2011 Archives:

Thompson Makes it to the Semifinal Round at Seattle Lucas Oil Divisional Event

Kent WA - Clint Thompson had a rough but good weekend in Seattle as he went to the semifinals at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing series event held at Pacific Raceways, August 18-19. Thompson had a rough time in round one when his engine exploded around half track. Oil covered the slicks and smoke filled the cockpit as the veteran driver fought to bring the car to a safe stop.

"The team had changed engines yesterday as the one we were running in testing cracked a crankshaft. We only carry one spare engine as we usually don't have these type of failures, the motor we installed was fresh with all new internal parts I just ran it too lean I guess. We borrowed a crank from Steve Gasparelli and put it in the other motor, we had it done for the last session but I chose to sit it out as I knew we couldn't be bumped from the field" said Thompson.

Thompson ended up qualified 7th with a 6.46 which set up a first round showdown with Canada’s John Evanchuk, who qualified second.

At the start, Thompson was out of the gate first with a .052 to Evanchuk’s .075. It was a close side-by-side race all the way down the track with Thompson taking the win light delivering his best performance of the weekend, a 5.74 at 254 MPH to Evanchuk ‘s close 5.76 at 251 MPH.

Clint said "The car shook a little but I was able to drive through it. It's always a good race when John and I line up and there wasn't much room to spare at the finish line."

In the semi final round, the Thompson Racing Team took on Southern California’s Keeter Ray. At the line, Thompson was again out of the gate first with an .054 to Ray’s .070. At the finish line it was Ray taking the win with a 5.78 at 252 MPH. Thompson slowed down to a 6.03 at 245 MPH. "Keeter ran a '.71 in the first round just like he had twice in qualifying so I figured we had to try and step it up," said Thompson, "so I stepped on it a little bit and it was just more than the track would take, the car shook hard and I had to pedal it to hook it up and he got out on me at that point. Their team did a good job, ran consistent and well and earned the win".

In the final it was Keeter Ray against Division Six point leader Steve Gasparelli. Ray ended up winning the race with a 5.76 to Gasparelli's centerline crossing 6.58 which prevented Gasparelli from further extending his lead over Thompson in the standings. "Steve is my friend, but I guess you could say I was a pretty big Keeter fan for that round", Thompson said laughing, adding " Keeter earned that one and Steve and I will be battling again next month in Woodburn. We're gonna give it everything we've got to win the title".

The next stop for Team Thompson is the Lucas Oil series race in White City, Oregon on September 10th and 11th, then back to Woodburn the following Friday for the re run of the rained out July event. From there the team will travel to Dallas, and then on to Reading, Pennsylvania for NHRA national events.

Engine Problem Slows Thompson at Northwest Nationals in Seattle

Seattle - The NHRA O’Reilly Auto Parts Northwest Nationals is one of the premiere races on Clint Thomspon’s calendar because he gets to compete at the national level in front of his many Northwest fans. This is an event that Clint has won multiple times and this year he had just as good of a chance to bring home the Wally as he has in past years.

In qualifying, Clint made the top half of the field with a competitive 5.69 at 244 MPH. His first round opponent was Sean Bellemeur who qualified 11th with a 5.81 at 252 MPH.

As the lights came down in round one Bellemeur left the line first with a 0.059 to Clint’s 0.097. As Clint’s car was flying towards the finish line the engine started smoking and he slowed down as a result. Meanwhile, Bellemeur laid down a clean pass and scored the win with a 5.76 at 252 MPH over Clint’s 5.85 at 243 MPH.

Thompson will return to Seattle August 19-21 for the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series.

Race Rains Out but Qualifying was Exciting!

A surprise November like storm which brought record rain to the Portland area on Sunday doomed the Woodburn NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series divisional event. While eliminations were not contested on Sunday, qualifying for Top Alcohol Funny Car was intense. Thirteen funny cars were fighting to get into an eight car field. For Clint Thompson, the Woodburn divisional is a race he has never won and this year he had his work cut out for him in order to accomplish his goal as some of the toughest cars in the country were on the grounds. And it was a given that some of the best Top Alcohol teams in the business wouldn't qualify.

In the opening qualifying round, Clint nailed the bump spot with a respectable 5.82 at 249 MPH. On the pass Clint had to pedal but it was enough to get into the top eight.

In the second round of qualifying, the Thompson Racing Team didn't improve after experiencing tire shake. Thompson stayed in the precarious eighth spot with five cars on the outside desperately looking to get in the show.

Going into the final qualifying round, Thompson was still in the cellar and would likely face a DNQ if he didn't improve. The team's nerves were eased as Thompson moved all the way into the third spot with a 5.72 at 252 MPH making the Top Alcohol Funny Car class an all 5.70 field. It was a good thing too as Sean Bellemeur who was running along side of Thompson ran a 5.80 which would have bumped Thompson out had he not improved.

Eliminations will take place on Friday September 16, just prior to the Fall Classic at Woodburn.

 

Thompson Runner Up in Spokane

For the second race in a row Clint Thompson made it to the final round of an NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event, this time in Spokane, Washington. It was déjà vu all over again as the race in Spokane unfolded similarly to the last division event held a month ago in Mission, Canada.

The Spokane race was plagued by rain and as a result qualifying and the final eliminations were completed in just one day. Thompson was once again the top qualifier by ripping off a 5.70 at 251 MPH in the one and only qualifying session. "Fortunately we tested on Friday",said Thompson, "although we didn't post a good time due to the supercharger lifting around half track, the incremental numbers were good and it gave us a direction to go when we were faced with the one shot qualifying situation. Having run good here last year (Thompson won the race last year and set the track record at 5.61) was also helpful in deciding how to tune the car for the high altitude conditions."

In the first round, Thompson faced Washington racer Dave Germain. At the hit Germain was out first, but Germain’s lead wouldn’t last as Thompson blew by Germain before half track and never looked back. Thompson stopped the clock with a 5.80 at 245 MPH to Germain’s 6.19 at 202 MPH. "The track got better and my car shook pretty hard about 150 feet out, luckily I was able to drive through it to get around Dave. I got distracted at the line when he took a little longer to stage and I really dodged a bullet there"

Due to the short field Thompson received a semi final bye run just as he had in Mission and it turned out to be a good thing as he lost traction and chattered the tires right off the line. Thompson then idled the rest of the way down the track for a free trip to the finals. "We were trying a different setup to make the car smooth, but a failure in the fuel management system caused the car to be way down on power in the semis, that resulted in tire shake very early in the run", said Thompson. "Even though we won the round, we lost lane choice for the final and I really didn't know if the tune up changes I made would smooth the car out. All I could do was trust my gut and go back up with the same tune up for the finals."

