats and surpassing John Cobb's one-way world record mark of 402 mph.
Thompson then turned to racing, winning many track and dragster championships. In the 1960s, he also entered cars at the Indianapolis 500. Later, he formed off-road racing sanctioning bodies SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG).
In 1988, Thompson and his wife Trudy were gunned down at their home in Bradbury, California. The crime remained unsolved until 2007, when a former business partner was convicted of the murders.
Early life
On December 7, 1928, Thompson was born in Alhambra, California. Thompson's father was Captain Marion L. Thompson, a former police officer with Alhambra Police Department. Thompson's sister is Collene Thompson Campbell.
Career
In his early 20s, Thompson worked as a pressman for the Los Angeles Times while pursuing hot rodding. He later became involved in the new sport of drag racing.
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