Thomas V. Thompson was born in Nyack, New York on 16 January 1943. Known to all as Tommy, he had a dream: to become the first black man to compete in the Indy 500. That was a goal that had escaped his predecessors, such as Wesley Scott and Benny Scott, and that then seemed unattainable to the other black drivers of Thompson's generation, as Willy Ribbs.
Enthused by the civil liberty movement of the 1960s, Wesley Scott pioneered the arrival of a group of black drivers that attempted to break into the American racing scene. In 1973 Benny Scott built upon Wesley's steps and, with the backing of the cigarette brand Viceroy, established the Black American Racers (BAR) team, whose name perfectly capture his vision. The two conquered significant space and recognition for black racing professionals, but the presence of one of them among the Indy 500 competitors remained elusive.
Thompson, a bachelor living in New York City, worked at the AT&T offices in his hometown. He could not afford to embark in a full-time racing career, thus to him racing was a weekend affair. In spite of that he attracted the interested of BAR, that entered him into the 1978 season of the USAC Mini-Indy Super Vee Championship.
Although Tommy did have BAR support, he did most of the work on the car himself. Aboard his number 50 Lola T620 he obtained one seventh, two eighths and two ninth places in the first five rounds of the series. Those were good results, particularly considering the fact that Thompson had trouble during the qualifying sessions and often started from the back of the grid.
Sadly Thompson's dream would be curtailed in the last round of the season - the USAC Mini-Indy 100 K., held at the Trenton International Speedway in New Jersey on Saturday, 23 September 1978. Once again Thompson had trouble during qualifying, and was forced to start the event in twenty-eighth and last place.
Thompson drove a great race, coming all the way from last to eighth place. Then, on the final lap, Nancy James' car lost power coming off Turn 4 and Thompson collected the back of John Barringer's car when both were taking evasive action to avoid James. Thompson's Lola rode over the wheels of the other car and was launched over the wall, flipping in the air and landing upside-down in the bleacher seats. Gravely injured, he was immediately taken to a hospital in Trenton, where he passed away five days later without regaining consciousness. Tommy Thompson was thirty-five years old.
R.I.P
Enthused by the civil liberty movement of the 1960s, Wesley Scott pioneered the arrival of a group of black drivers that attempted to break into the American racing scene. In 1973 Benny Scott built upon Wesley's steps and, with the backing of the cigarette brand Viceroy, established the Black American Racers (BAR) team, whose name perfectly capture his vision. The two conquered significant space and recognition for black racing professionals, but the presence of one of them among the Indy 500 competitors remained elusive.
Thompson, a bachelor living in New York City, worked at the AT&T offices in his hometown. He could not afford to embark in a full-time racing career, thus to him racing was a weekend affair. In spite of that he attracted the interested of BAR, that entered him into the 1978 season of the USAC Mini-Indy Super Vee Championship.
Although Tommy did have BAR support, he did most of the work on the car himself. Aboard his number 50 Lola T620 he obtained one seventh, two eighths and two ninth places in the first five rounds of the series. Those were good results, particularly considering the fact that Thompson had trouble during the qualifying sessions and often started from the back of the grid.
Sadly Thompson's dream would be curtailed in the last round of the season - the USAC Mini-Indy 100 K., held at the Trenton International Speedway in New Jersey on Saturday, 23 September 1978. Once again Thompson had trouble during qualifying, and was forced to start the event in twenty-eighth and last place.
Thompson drove a great race, coming all the way from last to eighth place. Then, on the final lap, Nancy James' car lost power coming off Turn 4 and Thompson collected the back of John Barringer's car when both were taking evasive action to avoid James. Thompson's Lola rode over the wheels of the other car and was launched over the wall, flipping in the air and landing upside-down in the bleacher seats. Gravely injured, he was immediately taken to a hospital in Trenton, where he passed away five days later without regaining consciousness. Tommy Thompson was thirty-five years old.
R.I.P
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