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Mark Thompson (racing driver)

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Mark Thompson
Nationality American
Born (1951-07-09) July 9, 1951 (age 73)
Cartersville, Georgia
ARCA Racing Series career
Debut season1991
Current teamKen Schrader Racing
Car number11, 66
Crew chiefDon Hoffman[1]
Former teamsHenley Gray, Mike Brandt, Jack Bowsher, Billy Gerhart, Russ Roulo, Venturini Motorsports, Turner Scott Motorsports
Starts93
Wins2
Poles4
Best finish3rd in 1997
Finished last season72nd (2015)
NASCAR Cup Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish90th (1992)
First race1992 Champion Spark Plug 500 (Pocono)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
2 races run over 2 years
Car no., teamNo. 13 (MBM Motorsports)
2016 position74th
Best finish73rd (2015)
First race2015 Winn-Dixie 300 (Talladega)
Last race2016 Subway Firecracker 250 (Daytona)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of July 1, 2016.

Mark Thompson (born July 9, 1951) is an American professional stock car racing driver, pilot, and businessman.

Military career and Phoenix Air

The Phoenix Air-sponsored No. 40 car, driven by Carl Long

Thompson enlisted in the United States Air Force as a warrant officer, flying helicopters in the Vietnam War. Late in the 1970s, Thompson founded Phoenix Air as a parachuting school,[2] which later evolved into an air transport company with ties to fifteen U.S. and foreign government agencies, carrying government workers who had been infected with diseases, including Americans who had contracted the Ebola virus disease from Liberia to the U.S.[3] Phoenix Air also provides tactical electronic warfare training services to the Air Force, the Air National Guard and the Navy.[4]

Phoenix Air currently sponsors MBM Motorsports' Nos. 13 and 40 cars in the Xfinity Series. In 2016, Phoenix served as a primary sponsor for MBM drivers Thompson, Carl Long and Timmy Hill.[5][6][7]

Racing career

ARCA Racing Series

During qualifying for the season-opening Lucas Oil 200 in 2015, Thompson became the oldest pole-sitter in Daytona International Speedway history after recording a lap speed of 187.336 miles per hour (301.488 km/h)[8] for his first pole in 18 years.[9]

NASCAR

In 1993 and 1994, Thompson made three NASCAR Winston Cup Series attempts with Henley Gray, driving the No. 62 and No. 86, respectively. He failed to qualify in his first attempt at Darlington Raceway, but made the second race at Pocono Raceway after qualifying 38th. However, after eight laps, he retired from the race due to an engine failure, and finished 39th.[10] In 1993, Thompson failed to qualify for the Pepsi 400 after not making an attempt.[11] The next year, he joined Mike Brandt in the No. 66 Ford, but withdrew from the Daytona 500.[12]

In 2015, Thompson made his Xfinity Series debut in the Winn-Dixie 300 at Talladega Superspeedway, driving the No. 13 for MBM Motorsports, and qualified 31st,[13] while finishing 27th, two laps down.[14]

Personal life

Thompson's brother, Dent, was a writer at Walt Disney World until 1983, when he joined his brother at Phoenix Air; Dent currently works as Phoenix Air's COO.[2]

Thompson holds an ATP license and has five type ratings.[2]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series

Xfinity Series

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

  1. ^ "2015 ARCA RACING TEAM CHART". The Pit Lane. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c Youngblood, Cindy. "Phoenix Air does charter work others fear to touch". Professional Pilot. Retrieved May 2, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  3. ^ "Phoenix Air Group Group Makes Name For Itself As Primary Air Transport For Those Exposed To Or Carrying Contagious Diseases". Aviation Pros. October 9, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  4. ^ Radebaugh, Don (March 31, 2015). "Talladega open testing Wednesday, Live timing & scoring, live chat at ARCAracing.com". ARCA Racing Series. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  5. ^ "2016 Sparks Energy 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  6. ^ "2016 Subway Firecracker 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  7. ^ "2016 VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  8. ^ "Mark Thompson, 63, sets record with ARCA pole for Toyota". Autoweek. February 14, 2015. Retrieved April 29, 2015.
  9. ^ Bonkowski, Jerry (February 13, 2015). "ARCA veteran Mark Thompson, 63, becomes oldest pole winner in Daytona history". NBC Sports. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  10. ^ "1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  11. ^ "1993 Pepsi 400 qualifying results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  12. ^ "1994 NASCAR Winston Cup Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  13. ^ "Starting Line Up by Row - Talladega Superspeedway - Provided by NASCAR Statistics" (PDF). Jayski's Silly Season Site. Retrieved May 2, 2015.
  14. ^ "2015 Winn-Dixie 300". Racing-Reference. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
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