thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3687
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
Member Is Offline
Mood: muy amable
|
|
Mickey Thompson- R.I.P.
The sad saga of the murders of Mickey and Trudy goes on and on.
** see attached LATimes article below**
Hopefully, Mickey will rest in peace at some point.
Meanwhile, as the accused clearly said, "lots of people did not get along with Mickey" Yeah, that is correct, but we all loved him!!! How could you
help it?
My favorite memory of Mickey (and there are many) was the time he invited all of us Class 8 pickup guys to a rules meeting at his shop in Wilmington.
What a group.... Stroppe, Walker, Danny Thompson, Ak Miller, even us young guys from NorCal.
The shop was the ultimate candy store/junk shoppe.... what a mess, and what a bunch of history. Hanging from the ceiling and parked way up on huge
shelves were the Indy cars, the great 4 engine (one per wheel) Bonneville car.
It was great!
And, we had an open discussion on the rules, made some concessions to us 'little folks' and generally made the night one to remember forever.
Adios, amigo, we miss you... a bunch
email.latimes.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/ehO70IV1qs0G2B0F16a0AI
Baja Arriba!!
|
|
|
surfer jim
Super Nomad
Posts: 1891
Registered: 8-29-2003
Location: high desert
Member Is Offline
|
|
Saw him once at the PARKER 400...just as he finished the California loop....his car stalled and wouldn't start again....he looks at his crew and says
it is "out of gas".....they say "wow that was close"....and he replies "Well, thats what it takes to win races".....pushed it to the limit I guess....
|
|
|
thebajarunner
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3687
Registered: 9-8-2003
Location: Arizona....."Free at last from crumbling Cali
Member Is Offline
Mood: muy amable
|
|
Mickey
MT was larger than life... in all respects.
He was fun to race with, he was always the fastest guy in the class, he almost always broke, usually in spectacular style.
We never finished a race behind him, and never ran in front of him when he was cranked up.
Mickey was the first guy to put a "relief tube" right in front of his and Danny's seats. That way he did not have to exit the truck for calls of
nature...
And Trudy was a sweetheart. She was usually there to sign you in at registration prior to heading for tech. She always had a big smile and a cheery
word for the competitors. Classy lady!!
What a pair they were!!!
The good die young.
Baja Arriba!!
|
|
|
tim40
Senior Nomad
Posts: 574
Registered: 3-29-2004
Location: Manhattan Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: There yet?
|
|
Always had a new idea...the mid engine was one for the ages....
|
|
|
David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64537
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Have Baja Fever
|
|
My brief encounters with Mr. Thompson
My dad and I went to Ensenada and then out past Ojos Negros to see the 1973 Baja Sports Committee 'Baja Mil' (the one year Mexico ran the 1000).
Mickey did not qualify his pickup (even though BSC used SCORE rules) and came out and camped near us.
I actually met and interviewed Mickey on Press Day for the SCORE Riverside race, as the reporter for the Baja Bulletin Magazine, in 1974 (I was about
17).
Trudy was exactly as you say. When I returned for race weekend, she personally helped me with my tickets, etc. Such a sad event and nothing should
cause anyone to be murdered.
Here's the mid-engine (rear engine?) Chevy LUV truck Mickey raced in Baja. The next photo shows Mickey and his son Danny working on it, in front of
me, at Valle Trinidad in 1975.
http://community-2.webtv.net/baja4me/album/page2.html
On the following pages see Mickey's V-8 sprint car style off road racer, at the Parker 400. He broke down next to my pit (I was pit captain for Los
Campeones at Turtle Mountain, California loop). This man was a true legend in motor sports and speed records.
|
|
|
tim40
Senior Nomad
Posts: 574
Registered: 3-29-2004
Location: Manhattan Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: There yet?
|
|
Good stuff thank you for sharing....gave me a 'flash back'. With all respect to some of the great current 'big money' teams, they still lack a bit
of the awh he provided.
|
|
|
![[*]](images/xmbforum/default_icon.gif){kind=icon}
