Thanks to our man Zane McNary, with LandSpeedPhotos.com, we have killer shots of Danny Thompson’s Challenger II during testing runs at El Mirage earlier this week. Danny has spent every ounce of energy and money he’s got to fulfill his, and his father Mickey’s, lifelong dream of putting the Challenger II on top of the world in Land Speed Racing. Danny is as passionate as they come, and to see this twin Hemi powered, nitro huffing machine in action is truly spectacular. There are only a few months left until Speed Week at Bonneville, and we’re getting more and more excited about seeing the Mickey Thompson Challenger II on the salt.
Danny has said from the beginning, that this project, and the 450 mph record they are attempting to achieve, are about finishing his fathers business. It’s about fulfilling a promise. It’s about making those runs, and finishing the father son project, that was tragically cut short right when it started in 1988. Mickey died in March of 1988, when he and his wife were tragically murdered at their home.
If Danny Thompson can do what he has set for himself, with the Challenger II, he can forever wipe away the tragic memory of a father and son racing dream that was cut short by violence. We are absolutely sure that the very first run down the salt at Bonneville will be an emotional one for Danny. If the team finds the success they are after, and can run 450 mph to claim the all time piston driven record, the top end of the race course at Bonneville will likely see emotions unlike any before.
Check out a couple of Zane McNary’s great photos below, and then click the big red button to see even more.
button” text=”CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF ZANE’S PHOTOS FROM DANNY THOMPSON’S TEST OF THE CHALLENGER II AT EL MIRAGE THIS WEEK”]
Great news! I’m sure that 450mph is a conservative estimate as this car looks like 500mph would be easy.
Danny can set a new wheel driven record and then build a rocket car to go 1,000mph next year and beat that hooray Henry Richard Noble and his team that run on hot air and promises whilst exhibiting the world’s biggest plastic model kit to con the public that they mean business. They will only go up to 800mph in 2015 and 1,000mph will have to wait until 2016, by which time I expect proper hot rodders like Danny to be hitting at least 1,500 mph in cars that aren’t a motorised computer programme!
In Geordieland we have a term for people like Richard Noble – gobshite …..
So come on Danny make us old fans of your Dad proud and do your talking with your driving. Good luck mate and take care
Photos are great, but watch this short video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arA5-aH_924
That thing disappeared in a hurry!
Hope they post he speed of his run.