18 Facts About Mickey Thompson

Marion Lee "Mickey" Thompson was an American auto racing builder and promoter.

Mickey Thompson then turned to racing, winning many track and dragster championships.

On December 7,1928, Mickey Thompson was born in Alhambra, California.

Mickey Thompson later became involved in the new sport of drag racing.

Mickey Thompson is credited with designing and building the first slingshot dragster, in 1954, moving the seat behind the rear axle to improve traction when existing racing tires proved unable to handle the output of increasingly powerful custom engines.

Mickey Thompson was noted for being the first manager of Lions Drag Strip in Wilmington, California, in 1955.

Mickey Thompson collaborated with Fritz Voight on a 1958 twin-engined dragster.

In 1962, Mickey Thompson entered three John Crosthwaite-designed cars in the Indianapolis 500.

Mickey Thompson's crew, led by Fritz Voigt, was young, smart, and hard working.

Mickey Thompson took five cars to Indianapolis - two of the previous year's design with Chevrolet V8 engines and three roller skate cars.

In 1963, Mickey Thompson traveled to England, where, along with Dante Duce, he demonstrated his Ford-powered Harvey Aluminum Special dragster at the Brighton Speed Trials.

Mickey Thompson brought three modified 12-inch-tired cars to the 1964 Indianapolis 500, but new rules required him to use 15-in tires.

Mickey Thompson went back to Indy in 1965, but failed to qualify for the 1965 Indianapolis 500 in an attempt with a front-engined roadster.

Mickey Thompson skipped the 1966 Indianapolis 500, but tried again in 1967 and 1968, but failed to qualify either year.

Mickey Thompson went into the performance aftermarket business in the early 1960s and then, in 1963, he created "Mickey Thompson Performance Tires" that developed special tires for racing including for Indianapolis 500 competitors.

Mickey Thompson founded SCORE International in 1973, a sanctioning body to oversee off-road racing across North America.

Mickey Thompson opened the garage door for his wife to pull out in her vehicle and as he headed for his own car, the gunmen attacked.

Mickey Thompson was shot and wounded then dragged out into the driveway while one of the attackers went after Trudy as she backed out.