Alfred "Speedy" Thompson | |||||||
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![]() Speedy Thompson is adoring his fans after winning the 1960 National 400 in Charlotte | |||||||
Born | Monroe, North Carolina, U.S. | April 3, 1926||||||
Died | April 2, 1972 Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S. | (aged 45)||||||
Cause of death | Heart attack resulting in racing crash | ||||||
Achievements | 1957 Southern 500 Winner | ||||||
Awards | Inducted in the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame and Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame | ||||||
NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
197 races run over 14 years | |||||||
Best finish | 3rd (1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959) | ||||||
First race | 1950 Vernon Fairgrounds race | ||||||
Last race | 1971 World 600 (Charlotte) | ||||||
First win | 1953 Central City Speedway race | ||||||
Last win | 1960 Capital City 200 (Richmond) | ||||||
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Alfred Bruce "Speedy" Thompson (April 3, 1926, in Monroe, North Carolina – April 2, 1972, in Charlotte, North Carolina) was an American stock car racer in the NASCAR Grand National series from 1950 to 1971, capturing 20 wins along the way.
Racing career
[edit]He made his debut in 1950 and won two of the seven races he competed in 1953 in the #46 Buckshot Morris Oldsmobile (including the 1953 Wilkes 160). Thompson made 15 starts in 1955 and made a serious attack on the Championship the next year, competing in 42 races in Carl Kiekhaefer's factory-backed Chryslers and Dodges, winning eight times and finishing third in points. 1957 saw a switch to Hugh Babb's and his own Chevrolet's and another third-place result, capturing only two victories that year. Speedy drove his own Chevy for the entire 1958 season, and another third place was the reward for his four victories in 38 starts.
In 1957, he set the 500-mile speed record for stock cars with an average speed of 100.1 mph.[1] This record was quickly broken by other drivers and by Speedy himself. In 1959 he became a charter member of the "Pure Record Club" along with Fireball Roberts, Elmo Langley, and Richard Petty who set the fastest qualifying speed in each make of automobile competing.[2]
Another third place in points came in 1959 from 29 starts in a variety of different cars, this time with no wins. 1959 would be his last full-time effort in the series (participating in 24 different racing events including the 1959 Hickory 250) and he left Grand National after the 1962 season, choosing to race at late models at local North Carolina short tracks. He returned to NASCAR's top series, then called the Winston Cup, in 1971 for the World 600 where he finished 16th.
Death
[edit]During a late model race on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972, at Metrolina Fairgrounds in Charlotte, Thompson had a seizure on the 21st lap, causing him to crash into a rail. He was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, one day before his 46th birthday.[3][4] The medical examiner said that he died of natural causes, an acute coronary occlusion.
Awards
[edit]He was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association's Hall of Fame and the Georgia Automobile Racing Hall of Fame.
Motorsports career results
[edit]NASCAR
[edit](key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)
Grand National Series
[edit]Daytona 500
[edit]Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
---|---|---|---|---|
1959 | Steve Pierce | Chevrolet | 31 | 10 |
1960 | Matthews Racing | Ford | 17 | 62 |
1962 | Holman-Moody | Ford | 33 | 17 |
Convertible Division
[edit]NASCAR Convertible Division results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Year | Team | No. | Make | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | NCC | Pts | Ref | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1959 | Bruce Thompson | 2 | Chevy | DAY | FAY | RCH | HCY | MRL | CLT | HBO | DAR | CLB | AWS | BGS | MAR | CLB 5 |
GPS | CLT | 69th | 168 | [19] |
References
[edit]- ^ "18 Jul 1958, 6 - The Ruston Daily Leader at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "Baker Tops Petty By 10 - Statesville Record And Landmark at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. 18 Aug 1960. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "3 Apr 1972, 2 - The Odessa American at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "4 Apr 1972, Page 7 - Florence Morning News at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1950 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1951 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1952 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1953 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1954 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1955 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1956 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1957 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1958 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1959 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1960 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1962 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1971 NASCAR Grand National Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
- ^ "Speedy Thompson – 1959 NASCAR Convertible Series Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
External links
[edit]- Racer Profile: Speedy Thompson at InsiderRacingNews.com
- Speedy Thompson driver statistics at Racing-Reference
- Speedy Thompson at Find a Grave
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