Johnny Thomson (April 9, 1922 in Lowell, Massachusetts – September 24, 1960 in Allentown, Pennsylvania) was an American racecar driver. Thomson was nicknamed "the Flying Scot."
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Midget cars
Thomson won the 1948 UCOA New England title after winning 32 midget events. He won his second UCOA title in 1950.
He won the 1952 AAA Eastern division Midget championship.
Championship cars
He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1953-1960 seasons with 69 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in each season. He finished in the top ten 43 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was third in 1959. Roy Sherman, the first National Midget Champion, was his chief mechanic for several Indy 500s.[1]
He was the first driver to win a 100-mile (160 km) dirt track race in less than an hour at Langhorne, Pennsylvania. His champ car's average speed was 100.174 miles per hour.[1]
Sprint cars
Thomson was the 1958 USAC Sprint Car Series champion. He won the Eastern Sprint Car championship in 1954.
In 1960, Thomson died at a sprint car event at the Great Allentown Fair when his car crashed through the fence and flipped into the infield.[1]
Career awards
- Thomson was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1996 and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1997.
Trivia
- Johnny was a contestant on Bud Collyer's "Beat The Clock".
Indy 500 results
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World Championship career summary
The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960. Drivers competing at Indy during those years were credited with World Championship points and participation. Johnny Thomson participated in 8 World Championship races. He started on the pole once, set 1 fastest lead lap, and finished on the podium once, accumulating a total of 10 World Championship points.
References
- ^ a b c Biography at the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
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