In the final round, Thompson took on Steve Gasparrelli whom he faced in the finals at Mission so Thompson had a chance to even the score. At the hit, Gasparrelli was out of the gate first with an 0.069 to Thompson’s close 0.078. Thompson powered by Gasparelli by the sixty foot mark and was well ahead until mid track when the car's safety shut off box activated, turning off the engine and releasing the parachutes before half track which allowed Gasparrelli to charge ahead and score the victory. Gasparrelli recorded a 5.82 at 244 MPH to Thompson’s 6.77 at 123 MPH. " The safety shut off box is wired into the fire extinguisher system", said Thompson " the left side fire bottle went off apparently due to vibration which automatically activated the safety shut off box. At first I didn't know what happened, I was in the lead, shifted into second gear and at 3.31 seconds the car went silent and Steve sailed by me."

"All in all I guess It was still a good weekend. We got the race done and scored another runner up. Two number one qualifying spots in a row shows we really have a good race car, now we just need a little racing luck to go our way. The team is doing a great job, the new car is working very good, so I am confident we will win races" , Thompson said. "Winning the Division Six championship this year is our ultimate goal and we are gonna go after it hard." The next outing for team Thompson Racing is the LODRS race in Woodburn, Oregon on July 15 - 17, where the team will face not only the best of the Northwest but also several top racers from Division Seven who plan on attending. "A win at Woodburn would be like winning Indy to me", said Thompson. "I've raced there for over twenty years and haven't won the NHRA race there yet. We've got a lot of great fans there and would be very pleased to get a win for them next month."

Thompson Makes Final Round Appearance at Lordco BC Nationals in Mission

Clint Thompson made a final round appearance at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event known as the Lordco BC Nationals held in Mission Canada over the Memorial Day weekend.

Thompson qualified on the pole with a blistering 5.61 at 256 MPH to lead the six car field. In the first round Thompson took on number six qualifier John Evanchuk. At the hit it was Thompson out of the gate first with a 0.085 reaction time to Evanchuk’s 0.118. Thompson’s better reaction time paid off in spades as both cars ran nearly identical numbers. At the stripe it was Thompson scoring the win with a 5.726 at 254 to Evanchuk’s quicker but losing 5.720 at 253 MPH.

As the number one qualifier in the short field Thompson earned the semi-final bye run to advance to the final round. Using it as a rare chance to test during eliminations Thompson tried to take advantage of the exceptional air conditions and go for a new track record. Unfortunately, the track was not up to the task as Thompson got out of shape on the run and lifted.

In the final round Thompson faced California hitter Steve Gasparrelli who sent Brian Hough packing in the second round. After a lengthy track clean up on the starting line both racers were more than ready to square off for the Lordco BC Nationals title. At the hit it was Gasparrelli out first with an 0.084 reaction time to Thompson’s 0.100. Unfortunately for Thompson, he spins the tires right at the hit while Gasparrelli made a clean pass to claim the victory. Gasparrelli stopped the clock with a 5.71 at 255 MPH to Thompson’s 7.01 at 152 MPH.

 

Thompson Breaks Track Record at Woodburn

Clint Thompson triumphantly returned to Woodburn Oregon after a two year absence to break in Woodburn Dragstrip’s new all-concrete track at the Season Opener. Not only did Thompson lay lots of rubber down on the new surface but he broke the track’s ET record for the Top Alcohol Funny Car class. Thompson ripped off a fine 5.61 at 254 MPH to set the new track record.

One of the things about Woodburn that Thompson has been missing are the fans. “Woodburn has the best fans in the Northwest and all weekend people have been welcoming us back” Thompson said after the race. While Thompson doesn’t miss the old track surface, he loves the new concrete track. “The conditions at Woodburn are generally pretty good, but the track was pretty bumpy and hard to negotiate, kudos to the Woodburn management for investing the money and effort to make this a good track again. The surface is excellent and very smooth” Thompson acknowledged.

Thompson’s low ET earned him the right to go up against Brian Hough in the final round. Unfortunately for Thompson, a small mistake at the starting line cost him the race. “I hit the gas to early, caught myself and managed not to red light. But the car shook hard and I had to shut it off early” said Thompson who recorded a 6.02 to Hough’s 5.65.

The Woodburn race served as a test session for the Mission Divisional event coming up May 27-29. Thompson won the event three years in a row from 2006-2008.

 

Thompson Lands a Quarterfinal Finish in 2011 Season Debut

Las Vegas - Clint Thompson made his 2011 debut at the 12th annual SummitRacing.com NHRA Nationals in Las Vegas and had a respectable outing. Thompson qualified in the “lucky” 13th spot with a 5.78 at 248 MPH which set up a first round showdown with California’s Mark Woznichak, who qualified fourth with a 5.68. At the hit, Thompson had a killer 0.007 reaction time to Woznichak’s 0.120. Thompson tossed a burst panel down track but still managed to win the round with a 6.04 at only 184 MPH. Woznichak had trouble of his own and had to settle for a 6.66 at 142 MPH in a losing effort.

In the second round, Thompson again got out in front of his opponent. This time it was Doug Gordon that was in the other lane. Thompson blasted off the line with an 0.044 to Gordon’s close 0.048. Unfortunately for Thompson, Gordon was able to close the gap immediately and get ahead of Thompson. Gordon was able to hold the lead and grab the win with a 5.68 at 252 MPH to Thompson’s 5.99 at 185 MPH.

 

Thompson to Begin Season in Las Vegas

It's been a long enough winter for racers and fans but it's been an even longer winter for Clint Thompson and his crew as the racing team missed the NHRA Winternationals for the first time in years. But the good news for Clint Thompson fans is that Thompson's absence is just temporary. The team has a new chassis built by Bob Minor which will debut at the Summitracing.com Nationals in Las Vegas. The team will utilize last years body that has been refurbished over the winter.

With the team missing the Winternationals, it gives them another race to compete at later this summer and plans are to race on the national stage including a couple of east coast races where Thompson hopes to do battle with the reigning NHRA Champ, Frank Manzo if the opportunity in eliminations presents itself. A schedule of events will be posted soon.

Thompson has sold his Mustang nitro funny car to a team in Australia but will return with a new nostalgia nitro funny car at a later date. Right now, Thompson is focusing on his Top Alcohol Funny Car team.

