Welcome:

 Here is a brief history of Mickey Thompson and his off road racing. He started Off-Road racing by driving for Parnelli Jones in 1969 and from there he started designing and building his own vehicles. During this pierod from 1969 through March 16, 1988 when he was murdered he spent most of his time Off Road Racing, but he also did spent time Drag Racing where he had several AA/FC's through 1976.

 As I acquire more information about Mickey and his Off Road racing it will be added. Thanks for vising this site and have a great day.

1969 - 1971:

  M/T started driving for Parnelli Jones, being the new driver on the team M/T would find himself either sitting on the side lines or having to drive one of the lesser cars so M/T decided to start building his own cars, so his first off-road vehicle was a buggy powered with a Ford 4-cylinder industrial engine.

1971 - 1972:

 M/T's next vehicle was a 1972 Chevrolet C-10 pick-up, but M/T found the 1/2-ton pick-up wasn't up to the pounding he gave it. The Mint 400 was the first race that Mickey and his Son, Danny drove as a team. The C-10 Pick-up on the outside looks just like "Big Red" the 1973 C-20 M/T built next.

1972 - 1974:

  M/T built "Big Red" a 1973 Chevrolet C-20 pick-up for 2wd Production class Off Road Racing. This truck was the only off-road vehicle he drove for more than one season. Its First race was the Mexican 1000 in November 1972 where on the first 85 mile leg of the race he averaged 109 miles per hour. We have this truck at our shop in Eugene, Oregon just the way it was left in 1975 after the last race Mickey made in it.

1975:

  M/T built this 1975 LUV pick-up next. The only thing on this truck that was stock was the cab. This truck was a true beast weighing only 2800 pounds with an all Aluminum 454 Chevrolet engine mounted in the bed and producing +600 horsepower as much Horse Power as "Big Red" which was 5600 pounds.

1976:

  M/T built this single seat cars in 1976, this was the first of many single seat cars he built from 1976 to 1987, each one had something a little different. This one was probably the oddest of them all. It had a Magnesium Block Chevy (328 CID 3.875 Bore with 3.48 Stroke) with pair of rare 1959 Chevrolet Aluminum Cylinder Heads. The engine was mid mounted facing to the rear attached to an Olds Tornado Trans Axle with a drive shaft connected to the transmission where the Diff was. A drive shaft running to a Mickey built set of gears connected to an independent rear end. We have this car at our shop Thompson Motor Sports Inc. in Eugene, Oregon.

1977 - 1979:

   I have no information on the cars M/T used from 1977 through 1979 Off-Road Season.

1979 - 1980:

 M/T built this off road car in 1979. A few features this car had was a Driver's seat which was pivoted on lonh arms that attached up next to his feet and had a small coil-over shock mounted at the back so it would soak up the rough roads. It had a electric motor to change the adjustable wing angle which could be adjusted by the driver while racing.

  We have this car at out shop, Thompson Motor Sports Inc. in Eugene Oregon.

1981 - 1983:

  I have no information on the cars Mickey Raced Off Road from 1981 to 1983.

1983:

M/T Wins the Baja 1000

  Here is a picture of Mickey after his win of the Baja 1000 Using a car loaned to him by a friend. We were sent this picture by the original owner of the car.

1984 - 1987:

 I have no information on the cars Mickey Raced Off Road from 1984 to 1987.

 This picture is one of, if not the last off road car raced by Mickey Thompson.