CHALLENGER I 1960 - 1962

Bonneville 1960 and 1962

1960: The Record Run  For 1960 the Challenger I was modified extensively. To try and cut down on drag the nose and tail were redesigned to try and help the problem. And to increase the horsepower 6-71 GMC blowers were added to the engines. This addition of the superchargers required a scoop be built atop the engines which increased the drag but was required.

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NA

1961: Bad Salt  For 1961 the Challenger I was left home. Because of the potash mining on the salt flats the salt was so bad that even a five mile course was not available. No one else went for big record speeds that year. Since Mickey bought Bill Burke's Pumpkin Seed he took and installed a hot Pontiac Tempest four-banger into it and went to Bonneville with it. Maybe next year.

	1962: The Last Run   The Last running of the Challenger I was on July 24, 1962 There was a 10 1/2 mile course set up running North and South. His first attempt that day was from the South end of the course well this run was halted by the washboard conditions of the salt flats, with no suspension in the Challenger it was so rough not only was it beating him to death in the car he could not get any traction. After a small rest he went to the North end of the course and made another try, for a trial run, he did a respectable 357 mph.   When Mickey returned after the second run he announced that Challenger had rolled on the salt under its own power for the last time. He had also stated he would never again drive a car capable of 400 mph speeds.   Mickey then went to his 1962 Pontiac Catalina which he brought along and preceded to set 4 International speed records. See Pontiac for details on these record setting runs.

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