The First American to 400 MPH: Mickey Thompson | MotorTrend

Mickey Thompson was arguably the greatest hot-rodder who ever lived and was the first American to reach 400 miles per hour in a car. Roadkill’s David Freiburger tells us how it happened. #MickeyThompson #MotorTrend #Roadkill
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[@julianward2768]

More videos like this please! Freiburger's enthusiasm for the subject makes it most enjoyable :)

[@kevinkaminski471]

Agreed

[@mw2filmmaker]

Clicked for the subject stayed for Freiburger!

[@neverstoplearning7214]

Agreed

[@DennisWest-fn9mx]

Mickey was our hot rod hero, well said David. Broke my heart when he was taken from the world. RIP hot rod king

[@nickdeavers5816]

I could listen to David tell hot rod stories all day.

[@brianbartlett7313]

I agree.

[@CS_247]

There is NOTHING like the sound of Challenger going full noise on all four engines. ❤️ RIP M/T, you were the man. Respect.

[@parkersteading8259]

More history like this would be awesome to see here on the channel

[@Dodgechallengersixpack]

I agree what a legend. I feel like Freiburger carries the hot rod torch in so many ways. He knows about so much history for hot rodding. Keep this coming!

[@tezzrterry7485]

Thanks for the M/T story. Mickey was the ultimate go getter, he crammed more into his short life, than pretty well any other car guy. Shame he was murdered, RIP.

[@franyetso4899]

Magical stuff! I often heard the news stories and grabbed every chance to read the mags. Arfons, Thompson, Breedlove...legendary men of my elementary school years.

[@nickpappas4133]

Really enjoyed it David, now I got a fever and need more.

[@johnburch6927]

Awesome Dave!! What a great amount of passion for hot rodding history, thanks for sharing it with us.

[@nuggit7290]

It's sad that we lost a great man do to greed of his partner. He brought so much to the automotive world

[@5bitesrods]

Mr. Freiburger I enjoy listening to your enthusiasm. I love history of all kinds and when told by the right person it's captivating. Please keep telling stories.

[@martindezeeuw1722]

Thanks for this sweet video on Mickey and the Challenger 1.. Always appreciate your auto history efforts!

[@mikelefevers8168]

Well Done David, most people don't get this story right, you did.

[@twistedtrucker3076]

I want to know more about that guy going nearly 400mph in the 40s!

[@papa_pt]

402

[@tommccallan8802]

Graig. Breedlove was trying for 700+ in his 70s

[@rollowarlin8450]

FRQEIBURGQER'S BLUE PUFFIE MUST BE FOUND ! DAVE'S THE BEST GEAR-HEAD THAT EVER LIVED AND STILL DOES. KEEP ON CONTRIBUTING AND THANX FOR BEING.

[@justincountryman3705]

Great video. Loves these kinds of videos Freiburger, please continue to make more

[@DonisGP]

These videos are so good

[@donr2176]

I was 17 when Mickey did that 406 m.p.h. and I bought a T-Shirt from his company- which I wore proudly for years!! Ed Iskenderian provided the cam-shafts for the engines..and later I had one of his T-Shirts also..

[@swjd94]

We need more of this content. I love it!

[@roccitycrew3887]

Thank you David for this!

[@toddclark332]

Still got a pair of factory original from the late 60s my dad had big block Chevy thanks buddy

[@harleyguyinmilw]

Fantastic story!!! David, you're a great storyteller, your fans want MORE!!!

[@donniedye2716]

When his son Danny decided to bring the record back to the Thompson name and in dedication / honor his dad I was so excited I wanted to meet Danny in person when he was running the challenger 2. I hung for a couple days with the team. The following year I was offered a spot on the team. I joined it and we set the record in 2018. Even though I did anything needed for the team I set up the second pit in impound once we qualified for a possible record. In the end I also was the fuel guy and with another fella . On my KZbin channel I have an indepth look at challenger one. Anyway enjoyed your story. You gotta do one on challenger 2.

[@houset1794]

Please please please more more more as you can tell from other comments we so enjoy these history lessons of the sport we all hold so dear to our hearts thank you

[@donsneddon5278]

Awesome job on this David!