 

2010 Archives:

Thompson Top Qualifier in Las Vegas

After a tough first round loss at the NHRA Las Vegas Nationals one week prior, Clint Thompson and the Cascade Auto Group team rebounded nicely at the final Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event of the season, also held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Thompson, qualified on the pole with a sizzling 5.62 at 255 MPH to lead a tough eight car field that read like the who’s who of top alcohol funny car racing. Over fifteen entries from across the country were in attendance trying to qualify. Just getting in the show an accomplishment as a lot of good teams didn’t qualify.

As the top seed, Thompson took on the number eight qualifier, Steve Gasparrelli. Thompson had a little bit of revenge on his mind after losing to Gasparrelli earlier in the season in Seattle. At the hit, both cars were out of the gate just about the same time with Gasparrelli having a slight edge with an .045 reaction time to Thompson’s very close 0.048. But that was as much of a lead as Gasparrelli would get as he got out of shape and had to lift. Meanwhile, Thompson was long gone as he exactly matched his 5.62 qualifying time and MPH for the win.

Next, it was on to the semifinals where Thompson met Mickey Ferro. This time it was Thompson out first with an 0.029 reaction time to Ferro’s 0.032. Both cars ran straight down Broadway but at the stripe it was Ferro by a tenth as he stopped the clocks with a 5.60 at 257 MPH to Thompson’s 5.70 at 255 MPH. Thompson explained why the car slowed down "my car went into violent tire shake about 100 feet out, I drove thru it but slowed down because of it" Thompson said.

Thompson Looks for top ten finish in Pomona

Thompson has a good chance to end up in the top ten for the first time in his long career by passing Steve Gasparelli in the first round in Las Vegas. Thompson is currently ninth behind Brian Hough in the NHRA Top Alcohol Funny Car standings. Gasparelli is out of races to claim so a good outing this weekend in Pomona could put Thompson as low as eighth place in the final point standings.

Thompson Rolls the Dice in Vegas

Clint Thompson competed at this past weekend’s NHRA Las Vegas Nationals looking for some good luck as the season charges towards the finish line later this month. Thompson who had a great final round outing at his last national event appearance in Charlotte NC, was looking for more of the same in Sin City.

Thompson, started his weekend off well by qualifying third with a blistering 5.60 at 258 MPH. This set up a first round meeting with fellow Division 6 opponent John Evanchuk. At the light it was Evanchuk out first with an 0.049 reaction time to Thompson’s 0.065. Thompson got a little out of shape about 200 feet out which allowed Evanchuk to get the win light with a 5.65 at 251 MPH to Thompson’s 5.80 at 247 MPH.

Thompson will race at next weekend’s Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series event also being held in Vegas before moving on to Pomona CA for the Auto Club Finals.

 

 

It's No Laughing Matter in Bakersfield

Clint Thompson found the performance he was looking for at the California Hot Rod Reunion and qualified 8th for a very tough 16 car field in his "No Laughing Matter" Mustang nitro funny car. To describe the field as "tough" would be an understatement as over 37 nitro funny car teams from across the country came to Bakersfield to try and make the stout field. Thompson served notice to the other AA/FC teams that he's got the bugs worked out of his tune up and qualified the new Mustang in the top half of the field with a sizzling 5.87.

Unfortunately for Thompson, he hurt some parts and was unable to make the call in the first round of eliminations. As a result, Dale Van Gundy took Thompson's place in round one.

Thompson's Home Track Struggles Continue at Champion Raceway

One week ago in Charlotte, Clint Thompson proved once again he's a force to be reckoned with in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class as he went all the way to the final round and narrowly lost to the best in the business, NHRA Champion Frank Manzo. Thompson then traveled from coast to coast in order to make the final NHRA Division Six event of the year at Champion Raceway in Medford, OR, which is Thompson’s home track.

Over the years “home” hasn’t been too kind to Thompson in spite of winning multiple NHRA National and Divisional events in other states. But after such a great showing in North Carolina, Thompson as well as his hometown supporters in near by Klamath Falls believed his fortunes in Medford would turn in his favor. Unfortunately that wouldn't be the case this year.

Thompson, started things off in Medford by landing in the forth sport in qualifying with a 5.93 at 247 MPH. This set up a first round match up with Shane Westerfield of Lake Forest, CA. Westerfield qualified in the third position so he put Thompson in the left lane which is more prone to tire shake than the right lane. At the hit, it was Westerfield out first with an 0.065 light to Thompson’s 0.106. Both cars lost traction and were a little out of shape but were still side by side. By mid track, it was Westerfield who recovered first and went on to take the win light with an 6.03 at 235 MPH to Thompson’s 6.793 at 168 MPH.

The loss was a difficult one for Thompson who wants nothing more than to win in front of his home town friends and fans. Sadly, that win will have just have to wait another season.

Besides racing in the Top Alcohol Funny car class, Thompson treated the local fans to a little bit of nitro funny car action as he raced his "No Laughing Matter" Mustang against the "Red Dragon" Plymouth in a special exhibition match race.

 

Thompson Goes to Carolina Final

What a weekend for Clint Thompson and the Cascade Auto Group Racing team. Thompson, of Klamath Falls, Oregon, competing in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class, traveled all the way to the opposite end of the country to compete at the Third annual O’Reilly Auto Parts NHRA Nationals held in Charlotte, NC and nearly won the race but the reining World Champion Frank Manzo was just a few hundredths quicker and grabbed the win.

Thompson qualified third with a 5.61 at 258 MPH and started his march to the finals by first disposing of Tony Bogolo who went red. Still, Thompson cruised to a 5.59 at 257 MPH to advance to the second round where he would face Brent Henry of Breckenridge CO. At the hit, Henry was out of the gate first with a 0.023 to Thompson’s 0.125. Thompson didn't allow the discrepancy at the starting line to stop him from getting the win as he stopped the clocks with a stellar 5.58 at 258 MPH to Henry’s 5.88 at only 197 MPH.

In the Semifinals, the competition just got tougher as both Thompson and opponent John Bojec had identical 0.089 reaction times. But it was Thompson that would take the stripe with a 5.58 at 257 MPH to Bojec’s 5.62 at 255 MPH. Thompson’s win set up a showdown between the two best cars in the class, Frank Manzo and Thompson. At the starting line it was Thompson out first with an 0.049 to Manzo’s close 0.052. Sadly for Thompson, his starting line advantage wasn't enough as Manzo came from behind to score the victory. Manzo crossed the finish line with a 5.57 at 259 MPH to Thompson's valiant 5.58 at 256 MPH. Still, it was one dandy of a final and anyone's race to the end.

