Danny Thompson: Where is Mickey Thompson’s Son Now?

of Danny Thompson: Where is Mickey Thompson’s Son Now? Shivangi Sinha
July 16, 2024

When Danny Thompson turned on the news on the morning of March 16, 1988, he learned about a shooting at his father’s house. Hurriedly, he reached the Bradbury, Los Angeles residence, only to find a slew of reporters surrounding the property. Shortly after, the police informed him that his father, Mickey Thompson, and his stepmother, Trudy Thompson, had been shot in the driveway, and the case was being investigated as a homicide. In the Netflix episode ‘Race Car Killer’ from ‘Homicide: Los Angeles,’ Danny discusses his experiences during the years of investigation and the relief brought by the final deliverance of justice.

Danny Thompson Wanted to be a Racer Since He Was Nine

Danny Thompson was the only son of Mickey and Judy Thompson. Born on October 28, 1948, he was loved and adored, and growing up, watching his father become a successful automobile racer was quite inspiring. Danny was just nine years old when he picked up racing himself. At ten, he participated in and won his first quarter-midget championship. He soon ventured into motocross in the following years, winning eighteen consecutive events. He then switched to cars, progressing through the Formula Atlantic Series, Supervees, and CRA Sprint Cars.

His father did not initially like the idea of him racing, considering it too dangerous and life-threatening. However, he began to warm up to the concept in 1987 when he called Danny and asked if he would like to drive Mickey’s 1968 prototype streamliner, the Challenger 2. The plan was for Mickey to finance and engineer it while Danny drove, working together to achieve a land speed record.

Unfortunately, their dreams were cut short. In 1988, after Mickey and Trudy Thompson passed away, Danny, then just 34 years old, took control of the Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG), an indoor motocross and off-road vehicle racing show and competition that the couple had established in 1979. Although he knew he had to uphold his father’s legacy, the Challenger 2 was a painful reminder of all he had lost and had to be packed away.

Danny Thompson’s Made a Glorious Comeback in the Racing World

In 1996, after a long career, Danny decided to retire as a full-time racer. The Mickey Thompson Entertainment Group (MTEG) was bankrupt, and he felt exhausted from living under the shadow of his father’s death. He moved to Colorado, seeking a fresh start. The first time he was able to breathe a sigh of relief was when Mike Goodwin was charged with the murder of his family. Danny said he had always suspected it was him. With that burden lifted, he decided to give it a go in 2003 when he was called to drive a newly restored small streamliner in Bonneville that had once belonged to Mickey.

He secured entry into the 200 mph club, following in his father’s footsteps, and the thrill of racing kept calling him back year after year. His streamliner records continued to rise, and he partnered with Hajek Motor Sports. In 2008, he became the driver of the world’s fastest-production Ford Mustang. 2010 marked his father’s run with Challenger 1, drawing Danny’s attention to their unfinished project. He moved from Colorado to Huntington Beach, California, and restored the vehicle. Driving the exact car in 2016, he secured the SCTA unblown fuel streamliner record. In 2012, he broke the overall piston-driven land speed record in the same vehicle.

Danny Thompson Does Not Own Any Racing Cars Today

What went into restoring Challenger 2 is a story Danny Thompson shared with very few people. He was determined to fulfill this dream at any cost, even taking out loans and accumulating debt. He had to sell nearly all the restored cars he had inherited from his father’s collection to fund the restoration. Following Mickey’s death, Danny had previously sold some of the old cars to the National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Cars program and others to friends and peers who admired his father’s collection.

Image Credit: Danny Thompson/X

With limited options, Danny reluctantly put Challenger 2 up for sale in 2020, auctioning it off at Mecum Kissimmee, which fetched $510,000. Watching the car leave was heartbreaking but necessary. Now 74 years old, Danny has shared that the sale helped him get back on his feet. He also relies on social security checks and support from his son Travis, who was born the same year his father passed away. Now, back to living in Colorado, Danny’s passion for speed and racing still burns bright. He acknowledges that returning to professional racing is outside his plans. He takes pride in his adventurous life, shaped by the enigmatic figure of his father, Mickey, who inspired him to pursue such a thrilling path.

Read More: Mickey and Trudy Thompson: How Did They Die? Who Killed Them?

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