[@braydenvoigt9228]

Miss talking to my uncle fritz, so blessed to be able to see the impact he made to this day.

[@knobstar67]

Totally echo calls for more like this - loved it!

[@koboskolors]

More stories like this please

[@cyclhed]

Years ago one of these MT streamliners, a Challenger, it was light blue in color, sat at a gas station in Reno on Kietzke Lane. Mickey was the greatest, one of my boyhood hero’s.

[@jonstepro]

Dave. Thanks for doing this. Love the story and the photos. Kind of like a "Ken Burns" series for car geeks. Keep it up!

[@escuelaviejafarms]

Story time with David, 🤘😁🤘! Love it!

[@desoto350]

More of this please!

[@jeffreylevin1266]

That was so cool! Great job guys.

[@machinedgod]

Freiburger, I didn't even know I like cars before I started watching you and Finnegan years ago on Roadkill. You have ability to infect people around with your passion for cars. Thanks for this.

[@TheDavidFreiburger]

Nice, thank you!

[@patmoody513]

Great story.. well done.

[@steveskouson9620]

David, that "jet" was a Douglas DC-3 PROPELLER engined aircraft. Since you are (in theory) at Bonneville, PLEASE do a story about "The Salt Bishop," as Augie Duesenberg called Ab Jenkins. (Ab, called the Jewish Duesenberg, a "gentile." steve

[@terrywatts2265]

Please make more of these types of videos!

[@VG-iq8xq]

Awesome story and photos wow. Would love to see some footage too!

[@jakespeed63]

Fantastic video!!

[@dmp3418]

Loved this

[@mattyallwood]

Epic story, well told

[@BennyHubba]

Awesome video!

[@jeffreyjordan4778]

Awesome Video!

[@arthurhabrian9905]

awesome story!!

[@Stillborn87]

I would love to see you do a piece on Herbert James "Burt" Munro, and his insane 1920 Indian Scout motorcycle..

[@olsonspeed]

Mickey was a hero to gear heads in the 60's.

[@JohnW1711stock]

Tommy Ivo reached out to Mickey when he built his 4 engine Dragster. M/T is a legend.

[@ya_boiskitznone483]

Love your videos

[@evanstiles1142]

Love your vids

[@inrivalenzuela3079]

David you got to keep making videos like this

[@MajorOutage]

Not gonna lie, I clicked on this thinking it was a new video from Scarf and Goggles. Imagine my surprise when Freiburger starts talking.

[@V8Deuce]

To add to the history, the Challenger 1 had two of it's Pontiac engines set backwards. As a result, those two engines were reverse rotation.

[@leedee4968]

Great storytelling 😎

[@angingls656]

Nice David. Reminds me a little of the ‘In Their Words’ series in the DF years of HRM.

[@bighaasfly]

Um, 7:35 - “a full jet landed there and they parked the thing under the shade of her wing...” The picture is the car under the unmistakable wing of a DC-3 or C-47. Not jet. Radial engine props.

[@944tim]

MT needs to do more of this pls.

[@margaretrobinson3859]

Killer video.

[@GaryLX870D]

Hot Roding History 👍👍

[@johnarnold893]

I had M/T tires on my '66 442 back in the 70's.

[@RK-iw8jz]

Freiburger, this is what you were built to do. Give us more.

[@kateallen8998]

Super cool

[@constrworkerllc8367]

nice video!

[@ChrisKentrus]

Awesome

[@jlletaw1954]

Good Video

[@call-a-nerd]

Love it...

[@TheSkinnybiker]

Just put a set of Mickey Thompson tires on my 56 Chevy. Rides nice.

[@mr.rishievangorder8029]

imagine what mickey saw out the windows of his car! that's wild

[@kennyswonger5227]

I have some Mickey Thompson models.and old Car craft magazine.

[@davidgoodrich1258]

Why am I just now seeing this!?