 

Cascade Auto Group Team Top Qualifier Again at Northwest Divisional Event

For the second Division 6 race in a row, Clint Thompson earned the top qualifying position in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class. This time the title was earned at the Pacific Raceway Division 6 Lucas Oil Series
event. a race that traditionally attracts some of the best cars on the entire west coast.

Thompson stopped the clocks in qualifying with a sizzling 5.62 at 257 MPH, which earned the Klamath Falls car dealer a bye in the first round. Still, Thompson made the best of it with an even better 5.59 at
258 MPH single.

In round two, the Cascade Auto Group team took on Division 7 invader Steve Gasparrelli. Sadly for Thompson it was all over at the hit as he went red. Gasparrelli had trouble of his own as he shook the tires and lifted but still got the win due to Thompson’s red light start.

The team moves on to the last Division 6 event of the year in Medford, September 25-26 at Champion Raceway.

 

Thompson Wins Big in Spokane while Smashing Track Record!

After focusing his efforts on his new nitro funny car the week before in Mission BC, Clint Thompson was back in the driver seat of his Cascade Auto Group Top Alcohol funny car at the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series Event in Spokane, July 30 - August 1st. The event billed as the “Northwest Thunderfest” attracted a good size crowd that also featured nitro funny cars and jets.

In qualifying, Thompson was on top of the field from the get go with a 5.83 at 250 MPH but officially sealed the deal in the final qualifying session by two tenths with a 5.61 at 254 MPH and smashed Spokane’s track record set by Brian Hough in the process! Since there were only four cars that qualified, the winner of the first round would go to the finals.

In round one, Thompson driving his Monte Carlo faced Jeff Ashwell driving the NAPA Auto Parts Mustang. Ashwell got off the line first with an 0.031 reaction time to Thompson’s 0.086. But that would be as much of a lead as Ashwell would get as Thompson blasted by him for the win with a 5.63 at 254 MPH to Ashwell’s 6.09 at 238 MPH.

In the final round, Thompson took on Brian Hough who managed to get a single in the first round when Ken Webster couldn’t answer the call. Thompson got out of the gate first with an 0.069 reaction time to Hough’s 0.111. At the stripe it was Thompson taking his first victory of the season with a 5.65 at 254 MPH to Hough’s 5.73 at 253 MPH.

 

 

Clint to Make His Nitro Funny Car Debut!

Clint Thompson makes his nostalgia nitro funny car debut debut in Mission BC at the NHRA National Open July 24-25.Thompson has tested the car once and won't have to do any additional licencing since NHRA allows a TAFC licence to be used in nostalgia nitro funny car competition.

Thompson looks forward to racing the nitro burning Mustang funny car. "The testing we did in Sacramento a few months back was promising and I think driving this car is going to be a blast. I have had a lot of fun days at Mission Raceway Park and am excited to be debuting the car at this event. We'll give it our best shot, we've got all the right parts and some good advice so maybe we'll get lucky" said Thompson.



"The car turned out beautiful, Thanks to all the guys who worked on it. We have a new crew guy this year in Dan Hix from Medford, Oregon. He has done a lot of work on this car to get it ready, also Bob Miner, Greg and Larry Miner for thier efforts to get it to the track for testing. We've been so busy running around the country racing the Alcohol car we just haven't had the right opportunity to get the Nitro car back out. We plan on running it at Boise in August and at Seattle the following weekend in addition to racing the Alky car for the LODRS race so we'll certainly be busy. My first funny car was an injected BBC deal we ran in the super pro and quick 8 brackets, it was a '77 Monza I called No Laughing Matter so I decided to bring back that name. The " Bubba's Toy" on the front is reminicent of my first bracket car, a '62 Chevy II which I named Bubbas Toy on the back because my younger brother Tyler, who was just two or three years old at the time was calling me " Bubba"

Clint's new car is appropriately called "No Laughing Matter" and was built by Randy Parker Race Shoppe, and powered by a Bob Miner MBR engine and topped with a Littlefield supercharger. In addition, the Mustang features a two speed B&J trans, Molinari Glide clutch, and a Strange engineering 10.5" rear end. The car was painted by "the Body Shop" at Cascade Auto Group. The lettering was applied by Don Tippett of Grants Pass, OR.

Clint Thompson Racing's Seattle Results

Like every team, especially those in the Top Alcohol ranks, the Northwest Nationals was a difficult race to get through by the time it was completed. Everyone’s thoughts are focused on the tragic accident that took the life of Mark Niver in the semi-final round. Clint Thompson Racing is saddened by the accident which took the life of one of the most respected racers in the sport. Clint Thompson Racing would we like to convey their deepest sympathy to the Niver family.

Here are Clint Thompson’s results from the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Kent WA. In qualifying, Thompson qualified his Top Alcohol Funny Car with a 6.08 which was good for the 13th position.

In the first round Thompson faced Steve Gasparrelli of West Covina CA. Thomson got off of the line first with an 0.058 reaction time to Gasparrelli’s 0.069. After struggling in qualifying, Thompson finally got his car back in the fives with a 5.75 at 244 MPH but it wasn’t enough to hold off Gasparrelli’s quicker 5.63 at 257 MPH.

The next stop for the team is the NHRA National Open in Mission BC July 24 & 25, then back to Lucas Oil action with the Top Alcohol car on July 30th thru August 1st in Spokane.

 

Thompson Runs Well in Norwalk

Clint Thompson made the long trip from his home base in Klamath Falls Oregon to Norwalk Ohio in search of another national event win in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class, this time at the Fourth annual Summit Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals.

Thompson qualified his Cascade Auto Group Monte Carlo in the middle of the pack with a 5.69 at 255 MPH for the eighth position. This set up a first round match up with Jason McKnight who qualified in the 9th spot. As it would turn out McKnight went up in smoke at the touch of the throttle while Thompson thundered to an impressive first round win and had one of the quickest runs of the first round with a sizzling 5.64 at 256 MPH, which was an improvement from his best qualifying time.

This would set up a second round marquee match up with the reining NHRA Champion Frank Manzo. Manzo shut down early but still won in the first round which gave Thompson lane choice in round two.

At the starting line it was Thompson out of the gate first with a great 0.023 reaction time to Manzo’s 0.040. It was a close race all the way down Broadway as Manzo scored low ET of the round but Thompson was right there with the second quickest pass of the round. Manzo got the victory with a 5.58 at 258 MPH while Thompson stopped the clocks with a respectable 5.66 at 255 MPH.

