(Morrison CO) Clint Thompson of Klamath Falls, Oregon ran a string of 5.78 ET's to win the CARSTAR Auto Body Thunder on the Mountain Top Alcohol Funny Car title at Bandimere Speedway near Denver.
Thompson qualified in the number 2 position with a 5.77 at 248 MPH. This set up a first round meeting with no. 7 qualifier Lance Van Hauen. At the hit, Van Hauen got out of the box first but Thompson flew by him taking the win with a 5.78 at 247 MPH to Van Hauen's 6.03.
In the semi-finals, Thompson took on Steve Griboski. Both drivers were a little late getting off the starting line but it was Griboski with the slight advantage. It would be a close race to the finish as Thompson took the stripe with another impressive 5.78 at 249 to Griboski’s respectable 5.97 at 241 MPH.
The final round would prove to be a classic as Thompson faced Annie Whiteley. As the lights came down, Thompson was off the starting line first with an 0.070 to Whiteley’s 0.087. From there it was a beautiful side by side race to the finish with Thompson crossing the stripe first with just a five foot lead. Thompson recorded yet another 5.78 at 248 MPH to Whiteley’s identical 5.78 at 248 MPH. This was a race clearly won at the starting line and Team Thompson’s first big win of the season.
Next the team heads to Yellowstone Drag Strip in Acton Montana for the next Lucas Oil Series regional event, the site of Thompson's first ever NHRA win, on their way to Route 66 Raceway in Joliet Illinois to compete in the Jeg's Allstars race the following weekend.
Thompson qualified in the number 2 position with a 5.77 at 248 MPH. This set up a first round meeting with no. 7 qualifier Lance Van Hauen. At the hit, Van Hauen got out of the box first but Thompson flew by him taking the win with a 5.78 at 247 MPH to Van Hauen's 6.03.
In the semi-finals, Thompson took on Steve Griboski. Both drivers were a little late getting off the starting line but it was Griboski with the slight advantage. It would be a close race to the finish as Thompson took the stripe with another impressive 5.78 at 249 to Griboski’s respectable 5.97 at 241 MPH.
The final round would prove to be a classic as Thompson faced Annie Whiteley. As the lights came down, Thompson was off the starting line first with an 0.070 to Whiteley’s 0.087. From there it was a beautiful side by side race to the finish with Thompson crossing the stripe first with just a five foot lead. Thompson recorded yet another 5.78 at 248 MPH to Whiteley’s identical 5.78 at 248 MPH. This was a race clearly won at the starting line and Team Thompson’s first big win of the season.
Next the team heads to Yellowstone Drag Strip in Acton Montana for the next Lucas Oil Series regional event, the site of Thompson's first ever NHRA win, on their way to Route 66 Raceway in Joliet Illinois to compete in the Jeg's Allstars race the following weekend.
