Johnny Thomson
Encyclopedia
Johnny Thomson was an American racecar driver. Thomson was nicknamed "the Flying Scot."
events. He won his second UCOA title in 1950.
He won the 1952 AAA
Eastern division Midget
championship.
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.
He was the first driver to win a 100 miles (160.9 km) dirt track race in less than an hour at Langhorne, Pennsylvania
. His champ car's average speed was 100.174 miles per hour.
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.
Midget cars
Thomson won the 1948 UCOA New England title after winning 32 midgetMidget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
events. He won his second UCOA title in 1950.
He won the 1952 AAA
American Automobile Association
AAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
Eastern division Midget
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
championship.
Championship cars
He drove in the AAA and USACUnited States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
Championship Car series, racing in the 1953-1960 seasons with 69 starts, including the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
races in each season. He finished in the top ten 43 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was third in 1959
1959 Indianapolis 500
The 1959 Indianapolis 500 was an automobile race held at Indianapolis on Saturday, May 30, 1959. The event was part of the 1959 World Drivers' Championship.- Classification :- Notes :*Fastest Lead Lap: Johnny Thomson - 1:01.89...
. Roy Sherman, the first National Midget Champion, was his chief mechanic for several Indy 500s.
He was the first driver to win a 100 miles (160.9 km) dirt track race in less than an hour at Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Langhorne is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,622 at the 2010 census.The name "Langhorne" is used broadly to describe the majority of surrounding Middletown Township, which for the most part uses Langhorne's zip code of 19047...
. His champ car's average speed was 100.174 miles per hour.
Sprint cars
Thomson was the 1958 USAC Sprint Car Series champion. He won the Eastern Sprint CarSprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
championship in 1954.
In 1960, Thomson died at a sprint car event at the Great Allentown Fair
Great Allentown Fair
The Great Allentown Fair is an annual fair and agricultural show that is held at the Allentown Fairgrounds in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is operated by the Lehigh County Agricultural Society...
when his car crashed through the fence and flipped into the infield.
Career awards
- Thomson was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of FameNational Sprint Car Hall of Fame & MuseumThe National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum is a Hall of Fame and museum for sprint car drivers, owners, mechanics, builders, manufacturers, promoters, sanctioning officials and media members....
in 1996 and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of FameNational Midget Auto Racing Hall of FameThe National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can be accessed during weekly Sunday races during the summer.-A-C:...
in 1997.
Indy 500 results
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