Looking forward to Seattle
With a two week break, Thompson’s team returns to the Pacific Northwest for the Northwest NHRA Nationals held at Pacific Raceways in Seattle. This year the Seattle race is actually two races in one as the conclusion of eliminations from the rained out Mission race will be contested during the second and third qualifying rounds at the nationals. Thompson has had some memorable moments at Pacific Raceways. “We have won the Northwest Nationals twice and once at the divisional race as well as a runner-up at the divisional last year, so Seattle is one of our favorites” Thompson said.

 

Cascade Team will Conclude Mission Race at Seattle National Event

Mission Canada - Rain was the big winner at the BC Nationals in Mission Canada. As a result, the Cascade Auto Group Racing team will have to wait as the remaining rounds for the Top Alcohol classes will be contested at the NHRA National event in Seattle. The race is scheduled for July 9-11. Thompson beat Rob Atchison in round one before the rain came.

Thompson Makes Final Round in Topeka

Topeka Kansas - After a semifinal finish in Las Vegas, Clint Thompson improved by going all the way to the final round in the Top Alcohol Funny Car class at the 22nd annual O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX. The great showing by his team made the tow all the way from Klamath Falls to Topeka very rewarding.

Thompson qualified his Cascade Auto Group entry in the middle of the pack with a 5.69 at 243 MPH. His first round opponent, Kirk Williams couldn’t make the call so Thompson made a solo run for the win. Still, Thompson made a nice pass as he recorded a 5.71 at 253 MPH.

In round two Thompson took on fellow west coast driver, Doug Gordon. At the hit it was Thompson out first with a great 0.019 reaction time to Gordon’s 0.045. Thompson never looked back as he took the stripe with a 5.66 at 252 MPH to advance to the semifinals. Gordon ran a very respectful 5.70 at 253 MPH but it wasn’t enough as Thompson recorded the quickest pass of the round.

In the Semifinal round, Thompson continued his winning ways as he took on California’s Steve Gasparrelli. At the start both drivers had good reaction times. Thompson cut down the tree with an 0.011 to Gasparrelli’s impressive 0.015. Once again, Thompson had the quicker ride and made it to the finish line first by stopping the clock with a 5.68 at 251 MPH. Gasparrelli wasn’t too far behind with a competitive 5.71 at 252 MPH.

Thompson’s final round opponent was none other than Jay Payne in the Fire Ice Mustang. Thompson once again relied on the tree for the winning edge and almost had a perfect light in his bid for the Summer Nationals title. His light was only 200th off but unfortunately on the red side which gave the win to Payne. Payne went on to record a 5.71 to Thompson’s 6.53.

Clint Thompson rebounded nicely in Las Vegas at the SummitRacing.com

Nationals and set the tone early in the first round of qualifying by taking the top position with a competitive 5.76 at 255 MPH. "I short shifted the car on the first pass, I figured if I had driven it correctly it would have been in the '.60's so we left the setup alone for the second qualifier" said Thompson. He proved his theory when the second pass produced a 5.67 et @ 255.92 mph that held on for the second spot in the 16 car field. "We tried to step on it for the last qualifier, to get the number one spot from Randy (Goodwin, tuner for number one qualifier Daniel Oliver)" Thompson continued, but the track didn't like our setup and we spun the tires.

Going into eliminations in the number two spot was a bright spot for the popular team from Oregon, "we've got our race car back and if feels good to be running with the top cars again. We struggled a lot over the past year and it is nice to be in the thick of the hunt" said Thompson.

In the first round, Thompson took on California racer Keeter Ray. At the hit Thompson leaves first and Keeter Ray’s Mustang was up in smoke at the launch. Thompson never looked back with low ET of theround and an even better pass than his number two qualifying run as he recorded an incredible a 5.66 at 254 MPH to advance to round two.

In the second round, Thompson faced fellow Miner Bros. Racing customer Steve Gasparrelli. Out of the gate, Gasparrelli got the advantage with a 0.044 reaction time to Thompson’s 0.054. Both cars were side by side down the race course but it was Thompson crossing the stripe first with a 5.68 at 254 MPH to
Gasparrelli’s close 5.70 at 255 MPH. "Every time Steve and I line up together it's a good race, that one was a little too close for comfort" quipped Thompson.

In the semi final round, Thompson raced Jay Payne driving the Fire Ice Mustang. At the line it was Thompson with the big advantage as he left first with an 0.051 reaction time to Payne’s 0.093. At the top end, it was Payne making up the difference for the win with a 5.69 at 254 MPH to Thompson’s valiant 5.81 at 251 MPH. "We lost lane choice to Jay in the second round and he put us in the less favorable right lane, the car launched hard but spun the tires about two hundred feet out. I pedaled it and tried to chase him down but came up short" commented Thompson

It was a tough loss, but over all it was a great weekend for the Clint Thompson and the Cascade Auto Group team as they ran consistently well all weekend. Thompson added "hopefully this signals a turning point for our performance. The car ran great this weekend, hopefully we can carry this momentum on to Topeka next month."

2010 Drag Racing Season is Here!
Thompson Opens Season at 50th Anniversary NHRA Winternationals

Oregon Top Alcohol Funny Car racer Clint Thompson began the 2010 drag racing season looking for a win at the 50th annual NHRA Winternationals. Thompson began the opening of qualifying with a solid 5.72 at 246 MPH run to qualify fifth. But by the end of qualifying Thompson found himself in the tenth position going in to the final eliminations.

In the first round, Thompson faced John Lombardo driving the NAPA car. At the green, Thompson’s car did not move off the starting line. Meanwhile, Lombardo ran into traction problems on the run before crossing the finish line and moving on to the next round.

Thompson explained the mechanical problem that ended his weekend
“ The top blower pulley bolts broke and the pulley came off right as I was revving the motor to stage. That was a bummer!” Thompson remarked.

The sport of drag racing is full of “what ifs” but rather than dwell on what might have happened Thompson will regroup and direct his energy on looking to win his first Northwest Division 6 NHRA championship this season.

Gremlins Continue to Strike at Home Track

Medford OR - Ever since the Lucas Oil NHRA divisional event has come to Clint Thompson’s home track, Champion Raceway in Medford Oregon, the gremlins would come out in force and give Thompson enough trouble to keep him out of the final round. The more the race had on the points implications the more problems the team would face or so it seemed. This year Thompson was determined to put the past behind him and do well at his home track. “This year we were more focused as the race is a must win in order to capture the Northwest Division Championship” Thompson said.

