Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels to celebrate 50 years at SEMA
Founded by the legendary Mickey Thompson and friend Gene McMannis in 1963, Mickey Thompson Performance Tires & Wheels will celebrate 50 years of innovation and product excellence during the 2013 SEMA Show.
“This is an incredible milestone for our company,” stated Ken Warner, vice president of marketing, Mickey Thompson. “We want to celebrate this achievement and commemorate this anniversary by honoring both our history and the future of our company at the SEMA Show this year.”
Mickey Thompson has expanded its booth space to 3,000 square feet. to accommodate four vehicles, the latest new products from both Mickey Thompson and Dick Cepek brands, as well as three special events. Make plans to visit booth 43035, South Hall, lower level.
The company will showcase four vehicles in the booth this year starting with the historic Challenger 1 Streamliner built by the late Mickey Thompson in the 1960s. Racing at Bonneville, the young Mickey Thompson exceeded the 400 mph mark in this legendary vehicle achieving a top speed of 406 mph and earning him the nickname “The Speed King”. The company will also feature Mickey Thompson’s 1969 Mach 1 Funny Car, one of the most recognized vehicles in drag racing history, driven by Danny Ongias.
In addition to these historic race cars, Mickey Thompson will also feature a Ford F-150 Deegan 38 project truck featuring the new 35" Deegan 38 tires, and an impressive assortment of great Metal Mulisha accessories.
On the other side of the booth, don’t miss the 2014 Jeep JK featuring the new M/T Metal Series bumpers on the front and rear along with the 37-inch Baja ATZp3 tires.
Mickey Thompson will kick off the SEMA Show with a media conference on Tuesday, Nov. 5 at 11:00 to introduce the new Deegan 38 mud-terrain tire with special guest Brian Deegan. Later that day, Deegan will make a special guest appearance from 3 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. to greet fans and sign autographs. Brian Deegan is a five-time Lucas Oil Off Road Racing Series (LOORRS) Short Course champion and 16-time X Games medalist earning a gold medal in X Games 17 and a bronze medal in X Games 18, both in RallyCross. Deegan competes in the LOORRS Pro 2 class and the Pro Lite class using Mickey Thompson tires. In addition to his LOORRS success, he is an international competitor, the most decorated Freestyle Motocross rider in the competition’s history, and co-founder of Metal Mulisha.
On Wednesday, Nov. 6, the company will host renowned artist Kenny Youngblood from noon to 3 p.m. Youngblood is a hot rod celebrity and CARtoons artist. His illustrations, graphic designs and paintings have set the standard in the world of high performance for more than 40 years. During his visit, Youngblood will be available to sign autographs and create one-of-a-kind CARtoons art for event attendees. Youngblood’s artwork has been admired and sought by collectors worldwide, and his illustrations have been featured in numerous automotive industry magazines.
Attendees can stop by to check out all the latest tires and wheels for street, strip, truck and off road from Mickey Thompson, as well as the new M/T Metal Series bumpers – a first-of-its-kind accessory for the Jeep JK enthusiast from this legendary company. Truck, off-road and 4x4 enthusiasts will want to check out the new all-terrain tires from Dick Cepek.
“Our company continues to focus on product development to meet the changing needs of the vehicle and racing landscape,” stated Warner. “Today’s drag racing vehicles are faster, higher horsepower and lighter weight than ever before, and short-course, off-road vehicles are custom built for unique track conditions and course demands. Every vehicle and racing application requires specialized tire and wheel designs, and we remain dedicated to providing excellent products to meet those needs.”
