Posted on 04/06/2006 6:20:44 PM PDT by Loud Mime
Night time racing in Vegas this Friday. I plan on being there and will post up some photos. I also received an OK from the Army crew to photo some of the returning Vets with the Schumacher car!
To start things, I'm doing a little photo piece on one of the greatest hot-rodders of all time Mickey Thompson. He challenged life many times, but lost his life when he was gunned down, along with his wife, by hit men.
The Challenger I was powered by four blown pontiac engines. It made a top run at 406.6 mph. at the Bonneville Salt Flats. Considering that the car was wheel-driven on small tires, that's quite an accomplishment. In Mickey's book he claimed he did not make the return run because a friend of his told him that he had a dream that he would get killed on the upcoming run. Does anybody remember this?
In 1962 Mickey built the car driven by Dan Gurney at the the Indianapolis 500. I went to that race and remember how the buick-powered car sounded far different than the Offenhausers. This was not the first rear-engine car to race in the modern 500's; the year before Jack Brabham drove a Cooper Climax to the end of the 500 miles.
In the 1963 Mickey made a move toward the future with a car that required a newer profile of tire that made changes in the sport. His car was over-shadowed by the Lotus Fords in performance, but it's unique make-up was the talk of the race.....along with the ford's claim of making one pit-stop.
The 1964 Indianapolis 500 saw a newer design, driven by ascending drive David McDonald. The car was powerd by gasoline instead of alcohol, which would give it better mileage.
Coming out of turn four McDonald spun out, hit the inner retainer wall, burst into flames, bounced back into the track, hit the outer retaining wall, then was hit by Eddie Sachs. Both McDonald and Sachs were killed in this terrible crash.
Thompson raced the quarter mile up to 1975 in a funny car sponsored by the US Marines.
Here the Marine car races Don Prudhomme's Army Car.
Hey, I got to hit the road! If anybody wants to add on this, please do!!
'mime
Top Fuel final
Troxel vs. Grubnik
Melanie wins, Grubnik smokes the slicks.
Win no. two for Melanie this season. She is points leader.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.