[@dipling.pitzler7650]

Most amazing thing that American Hot Rodders made all this happen working out of home garages while the German attempts ( pre WWII) were backed by big companies.This also includs the British attempts which were also backed by big firms like Sunbeam, RR and Napier. Art Arfons, Mickey Thomson,Craig Breedlove, Garry Gabelich and others are the real heros here winning mostly out of own efforts and against all odds.

[@AandAEquipmentService1276]

I’m Alexander Ares Thompson , related to him in a way and I love his work

[@oldguyrides]

Not a jet, it appears to be a DC-3.

[@bardamu72]

un grand personnage , et un fait historique

[@bradmaas6875]

b17 was 278mph. first P-51 was 390 mph. He was moving right along.

[@kbarnes6899]

If I'm not mistaken, this car is in the Daytona Speedway museum.

[@tommyeugene]

I'm 14th!! ya meeee....who cares. Thanks David (Motor Trend) for the Videos...Love this car history stuff..

[@sootmann]

Great video! One note -- I like your naturally-recorded voice more than the way it is in the voiceover. The voice that starts at 4:26 is a little boomy. The on-camera work is a bit echo-y but it's not bad. Maybe somewhere between would be ideal. Anyway, I loved this video. More like this, please. :-)

[@julianmckinnon7615]

Fantastic Freiburger . PS: Why have I never seen a replica of his Chevy Luv US Marines Truck. I guess the stolen Mazdarati was something from the same gene pool, but imagine jumping that a 80mph. Pardon my excitement it's the first time I've ever seen/known about it.

[@keithhawkins653]

I paid for motor trend on demand I now get it for free through my Hagerty Insurance this content alone I would pay for.

[@Timinator62]

Another great Hot Rodder to feature would be Art Arfons.

[@mytripmymotor7270]

Good👍

[@garrettrobets8809]

Wow

[@davidpeters6536]

Another American one-way run. Campbell hit 440 mph on the measured mile in CN7 after he had stopped accelerating on the run up for nearly a minute...

[@thejerk7162]

Freiburger is King!

[@generalkayoss7347]

Why specifically name it Challenger 1 instead of just Challenger? Was Mickey planning on building a second car?

[@josephastier7421]

400 mph with reciprocating engines is *insane*. The jet cars aren't so impressive, like they built an airplane without wings. Thompson set his record with pistons and camshafts and more bravery than I will ever know.

[@wbarney59]

Hey freiburger you were interesting at pick up van and 4wd. Only reason I bought hot rod m. Was you. Still same same. Your cool

[@carypyke935]

Here in Indiana he gets a bad rap for the '64 Indy 500 crash...heck you could write a book just about his 500 cars..

[@lamarzimmermanmennonitefar5269]

Brian lohnes did a video about this

[@musclecarmaniac6786]

A great man, so tragic how he died....

[@dandiputra8850]

I hope this corona will pass quickly, take care of yourself at a friend's house 🥰🥰

[@donnajones1603]

While most kids who grew up in the 50's & 60's were fans of the coming space program astronauts us budding car modelers/future hot rodders loved Mickey Thompson & Challenger 1 when he hit 406.6 mph in 1960..... PLEASE FRIBERGER get your Hollywood buddies to make a major motion picture on his life & murder....Don't they realize it is a shoe in like Ford vs Ferrari

[@ronsmith7739]

Mickey Thomson, one of the greatest hot rodders ever, unfortunately was murdered by Mickey and his wife Trudy Thomson, on March 16, 1988, by Frank Goodwin in a pair of hooded masks on bicycles. May Mickey and Trudy rest in peace, what a loss. He was 59 years old.

[@alexjoyce1276]

MotorTrend you need to put Roadkill back on youtube, you disappointed all the fans!!!

[@VeeDees]

Could you imagine going nearly 300mph in that first death trap?

[@emanh4keem_san420]

One day,a man will build this beast but better one

[@proudamerican6803]

Why is Ken Drosbeke left out? It was the 3 of them that worked together.

[@PaintfullGovernor]

Anyone knows how to get the ambient soundtrack around 1:45? Motortrend low key has some really nice music.

[@lennydenunejr]

Yes I would drive it in a heartbeat! I would make the run in honer of Micky Thompson and Jessie Combs! Please pick me to drive!