Thompson’s Cascade Auto Group team set up a day early to ensure the best possible advantage and to test a new engine with cylinder heads designed by Bob Miner. On the first test pass, Thompson banged the blower at about 150 feet as it was too lean. The team made the needed repairs and went out again. On the second pass he banged the blower again at about 1000 feet but managed to turn a respectable 5.87 on the new engine combination. “It almost made it to the finish line” Thompson joked. . “We were out to get a baseline tune-up and we improved on each run” Thompson explained, "it's showing signs of working good now so we'll run it for the rest of the weekend."

In Friday's second qualifying session, Thompson ran a 5.81 good for number two and it appeared that the gremlins had disappeared but the problems returned in third session. “We were going after the number one position since there was a bye run in the second round as there was only six cars. We tried to steal it but I shook the tires”

Going into the first round, Thompson faced Jason Rupert who was blocking for Canadian Ken Webster who had completed the maximum amount of allowable divisional races. At the hit it was Thompson out first with a 0.064 to Rupert’s 0.074 reaction time but just before half track Thompson began hazing the tires. That was all Rupert needed to ruin Thompson’s day. “I had him off the line and then by half track I smoked the tires. I peddled it for all I had. We are very disappointed. The team wanted this bad as the loss eliminated us from any chance at winning the division. I can’t seem to shake the gremlins here. I can’t remember the last time we got past the first round in Medford ” Thompson reasoned.

Thompson doesn’t stay down for long and before the day was over he was enjoying time with fans, friends and family that came out to see him and even did a TV news interview for the local CBS affiliate. “I had a lot of friends and family here from Klamath Falls and old high school friends from Grants Pass. We appreciate everyone's loyal support. The good news is that the new heads are obviously making more horespower. Our next two races are in Las Vegas where we can really use the power, so we're excited about that. We still have three races to go and can still achieve our goal of a top ten National finish” Thompson said with his familiar upbeat attitude. If Thompson has a say in the matter he'll have a top ten number on the side of his car in 2010.



Local Fans and friends Invited to checkout the action!
Thompson Looks to Do Well at Only Home Track Appearance of Year

Medford - Klamath Fall's Clint Thompson plans to bring the good luck he usually enjoys in Canada to his home track, Champion Raceway near Medford. Thompson, a local car dealer is a top competitor in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and is battling for the NHRA Northwest Division Championship in the Top Alcohol Funny Car division.

Thompson considers this weekend's NHRA event which begins on Friday as a must win race in order to stay alive in the points both in the region and nationally. "We are still in the hunt for the Northwest Division Championship, and a top ten national finish. So, we must win the Medford race to get it done" Thompson said. Last year, Thompson was in a similar situation but lost in the first round to California's Mike Gordon. This year, Thompson hopes to duplicate wins he's earned in Seattle and Mission BC where he has won three BC National titles in a row.

Along with the must-win drama that will unfold for Thompson this weekend, the race is the only opportunity for local race fans to see the car in action as the Cascade Auto Group team races exclusively on the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series circuit which stops in Medford once a year. The team races all over the west coast and even in the midwest so the Medford stop in the Fall is one they look forward to all season. "The whole team is excited about racing at home in Medford and we are ready for the challenge" Thompson said while getting his car ready for the event.

Thompson Invites Local Race Fans

Thompson invites all of his fans and friends from Klamath Falls and Southern Oregon to come out and experience the excitement of his 250 MPH Funny car rocket down the quartermile dragstrip in five seconds. Every ticket is a pit pass so friends and fans can join the Thompson's team in the pits right next to where the car is serviced between runs.

Qualifying begins on Friday with eliminations taking place on Saturday. Champion Raceway is located on the Lake of the Woods Highway just two miles east of White City. Tickets are available at the gate.

Thompson Improves in Montana

Acton Montana - On the way back home from the NHRA national event in Brainerd, the Cascade Auto Group Racing Team stopped in Acton Montana for an NHRA Divisional event. Driver Clint Thompson, was looking to do well at the Division Six race held just outside Billings. In qualifying, Thompson qualified fifth with a 5.98 at 243 MPH and faced the likes of Oregon rival Brian Hough who was also fresh from Brainerd and qualified fourth with a 5.94 at 242 MPH.

This was clearly a race that Thompson wanted bad and it showed at the starting line as he was off the line first with a great 0.010 reaction time to Hough’s slower 0.120. At sixty feet out Hough slowed when his car developed engine problems. Thompson in the other lane sailed through the lights with a 5.94 at 242 MPH to take the win and advance to the semifinals. But first, the team would have some thrashing to do in the pits as Thompson suffered some engine problems of his own at the top end.

In the semis, Thompson faced California’s Sean O’Bannon. At the hit, Thompson got off the line first with a 0.096 reaction time to O’Bannon’s 0.118. Thompson had the lead early with O’Bannon quickly closing in at mid track. At the stripe it was O’Bannon who squeaked by and got the win light with a 5.79 at 248 MPH to Thompson’s valiant 5.85 at 245 MPH. It was a close race as the team showed a lot of heart and improvement since mid season. Now, the Cascade Auto Group team has some momentum going into the last few races of the year.

Clint Thompson Battles Familiar Field In Midwest

Brainerd - For the second year in a row Clint Thompson traveled all the way to Brainerd Minnesota from his home in the Pacific Northwest for the 28th annual Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals. Even though it was a long tow, Thomspon’s Cascade Auto Group team still found themselves in familiar surroundings as not only was there a rain delay reminiscent of home, four of the fourteen cars in the field often compete against the Cascade Auto Group team at Northwest divisional events, and all of them landed in the top half of the field. This included Thompson, who qualified seventh with a fine 5.78 at 248 MPH.

In the first round. Thompson raced against Brian Thiel of Pleasant Grove CA. Thiel has also been racing in the Northwest Division most of the season. At the light Thiel had the starting line advantage with a 0.023 to Thompson’s 0.092. Thompson then began suffering tire shake but valiantly tried to get around Thiel at the top end of the track. At the finish line it was Thiel with a 5.78 at 249 MPH to take the win. Thompson was right there with a 5.87 at 250 MPH but it wasn’t enough to get past Thiel.

The Cascade Auto Group team now heads to Acton Montana just outside Billings for an NHRA Northwest Division event.

