For me every one who saddles up to drive there. Oh.....there are those that are so special of course, but hero's could be defined as someone who does something or did something beyond and above anything I personally would do or attempt, and that describes a land speed record driver for sure.
Just found this thread. For me it was easy – and easy for a bunch of others (some I know and all I respect) to just say Al. (And that's not even his name.)
For sure I agree about Danny Thompson but you have to admire Al Teague too. Just a low buck guy with a strong desire working out of a small shop in his backyard. With a car coming out of what amounts to a cave compared to other shops he broke 400 with a single engine. Before his ‘liner he ran an incredible 268 mph in the Sadd, Teague & Bentley ‘29 highboy B/Fuel Roadster in the ‘70’s.
Al is on my short list too. Saw him run 268 in the "Flying Brick". The sound of that blown fuel hemi running WFO for 5 miles would make the hair on your neck stand up!
I saw Bill run a high 270 at Maxton. He cranked it with the stock starter and rode it around in the pits to warm it up. It was incredible. He loved what he did but sadly paid the ultimate price.
I don't have a sophisticated, informed view here. Prolly lots of people are worthy, but right now its Mickey Thompson and Burt Monroe....
For you Teague fans, here's a huge digital file of the best picture I ever took, circa 1972. It's been in a few publications, no doubt copied out of 8x10s I gave to the crew the following month. But here's the original – do what you want with it if I can load this file . . .
Come on. If Al's not your hero, your not a Bonneville racer. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10204940150013007
I think I would have to add Nolan White to my list for all the same reasons as Al and then some. And Mike Cook for everything he has done for us.
If I were to list my land speed racing heroes it’d be the Summers Brothers, Mickey Thompson and some dude named Alex Xydias ( founded So-Cal Speed shop don’t ya know) Sent from my iPhone using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
“Mickey Thompson (1928-1988) was one of the great innovators in motorsports—at Indy, Bonneville, desert racing, most everywhere.” Hello, As it was with others, Mickey Thompson was our favorite Bonneville Racer from that time period. It might be because his Westside Long Beach Shop was a few blocks away from our second Westside home. During the late 50s and until we moved out of the house, we frequented that Westside shop for ideas and weekly Drag News papers. By this time, we were at Lions Dragstrip weekly and racing our 58 Impala and in 1960, our 40 Willys 671 SBC C/Gas Coupe. We talked to him many time in the pits at Lions during our heydays of drag racing. He was the Lions Dragstrip manager, shop owner, and getting pretty famous, but always had time to talk to us, young drag racers/hot rod guys. For that, he fell into our favorite, drag racing, automotive personality category. We have a favorite Mickey Thompson story from back in those days. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/more-from-mickey-thompson.1118465/#post-12748344 But, it was related to drag racing and not Bonneville. His international records were always impressive as automotive engines were used and not those jet powered vehicles. I am sure he made the Pontiac fans proud that he used those GM motors. In 1961, one of our high school friends bought a blue 2 door Pontiac Bonneville sedan because of his like of Pontiacs and the Thompson Shop. But, his ingenuity was what drew us to him and his shop nearby. His shop was crawling with activity prior to setting those speed records in the Dragmaster Frames. Ingenuity? A 2 cylinder from a Tempest 4 cylinder, from a big V8? “He used half of a Pontiac Tempest “Trophy” motor, itself already halved from the Pontiac 389 engine. Basically, he was working with a ¼ of a V8 engine, covering the open side of the new two-cylinder motor with aluminum plates.” But also, these motors and frames were used in setting the records. That shop was a hive of activity all year, but the months prior to the Bonneville dates, it was super crazy. Jnaki Kudos to Danny Thompson for keeping the legacy that his dad started back in the 50s and 60s. My brother and I always were dreamers and wanted to be in that exclusive 200 mph club back then. But, we knew our limits. We thought those funny old belly tanks would be the best way to get to the 200 mph club. But the idea of being enclosed inside of those tanks with the motor right behind us was daunting and it remained, just a dream. Those stories and memories were always good for those continuing late night discussions on hot rods and racing. My wife has always said that when the two brothers have family visits, the discussion was always, surfing, motorcycles, hot rods, and drag racing…Well, it was and what else was there to discuss as those memories and thoughts were fading fast…
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