Before the sudden death of Marion Lee "Mickey" Thompson and his wife Trudy in 1988, in a double murder that wasn’t solved until 2007, Mickey was one of auto racing’s most popular stars. He was a car builder, racing driver and event promoter—he covered all facets of his favorite hobby and career, auto racing, with unprecedented success.

Mickey designed the first “slingshot” dragster and was the first to go 150 mph in the quarter-mile at Bonneville. In 1960, Mickey would break Brit John Cobb’s one-way record with a 406-mph run. He was also a legend in the off-road community, as a champion racer. He later formed sanctioning bodies SCORE International and Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG), and in 1963 launched Mickey Thompson Performance Tires. He was also a writer, publishing "Challenger: Mickey Thompson's Own Story of His Life of Speed." He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame and is ranked No. 11 on the NHRA list of Top 50 Drivers. Among his innovations are S/S Cheater Slicks and raised white letter tires.