Past Seattle Champ Goes Out Early in Seattle

Seattle - For Northwest racers one of the most anticipated events on the drag racing schedule has to be the NHRA Northwest Nationals as no other track in the northwest corner of the country hosts an NHRA Full Throttle Series national event. This is the big one where local talent in all sportsman classes are showcased to the rest of the country. But for the competitive Clint Thompson, the Seattle race is where he always runs his best having won this event twice in both 2005 and 2007 behind the wheel of the Cascade Auto Group Top Alcohol Funny Car.

Thompson made his bid to win number three by qualifying deep in a field made up of both west coast and Canadian contenders. When qualifying was complete, Thompson ended up as the number eleven qualifier with a solid 5.70 at 253 MPH. This would set up a first round showdown with Division Six rival Brian Hough of Junction City, Oregon. “We’re a little off of where the fast guys are running so we need to see what we can do to get the car to run a little quicker” said the popular Klamath Falls racer while studying the qualifying data inside his trailer prior to the first round.

Indeed, a lot was riding on this first round match up as both drivers badly wanted a win in Seattle. At the light, Thompson two stepped it and was off the line too early and red lit. Adding insult to injury the two step on the throttle caused the car to smoke the tires. Like any racer, Thompson was disappointed but realized that there is plenty of races left in the season. “That’s drag racing and you need to remind yourself that there’s always another race. We’re going on to Brainerd in few weeks so not to worry as we’ll have another shot at a Wally there” Thompson reasoned.

Thompson will forgo the Lucas Oil divisional event in Sonoma and will head to the Lucas Oil Nationals in Brainard, August 13-16 followed by a division stop in Acton Montana on August 21-23.


Thompson Quickly Rebounds in Seattle

For the first time ever, the NHRA hosted back-to-back divisional races in Spokane and Seattle respectively. In Spokane, at the newly renovated Spokane County Raceway, Clint Thompson qualified his Cascade Chevrolet Monte Carlo fourth with a 5.83 at 246 MPH. In the first round Thompson took on upset minded Trevor Lebsack of Canada. Sadly for Thompson, his car broke on the burnout which handed the win over to Lebsack who crossed the finishline with an off pace 6.37.

After the first round loss in Spokane, it was off to Seattle for the second NHRA Division Six event in as many weeks at Pacific Raceways. In the first qualifying stanza Thompson served notice that his problems in Spokane were behind him as he qualified second for the round with a solid 5.66 at 254 MPH. In the final qualifying session, Thompson dropped to fifth going into the first round of eliminations made up of both California and Northwest cars.

In the first round, Thompson took on Brian Thiel of California who is racing both an alcohol car and a nitro funny car part time on the Full Throttle circuit. At the light, Thiel was off the line a little to early handing the win automatically to Thompson who experienced problems of his own as he would have to idle the car to the finishline, but would still advance to the semifinal round.

In the semis, Thompson faced Ken Webster. At the hit Thompson was out first with a 0.050 reaction time to Webster’s slower 0.110. At the stripe it’s Thompson with a big holeshot win. Thompson stopped the clocks with a 5.71 at 251 MPH to Webster’s quicker but losing 5.66 at 254 MPH.

In the finals it was down to both Thompson of Klamath Falls and California racer Steve Gasparrelli. At the light, Thompson was once again out of the gate first with an 0.052 to Gasparrelli’s 0.086. But even with the slightly slower reaction time, Gasparrelli was able to hold on for the win with a 5.58 at 257 MPH to Thompson’s close 5.66 at 254 MPH to take the runner up honors in Seattle.


Cascade Team Meets West Coast Rival in Topeka

Coming off a semifinal finish in Canada, Clint Thompson was determined to go one round farther in Topeka for the 21st annual O’Reilly NHRA Summer Nationals presented by Castrol GTX.

With more than a full field of alcohol funny cars in attendance, it would be a challenge just to get into the show and it wasn’t until the final qualifying round before Thompson was able to bump into the difficult sixteen car field with a 5.74 at 249 MPH.

"We dropped a valve about 1.5 seconds into the first run which banged the blower" said Thompson. "That put us into a thrash as we didn't have a lot of time between runs on Friday, we replaced the cylinder head and a piston and went up for the second qualifier only to have another issue that time. The car didn't sound right when I backed up from the burnout and I knew it was hurt so I shut it off. That put us in a corner with just one run to go. The weather was really hot and so the tune up was a bit tricky, I just set it up sorta soft so it would make it down the track and we got in" Thompson explained.

In the first round, Thompson faced California rival Sean O’Bannon, whom Thompson saw a lot of in 2008. At the hit, Thompson stabbed the throttle first with a good 0.043 light. O’Bannon was right behind with a 0.051 light. At the stripe the winner was O’Bannon with a slightly better 5.70 at 255 to Thompson’s very close 5.76 at 251 MPH. "For first round, I knew Sean would be tough so we tuned it up a bit, but the temperature got much hotter as did the track, at the last minute, I detuned the motor some to be on the safe side and was just a little off as Sean managed a .'70 flat to my .'76. I thought I had him covered as I didn't see him unitil about 1000 feet. I got a little better light than him and almost pulled off a holeshot win." Thompson said.

It was a very close race and a good outing for the Cascade Auto Group team but it just wasn’t enough to get the first round win. The team will regroup and come out swinging at their next planned event, the Lucas Oil Series division race at the new Spokane Raceway June 13 and 14, then on to Pacific Raceways in Seattle, June 19-21.

Thompson Falls Short of Winning Four Consecutive Lordco Auto Parts BC National Titles

Mission Canada, May 22-24 - Clint Thompson’s Blue Cascade Chevrolet funny car has been a familiar site in the Lordco Auto Parts BC Nationals Winner’s Circle for the last three years. And instead of being content with three in a row, the Klamath Falls Oregon racer wanted to make it four in a row. With the odds of coming out on top were just as good as before, Thompson went into qualifying with the confidence knowing he could win it all on Sunday.

With only seven funny cars on the Mission Raceway Park grounds, qualifying wasn’t as difficult as it has been at some of the events already held in Division Seven. By the end of the final qualifying session, Thompson had qualified third with a 5.70.8 at 253 MPH.

In the first round of eliminations, Thompson faced popular Chilliwack BC racer Tim Nemeth, who was hoping to win a round in front of the home crowd. Nemeth tried to make it a good race as he got off the line first but by 300 feet Thompson caught up and drove around him. By half track Nemeth banged the blower and that was all she wrote as Thompson easily took the win with a respectable 5.64 at 254 MPH to Nemeth’s slowing 7.28.

