Danny Thompson is out to realize his father's dreams by running an updated version of the Challenger II streamliner to 450 MPH. During a test last month, he was knocking on the 400 MPH mark when his fire suppression system decided Danny needed a bath.
The son of Mickey Thompson, Danny has been working on getting his dad's reborn Challenger up to speed for the past four years, fitting it with two 500 cu-in V8s good for a combined 4,000 HP.
The goal of his latest test run in August was to hit 390 MPH, and after surpassing that goal by 5 MPH, he pulled the chutes. The force of the deceleration was so intense that a few seconds after they were deployed, the fire system accidentally discharged, coating Thompson in gallons of sticky foam. He managed to pop the canopy after getting down to a relatively safe speed.
The team fixed the issue, allowing Thompson to hit 417 MPH the next day. He'll be at it again next month at Cook's Shootout, where 450 MPH is in his sights.