Mickey
Thompson - A History of Innovation
In
1963, the company began with the development of a new
open-wheel racing tire that had a softer compound and
a lower profile, giving racers a lower center of gravity
and greater stability, and then offered a 12-inch wheel
to complement the tire. The following year, a 15-inch
tire and wheel combination was added and Mickey Thompson
became the first tire company to offer 50-, 60- and 70-series
“Indy Profile” tires.
In
the ‘70s, the legendary ET Drag tires for the strip
were introduced and the company expanded research and
development efforts to include tires for the Thompson-founded
SCORE off-road and Mickey Thompson stadium short-course
racing series. Thompson used the specially designed truck
tires in 1982 to win the Baja 1000 and set a new record
time for the event.
The
company introduced the Sportsman tire in 1982, the widest
high-performance street legal tire ever made, and in 1991,
the Sportsman Pro tire was launched. With its specially
designed tread, unique “hot and sticky” drag
tire compound and flexible wrinkle wall construction,
the Sportsman Pro provided Pro Street racers with a street
legal tire that could be used for drag racing. The tire
was inducted into the Hot Rod Magazine Speed Parts Hall
of Fame in 2011.
In
the early 2000s, product development continued with the
introduction of a diverse group of truck and off-road
radial tires, as well as a full range of wheels. In 2008,
the company introduced the Pro-5 Drag wheel offering the
lightest practical weight and the greatest strength available
from any aluminum wheel today. In the past several years
alone, Mickey Thompson has introduced numerous new tires
and wheels for street, strip, truck, off-road and motorcycle
including several award winners (see www.mickeythompsontires.com/about.php)
Mickey
Thompson Today and in The Future
A
recognized leader in high performance tires and wheels,
Mickey Thompson has product distributors in more than
60 countries and thousands of dealer locations worldwide.
The company also supports dozens of racing sanctioning
bodies representing drag racing, short-course off-road
racing, vintage funny car and motorcycle drag racing categories.
The Mickey Thompson brand is known in every sportsman
drag racing class for helping racers earn countless records
and world championships. Cooper Tire & Rubber Company's
purchase of the company in 2003 has enhanced product innovation
and growth opportunities.
Today,
Mickey Thompson innovation is reflected in products like
the new Baja Pro short-course racing tire, as well as
award-winning products like the new Street Comp ultra-high
performance street tire and the all-terrain and off-road
Baja ATZP3 Radial. The company’s vision for the
future extends to the development of complete solutions
like the new Enhanced Stance System (ESS), combining tires
and wheels for specific applications.
“Our
company continues to focus on product development to meet
the changing needs of the vehicle and racing landscape,”
stated Ken Warner, VP Sales & Marketing.
“Today’s drag racing vehicles are faster,
higher horsepower and lighter weight than ever before,
and short-course, off-road vehicles are custom built for
unique track conditions and course demands. Every vehicle
and racing application requires specialized tire and wheel
designs, and we remain dedicated to providing excellent
products to meet those needs.”
About
Mickey Thompson the Man
Mickey
Thompson was born Dec. 7, 1928. He bought his first car
at age 14, and rebuilt several cars before he was old
enough to drive. Thompson’s racing experience began
on the streets, but he quickly took his love of racing
to the dry lakebeds nearby, and later to the Bonneville
Salt Flats. In 1954, Thompson was the first to develop
what is now known as a “sling-shot” dragster
- a racing chassis that placed the driver behind the rear
axle and coupled the engine and transmission directly
to the differential of the vehicle.
In
the 1960s, Thompson focused his racing and vehicle design
on open-wheel racing. He also built the Challenger I Streamliner
and was the first American to go over 400 miles per hour
earning him a new nickname – The Speed King. In
1968, Thompson and a team of fabricators built the Challenger
II with the goal of exceeding the existing land speed
record.
Thompson
devoted himself to building and racing funny cars and
expanded to off-road racing in the 1970s. He later founded
SCORE International and began building his own versions
of off-road sprint cars for his indoor stadium off-road
racing series.
Tragically, in 1988, Mickey Thompson and his wife Trudy
were killed. An innovative racecar driver, designer and
promoter, Mickey Thompson held 485 national and international
speed and endurance records at the time of his passing.
Today, his son Danny Thompson is rebuilding the Challenger
2 to create the Challenger 2.5 in hopes of exceeding his
father’s existing land speed record. His family
and the company he founded remain dedicated to his legacy.
For
more information about Mickey Thompson Performance
Tires & Wheels, visit www.mickeythompsontires.com
