He had to wait until his 5th birthday to enter a race, which happened to have been on an actual race day. Jud larson thought driving race cars was as close to actual work as he cared to come. Johnny thompson race results and driver statistics for. After his friend and fellow racer johnny thompson was killed in a race at allentown fairgrounds in 1960, hinnershitz announced his retirement three hours later.
Welcome to the arl photo gallery auto racing legends. Nascar legend calls suwannee county home local news. Starting a new wip on johnny thompson s 1959 pole winner racing associates spl. Problem is, he didnt live long enough to truly establish a record of performance as lengthy as some of those hed be compared to realistically, don ran from 1961 to 1969, whereupon he was. September 1960 in allentown, pennsylvania war ein usamerikanischer. Daytona 150 1952 nascar monster energy series race 2 of 34. Click on the site to see johnny thompson s career results at that track glossary. He came achingly close in 1960 with the challenger i, but broke down on the return run. Professional headshot of johnny thomson, 1960 this project is made possible by a grant from the u. May 07, 2016 johnny thompsons racing career began with a few lies and a borrowed helmet. A record crowd of 300,000 arrived to watch the greatest race in the world, the indy 500 on.
Would like to thank rockett designs, bunce equipment, bc motorsports and. Watsons deuce to victory at allentown on august 7, 1965. Born in warren, michigan, white died in indianapolis, indiana. Racing 2 cures founders reached out to frankoski after meeting him at a recent event and being impressed with his determination and overall good character.
The aforementioned ed eng met his maker in jacksonville, bill randall bought the farm at lime rock, and then there was johnny thompson. Johnny thompson, desperate for a job, walked on a track. There are stories about the bravery and the ironfisted constitutions of the early. Since you could run 3 or 4 nights a week, top drivers could make a nice living just racing. The race was won by the extremely popular onelegged driver, bill schindler driving the caruso offy. Jan 17, 2014 a couple of months ago, i received a great phone call from johnny thompson, a wwii 341st engineer. He has twice been champion of the british touring car championship btcc, and was third in the 2007 world touring car championship. Johnny thompson racing career profile driver database. March 29, 1925 october 28, 2006 had a long and successful racing career that saw him compete during a time in which the midgets drew thousands of spectators to race tracks seven nights a week and eastern fans always got their moneys worth. Thompsons debut came in 1951, when he competed at columbia.
Johnny thompson september 9, 1922 is a former nascar driver from jacksonville, fl. Get the latest race results, news, videos, pictures, win record and more for johnny thompson on. This is the first of a twopart series on nascar racing legend, johnny speedy thompson. He worked in a machine shop and was a fan of the local corpus christie track, where his first race car was a kaiser. Click on the number of races to see individual races for that year. Johnny smith at the local track may be dirty driver, but the elite dirty drivers, the top 25 of all time, have shown that they can make dirty driving pay off. He struck back in 1968 with the challenger 2, but was foiled by a rainstorm which turned the track at the bonneville salt flats into a lake.
Ardent race fans fondly remember johnny tearing up the track at the manchester motordrome before he graduated to fame and fortune at the indianapolis 500. Boissoneau, who grew up in laconia, has been an auto racing fan since the 1950s, when he used to watch races at the old gilford bowl, which was located near the laconia airport. Aug 15, 2011 during the 1956 triple ace race at langhorne speedway, johnny thompson has this amazing crash. Johnny thompson s racing career began with a few lies and a borrowed helmet. Drivers from around new england converged on norwood arena for the october 12, 1949 race. The traditional race day rabbit was caught before he could become a headache to the safety patrol and the cars made a rainbow of colors as they lined up for the race. Annual pines speedway reunion is saturday haverhill.
When the war ended and the national ban on motor racing was lifted in sept. In his eight appearances at indy, johnny s best showing came in 1959 when he won the pole position and captured third place, but a year later, like schindler, thompson s career was cut short at allentown. Killed in a midget race, just after his first champ car win. Johnny started his career in the midgets in new england and rapidly became a top sprint car driver where he won two eastern sprint car titles, one in aaa in 1954 and one in usac in 1958. Us racing driver whose win at the 1960 indianapolis 500 was the most exciting ever. He drove in the usac championship car series, racing in the 1963 and 1964 seasons, with 11 career starts, including the 1964 indianapolis 500. Racing 2 cure r2c a 501c3 nonprofit announced today that it has named nascar and midget upandcoming race car driver, jeremy frankoski to its elite ambassador program. After the war, we had about four or five years when things were hard due to the fact that the shipyards closed. Served in the korean war and was also stationed overseas in germany. Johnny thompson september 9, 1922 is a former nascar driver from. These are the bullies that ruled the schoolyard and proved that cheaters do prosper regardless of what your mom told you. Scot also passed his rookie test at the subbed for the flying.