In the second round Thompson took on yet another tough Canadian racer, John Evanchuk, of Edmonton. Evanchuk qualified second just ahead of Thompson with a 5.70.6 to Thompson’s 5.70.8. So, on paper this was anyone’s race. At the hit Evanchuk was out of the hole first with a 0.058 reaction time to Thompson’s 0.144. Thompson was in hot pursuit of Evanchuk but at the stripe Evanchuk was able to hold on to beat Thompson who lost the race in a squeaker. Thompson, recorded a 5.63 at 256 MPH to Evanchuk’s winning 5.69 at 252 MPH.

Thompson and his dedicated team will now head east to the Midwest and race at the O'Reilly Summer Nationals scheduled for May 29-May 31 in Topeka Kansas.

Thompson Displays Solid Effort in Vegas

Las Vegas - Clint Thompson took his blue Cascade Auto Group Chevrolet Monte Carlo to Las Vegas for the Tenth annual NHRA SummitRacing.com Nationals. Thompson qualified in the middle of the pack with a solid 5.72 at 251 MPH to grab the seventh spot.

In the first round Thompson faced California racer Doug Gordon who’s always a tough customer and had got in the show with a respectable 5.74. So, on paper this race was a toss up. At the light it was Thompson out first with an 0.026 reaction time to Gordon’s 0.044. At the stripe it was Thompson by less than a nose in an exciting side by side race. Thompson ran a 5.64 at 252 MPH to get the holeshot win. Gordon meanwhile had a slightly better 5.63 at 256 MPH but the slower reaction time put him on the trailer.

In the second round, Thompson would face the man he battled all last season in the points, Sean O’Bannon. At the starting line OBannon got out first with an 0.036 reaction time to Thompson’s 0.058. Down track Thompson moved around a little bit and that was all it took for OBannon to get the win light with a 5.68 at 253 MPH to Thompson’s slightly slower 5.70 at 251 MPH. The race was a valiant effort for the Klamath Falls team but just wasn't enough to get around O'Bannon.

Over all, Thompson had a solid effort and the Vegas outing will give the team some momentum going into the Mission race where they hope to win for the fourth straight year.

 

New Photo Page from the 2008 Season Click Here

Fairwell to Vic Miller Vic Miller won't be racing with us in 2009 as the long trips away from home necessitated that he spend more time with his family. We appreciate Vic's dedication to getting it done between rounds and those long nights getting the car ready for battle on Sunday. He will be missed! Clint, Danette, Tyler and Kelly

Get in the Winner's Circle...Advertise with Clint
Thompson Racing During the 2009 Season


Klamath Falls - After a great year with Dutch Bros, that included a celebrated national event victory, Thompson Racing and the popular west coast coffee chain parted ways due to the current economic climate and change in strategy. "While we are disappointed that Dutch Bros opted to go a different direction, we are hopeful that they may pick up where they left off at some point in the future" said team owner Clint Thompson.

While the economy was sited as the reason, sponsoring a professional race team such as Thompson's 250 MPH Monte Carlo makes good business sense as marketing packages come in a number reasonable price ranges and include a number of amenities including pit-side hospitality for company associates and clients, collector cards, t-shirts, website advertising, on site point of sale displays, and of course signage on the race car seen at the track and nationally on ESPN. It's a complete multi-facet advertising package.

Like NASCAR, drag racing fans are very loyal and buy products endorsed by popular drivers like Clint Thompson, but the cost of advertising is a much better value than the cost of sponsoring a NASCAR team, with the unlimited pit access at NHRA events being a big advantage over other motorsports. For direct answers on how we can help generate sales and positive PR for your business Contact us for additional information.

Thompson Makes The Cut at Phoenix

Phoenix (February 28 - March 1) Clint Thompson went deep in the desert looking to grab a win at the Division Seven opener at Firebird International Raceway in Phoenix . With over 16 cars looking to get into a stout 8 car field, half of the cars would not qualify to race on Sunday. Fortunately, Clint Thompson and his Cascade Auto Group Monte Carlo got into the show with a great initial pass as he blasted to a 5.74 at 252 MPH to qualify 6th. Then in the final qualifying session Thompson improved to a 5.72 at 252 MPH to move up to forth. By the end of the session after more funny cars made qualifying runs, Thompson got bumped down to the sixth position.

In the first round it was Oregon vs. New York, as Thompson who reins from Klamath Falls, Oregon faced Tony Bartone from Long Island, New York. At the line, Thompson drilled the recent Winternationals champ with an 0.075 reaction time to Bartone’s 0.119. Unfortunately for Thompson, his lead didn’t last long as tire smoke set in at about 60 feet. Meanwhile, Bartone sailed by and got the win with a 5.70 to advance to the next round of competition.

"We were struggling all weekend with a fuel system issue that was preventing us from making maximum power. After finally finding and correcting the problem Sunday morning before first round, we were then at the mercy of luck as our tuning around the problem had us a little messed up on our clutch setup. The end result was obvious, after fixing the fuel system and getting our power back, the clutch was too aggressive and we just smoked the tires at the hit. The good news is we've got our Miner Bros. power back and we're off to an excellent track next in Las Vegas. Just a little adjustment to the clutch and we should be back on track"

Thompson Lasts Until Quarter Finals at Pomona

The Winternationals certainly lived up to their name as cold wintry weather extended the race from a long weekend to a week long marathon. For Clint Thompson, the race‘s location is just a day long tow, all for the chance at winning one of drag racing’s biggest and most prestigious events. Thompson was in it to win it so waiting out the rain was well worth the chance of getting a shot at the winner’s circle and nothing new, living in the Northwest.

With all of the intermittent rain, most classes got only one chance to qualify. Fortunately, Thompson qualified on the provisional pole with a great 5.63 at 253 MPH. By the end of the session Thompson ended up in the number two position just behind Frank Manzo. In the first round, Thompson was to face Daniel Oliver driving Randy Goodwin’s popular machine. But Oliver was a no show. This gave Thompson the unusual chance to test in National event competition. Unfortunately he was too aggressive and the tires went up in smoke immediately so he coasted down track for the win.

In the second round, Thompson had a meeting with California regular Doug Gordon. Gordon got off the line first and never surrendered the lead. By the finish line, Gordon gained a tenth over Thomson and recorded a career best 5.51 at 261 MPH, to Thompson’s 5.61 at 254 MPH, which wrapped up the week long affair for the Cascade Auto Group team.

Next the team travels to sunny Phoenix Arizona for the Division Seven Lucas Oil Drag Race event Feb 27 - Mar 1 to start the divisional points series.

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