NHRA Drag Racing Museum Pomona, CA page 4

M/T PONTIAC TEMPEST 4 next to ATTEMPT 1

MICKEY THOMPSON PONTIAC TEMPEST 4

One of my lifelong heroesMickey Thompson's Pontiac Attempt 1, Tempest 4 & Tempest 2 Racers and record breaking engine experiments were on prominent display and quite an eyeful to see.

A closer review and detailed examination here illustrates Mickey Thompson's genius in design and in engineering in the late 50's and early 60's. Truly a man ahead of the times. Mickey's attempts at record runs in "the Mojave Desert Dry Lakes, the Mexican Road Race, the Lions drag strip, the March Air Force Base, the Bonneville Salt Flats, NHRA drag racing," etc. Who more often than not broke existing and established new records. Read the Tempest 4 and Tempest 2 plaques to find out more of his historic 1961 achievements. All of this from the man who "starting as a backyard garage mechanic with an 'I-barely-made-it-through-high-school' diploma", and who is said to only have slept a few hours a day!

Read the full story in the book: MICKEY THOMPSON - THE FAST LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF A RACING LEGEND by Erik Arneson with Forward by Danny Thompson. Buy This Book at Motorbooks.com

MICKEY THOMPSON - THE FAST LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF A RACING LEGEND by Erik Arneson with Forward by Danny Thompson. (Book Sleeve Front)

MICKEY THOMPSON - THE FAST LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF A RACING LEGEND by Erik Arneson with Forward by Danny Thompson. (Book Sleeve Back)

"Mickey Thompson was a charismatic American go-getter ...a trailblazer with an infectious and stimulating love for the automobile. He was a huge credit to southern California hot rod racing. He and his wife, Trudy, are missed to this day, and it is nice to see a book published recording for history the many contributions he made to the sport of motor racing." - Dan Gurney, first driver to win races in Formula One, NASCAR, and Indy cars

"We all knew Mickey Thompson was great, but I didn't realize how amazing and revolutionary he was to the world of racing. I was stuck to this book. I couldn't wait until the next chapter to learn more about this remarkable man." - Don "The Snake" Prudhomme, four-time NHRA Funny Car champion

(Below) 40 Years of Thompson History Side-by-side: Read more in the original articles about Mickey and Danny in Hot Rod Magazine: October 1968 and December 2008 HOT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUES HotRod.com

(Far Left) Mickey Thompson on the cover of Hot Rod with his Trio of Ford Mustangs that Mickey would, once again, soon set more international records. - October 1968, Hot Rod Magazine

(Left) Mickey's son Danny Thompson on the cover of Hot Rod 40 years later with one of the original record setting Mustangs in the background. Danny stands next to a contemporary version in the foreground while continuing his fathers performance record legacy spirit at Bonneville with Brent Hajek's new Salt Shaker. Thanks to the Hot Rod Magazine Editor Rob Kinnan's "Starting Line" Editors' Letter (in this issue); discussion about the uncorrected proof copy of M/T's book autographed by Danny Thompson; I bought a copy! A Great Must Read. - December 2008, Hot Rod Magazine

MICKEY THOMPSON 2 CYLINDER TEMPEST (CIRCA 1961)

Super Stock & Drag Illustrated March 1973. The cover reads "Mickey Thompson and Butch Maas debut their radical Pontiac Grand-Am funny car, powered by a 540 cubic inch blown hemi and destined to make big waves in the '73 racing season." This Issue Includes: Lions Last Drag Race Coverage; Plymouth 'Cuda 340 Test and Feature; Pinto 289 V-8 Swap; Don Carlton's Mopar Missile Pro Stock Feature; Mickey Thompson's Revelleader Grand -Am Funny Car Feature; Stone Woods & Cooke Swindler IV Mustang Funny Car Feature; Dave Bowman's California Stud Rear-Engined Vega Funny Car Color Photo and Feature; Dennis Fowler's Rat Trap Plymouth Satellite Funny Car Feature and Center Spread Photo; Kelly Brown and Glenn Way's Wonder Wagon Funny Car Feature; Fenton Charger Funny Car Feature; plus more useful technical articles, witty editorial and gorgeous car features. This is a jammed-packed issue full of 70's Funny Cars.