JEROME, IDAHO (October 21, 2011) Brett Thompson, driver of the RTTI/Jerome Truck Service Inc. Chevrolet, left the NASCAR K&N Pro Series Toyota/NAPA Auto Parts "150" at All American Speedway (Roseville, CA) this past weekend thinking what could have been. After clawing his way back through the field to the fifth position after an earlier race incident, his top five hopes were dashed on the final lap.
Thompson would start the 150-lap event from the 16th position making the task of a solid finish difficult as the furthest back any previous winner has come from was the 15th position. Within the first ten laps his task was made all the more difficult after he was tapped from behind and sent spinning.
The resulting spin left Thompson at the tail of the field, and on a tight and tricky 1/3-mile oval it can be difficult to stay on the lead lap when the leaders are clicking off 14-second laps times. Thompson made his way back to just outside the top ten before he was lapped by the leader just past lap 100.
A couple of laps later the caution came out allowing Thompson to get back on the lead where he climbed up to the sixth position, but his ascent was short lived as one of the rookies in the field spun right in front of his Chevrolet leaving no where for Thompson to guide his car. The result left the front of his RTTI sponsored car heavily damaged but the radiator was intact. That was the good news.
The bad news was the contact closed up the grill opening and blocked the air from cooling his engine. Over the final 40 laps, Thompson watched the water temperature climb, but his power plant held strong. As the field made its way to the final couple of laps, Thompson had great optimism that he could salvage a top ten and quite possibly a top five finish after battling with Chad Boat for the spot.
His hopes quickly turned to disappointment after a caution slowed the field and set up a green/white/checkered finish. The additional three laps was the boiling point as he lost power on the white flag lap and limped across the finish line in the 12th position.
""I think we were lucky to finish 12th," Thompson said after the race. "I don't know how that thing stayed together that long but the finish kind of sealed the deal. These short tracks are tough and not qualifying well kind of hurt but we were able to battle back and looked to have a solid finish in our sights. Oh well, on to Phoenix."
Thompson will attempt to close out the season just like he started and that would be a top five finish at Phoenix Int'l Raceway November 12. Thompson's best Phoenix finish in 16 previous starts is a pair of fourth place finishes (04, 08) to go along with his fifth place effort to open the 2011 season. "Racing at Phoenix is great for the series," Thompson stated. "Phoenix is a very popular track for fans and to be part of a big racing weekend to close out the year will be great. The K&N Pro Series continues to get better and I know the fans will see a great show."
Thompson also plans to compete in the big Fall Classic Open Comp Late Model Show at the Bullring at Las Vegas next month. "I really like driving in the Late Model's and if we get our motor back in time we plan to be there."
Thompson has averaged a finish of 10.8 while completing 96% of all laps contested and has been running at the conclusion at twelve of the 13 races this season. Thompson is fighting for a top five finish in the point standings where he is currently in sixth place just 29-points out of fifth place heading into the final race of the season at Phoenix next month. In his eleven year NASCAR K&N Pro Series career, Thompson has started 112 NKNPS races since 2000 scoring one win, one Coors Light Pole Award, 23 top five and 63 top ten performances. His best points finish was fifth in 2009.
Thompson Motorsports is a premier racing organization based in Jerome, Idaho providing complete race car preparation and fabrication supporting the local grassroots racer and experienced professional driver. TMS prepares and fields race vehicles in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series, CarbonX Rocky Mountain Challenge Series, Intermountain Pro Truck Series, and entries at local area short tracks. TMS has corporate partnerships with Rich Thompson Trucking Inc. (RTTI), Jerome Truck Service Inc., Eibach Springs, Schroeder Torsion Bars, United Oil, Speedbear Fasteners, and Hagerman Valley Spring Water. For all the latest news and information about Brett Thompson and Thompson Motorsports, log onto www.brettthompsonracing.com or NASCAR Hometracks.
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