Jack raced and worked on race cars east and west of the kansasmissouri line. Jason thompson reaches 1,000 career wins harness racing. After his retirement, he served as a mechanic on indy cars, which at the time, raced mostly on dirt miles. Empa hall of famejohnny thomson eastern motorsport. Johnny thomson was one of the best and most popular race drivers of all time. Further information on this record can be found at its source. He was the first driver to win a 100mile 160 km dirt track race in less than an hour at langhorne, pennsylvania. See more ideas about indy cars, indy car racing and race cars. Known as the flying scot, johnny thomson april 9, 1922 september 24. About johnny in april of 2009, johnny started quarter midget race car driver school as a novice at silver city quarter midget club in meriden, ct, sanctioned by the quarter midget association qma. See more ideas about indianapolis motor speedway, indy cars and indy car racing.
Thompson said he holds a special place in his heart for dirt tracks and dirt track racing. Dave carter, alias johnny thompson, in the hanestad hal 4 don radbruch collection. Midget legend with many race wins and titles to his name. Johnny thomson known as the flying scot, johnny thomson april 9, 1922 september 24, 1960 of lowell, massachusetts, was an outstanding openwheel racer and one of the most likeable drivers that ever slipped into a racing car. Get the latest race results driver johnny thompson on. Kevin and curt also talk about indy car iracings schedule and other iracing news. Johnny thompson, desperate for a job, walked on a track and. Thompson born october 28, 1948 is an american race car driver and the son of the late motorsports entrepreneur mickey thompson. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Johnny thompson born september 9, 1924 inverness, ala. For mickey thompson, the famed driver and innovator, it was breaking the piston driven land speed record. Empa hall of fame eastern motorsport press association.
Three top drivers alert confidence ready to go the distance. He competed in five nextel cup series events in his career. The manchester motordrome in londonderry, nh manchester. The following numbers are a summary of the more detailed information available in the career details further below on the page. Thompson drove a race car for him as well as driving a car in his stunt show. Sep 03, 2019 on the dais was corvette racings funny johnny oconnell, co driver andy pilgrim, owens corning l88 driver jerry thompson, ray zisa and paul horner who are vintage c4 race drivers.
Johnny started racing in 1938 as a 16 year old at his home track of lowell, massachusetts before joining the us air force as a crew chief, fighting in italy and corsica with. Museum catches the best of new england auto racing history. The second part of this two part series continues next week when johnny thompson heads to the birthplace of speed on. Johnny thomson april 9, 1922 in lowell, massachusetts september 24, 1960 in allentown, pennsylvania was an american racecar driver. During the 1956 triple ace race at langhorne speedway, johnny thompson has this amazing crash. Im sure jack would be proud of his 2 grandsons in the denver area that are carry on what jack did while he graced the lives of many. Thompson argued that it would save more time without fueling the car, so he kept it full for the race. Many thanks to johnny thompson for loaning his materials for inclusion on this website.
Jim packard born 23 dec 1931 hendersonville, north carolina. Johnny thompson race results in the nascar grand national series. Starting positions in the field of twentynine are unknown, but thompson drove well in the race and finished 14th. Dale coyne racing s rookie driver alex palou joins the show to talk about his background and career to this point and his anticipation for his first indy car series season. Thomson was the 1958 usac sprint car series champion.
Click on the year to see the standings for that year. According to the video wolf is lying about them not getting permission. They also discuss the fall out of the kyle larson situation from the irace sunday night. Best remembered for his great success in the cockpit of a midget, johnny coy sr.
Sonny thompson racing career profile driver database. Includes how it started and a new angle of the crash never seen on youtube. Before that year was out, johnny thompson, jimmy bryan, and al hermanall starters in the race were killed in racing crashes. Empa hall of famejohnny thomson eastern motorsport press. Lineup for nascar gn race at speedway park on 3754.
James thompson born 26 april 1974 in york, england is a british auto racing driver. Jun 23, 2016 1977 big john moss west liberty, iowa june 23, 1977 many names have come and gone over the years on the stock car racing circuit at the west liberty fairgrounds racetrack. Institute of museum and library services, administered by the indiana state. Johnny thomson born 09 apr 1922 lowell, massachusetts. Johnny also informed me that he used to be a nascar driver, so being a fan, it naturally peeked my in. One problem with the midget cars was the complete exposure of the driver s head and shoulders, and im not talking about shampoo.
Yes, i was around in 1956, and im still somewhat alive. In 2009 he became the first nascar driver to be named male athlete of the year by the associated press. Don mactavish, a product of dover, massachusetts is the source of constant arguing as to whether he was the greatest driver to come out of new england. The museum also contains two cars owned by ray boissoneau, who owns 32 race cars and is the largest collector of historic new england race cars. A highlight for this first season was the wedding of ace driver gavin cooper to audrey maher. But the one name which hasstood the test of time best is that of johnny moss of iowa city, who is in his 21st year behind the wheel of a stock car. Race, site, cars, st, fin, car, laps, money, status. Seasons spanning over two years for example 2014 championships have their race results accounted for in the year the championship ends. Known as the flying scot, johnny thomson april 9, 1922 september 24, 1960 of lowell, massachusetts, was an outstanding openwheel racer and one of the most likeable drivers that ever slipped into a racing car. Since then weve chatted a couple of times and he sent me a package with the following materials. Local racing legend johnny thompson with a race car in 1950 at speedway park. Thompson s debut came in 1951, when he competed at columbia. Johnny thompson is out on the fall and he sex as the middle spot and jim wrapping was on the outside of the front row. He currently competes in the world touring car championship.
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