Speedy Thompson

Alfred "Speedy" Thompson
Alfred "Speedy" Thompson
	Speedy Thompson is adoring his fans after winning the 1960 National 400 in Charlotte
Born	April 3, 1926; Monroe, North Carolina
Died	April 2, 1972 (aged 45); Charlotte, North Carolina
Cause of death	Heart attack resulting in racing crash
Awards	Inducted in the and
NASCAR Cup Series career
	197 races run over 14 years
Best finish	3rd (1956, 1957, 1958 and 1959)
First race	1950 race
Last race	1971 World 600 (Charlotte)
First win	1953 race
Last win	1960 Capital City 200 (Richmond)

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[]

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 '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 event 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 Winston Cup, in 1971 for the World 600 where he finished 16th.

Death[]

During a late model race on Easter Sunday, April 2, 1972, at in Charlotte, Thompson had a seizure while 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.

Career results[]

NASCAR[]

Grand National Series[]

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year	Team/Owner	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52	53	54	55	56	NGCS	Pts.	Ref.
1950		n/a	Plymouth	DAB	CLT	LAN	MAR	CAN		DSP	MCF	CLT	HBO	DSP	HAM	DAR	LAN	NWS	21	MAR	WIN	HBO																																						n/a	n/a
1951		25	Oldsmobile	DAB 17																																																								75th	120
		25	Plymouth		CLT 30
	n/a	n/a	Studebaker			NMO		HBO	ASF	NWS	MAR	CAN		CLB	DSP				HEI	AWS 5	MCF		MSF			ABS	DAR	CLB		LAN	CLT	DSP		HBO	TPN		MAR	OAK	NWS	HMS		ATL		NMO
1952		21	Ford	PBS	DAB		NWS	MAR	CLB	ATL		LAN	DAR 19																																															37th	656
1952		51	Ford											DSP	CAN			HBO	CLT	MSF						MCF	AWS	DAR 14		LAN	DSP		HBO	MAR	NWS	ATL	PBS																							37th	656
1953	Buckshot Morris	12	Oldsmobile	PBS	DAB		NWS	CLT	RCH		LAN	CLB	HCY	MAR		RSP 2		FFS	LAN	TCS	6	MCF	PIF		ATL			DAV	HBO	AWS		HCY	DAR	1																										11th	2,958
		46																															DAR 7
	Buckshot Morris	46																																	LAN 3	BLF	2	NWS 1	MAR	ATL
1954		12		PBS	DAB 20	JSP	ATL		OAK	NWS	HBO		LAN		MAR	SHA	27	CLT		CLB 4	LND	HCY 9	MCF	WGS	PIF 21	AWS 18	SFS			OAK																														23rd	1,480
1954		12	Buick																															DAR 10			LAN	MAS	MAR	NWS																				23rd	1,480
1955	Bob Griffin	87	Oldsmobile	TCS	PBS	JSP	DAB		CLB	HBO	NWS	MGY	LAN	CLT 17	HCY																					MAS 2	RSP 11	DAR 45	MGY	LAN 23																				15th	2,452
		5	Oldsmobile													ASF 6
	Frank Christian	14	Chevrolet															MAR 18	RCH	NCF 24	FOR		MCF	FON
	n/a	71	Oldsmobile																							15
	Herb Thomas	92	Buick																								PIF 13	CLB	AWS			NYF			FOR
		34	Ford																																						RSP 17	GPS
	Pete DePaolo	297	Ford																																								MAS 1	CLB
	Carl Kiekhaefer	30	Chrysler																																										MAR 1	LVP
	Carl Kiekhaefer	20	Chrysler																																												NWS 7
	Pete DePaolo	297	Hudson																																													HBO 21
1956	Mauri Rose	25	Chevrolet	HCY 30	CLT 17		PBS	ASF																																																				3rd	8,328
	Carl Kiekhaefer	500	Dodge						DAB 71	PBS	10					1		GPS 15			MAR 2	11											RSP 2			CHI 4	1	MGY 4	OKL 11	ROA 18				PIF		POR
		500	Chrysler									ATL 2
		501	Dodge										NWS 18																																5
		00	Chrysler											LAN 37
		300	Dodge												RCH 3
		300C	Chrysler														CON 1		HCY 1	HBO 2			CLT 1	POR		NYF 7		MAS 19	1	MCF 1	POR	AWS 26		PIF 7	CSF
	Pete DePaolo	296	Ford																																									PIF 5
	Carl Kiekhaefer	57	Chrysler																																												DAR 2	19
		57	Dodge																																														7
		67	Dodge																																															LAN 3	POR
		300	Chrysler																																																	HBO 3	18	CLT 6		MAR 4	HCY 1	3
		500B	Dodge																																																				4
1957		46	Chevrolet		CON		DAB 8	CON 3	3	HBO 2	AWS 2	16	LAN 3	20	PIF 15	14	POR	9	RCH 17	MAR 11	POR		5	5	ASP																																			3rd	8,580
	Speedy Thompson	46	Chevrolet																							8	CLB 5		PIF 4		4	4	MAS 22	POR	23	9	1	GLN	KPC	2			DAR 1	NYF	AWS 18	CSF		LAN 31	CLB 19		17	28	6	CON 6	4	2
		1A	Ford																											JAC 13
	Bobby Keck	96	Chevrolet																																							12
		34	Ford																																															15
1958	Speedy Thompson	46	Chevrolet	9	DAB 48	CON 3	19	20	HBO 3	3	CLB 1	PIF 1	ATL 19		MAR	ODS		GPS 17	4		NWS 14	BGS	9	RSD	CLB 11	6	5	26	HCY 3	AWS 3	5	MCC	SLS	TOR	BUF	MCF 3	BEL 7	BRR 7	CLB 1	NSV 16	AWS 4	BGS	MBS 15		2	BIR	CSF	5	RCH 1	HBO 19	29	MAR 2	NWS 3	ATL 29						3rd	8,792
1958		1																																										DAR 14																3rd	8,792
1959		1			DAY 16	DAY 10	HBO 13	CON 5	ATL 4	21			NWS 17	2	HCY 19	MAR 19	TRN				PIF 14	GPS 15	ATL 26	CLB										NSV																										3rd	7,684
	Don Angel	3	Ford								BGS 13
		2	Chevrolet									CLB 13						4	NSV	ASP						RCH 10	BGS	AWS 14			24	MBS 22															8
	n/a	12																							24
		88																											DAY Wth
	Doc White	41	T-Bird																										DAY 11	HEI
		92	T-Bird																																AWS 37	BGS	GPS	CLB
		22	Chevrolet																																				DAR 14	HCY	RCH	CSF		MAR 5
		61	Pontiac																																								HBO 18
		15	Ford																																										AWS 13	NWS 15
1960		2	Chevrolet	5	CLB																																																							25th	5,658
	Banjo Matthews	94	T-Bird			DAY 9	DAY
	Banjo Matthews	94	Ford					DAY 62		NWS		CLB
	Wood Brothers Racing	20											MAR DNQ			BGS	GPS	AWS	DAR	PIF	HBO	RCH	HMS
	Junie Donlavey	90																						CLT 25	BGS	DAY	HEI		MBS	ATL 12	BIR		AWS	PIF	CLB	SBO	BGS	DAR 39	HCY	CSF		HBO	MAR	NWS	CLT DNQ
	Wood Brothers Racing	21																																											CLT 1	RCH 1	ATL 4
1961		16	Ford		JSP	DAY	DAY	DAY	PIF	AWS	HMS	ATL	GPS	HBO	BGS	MAR	NWS	CLB		RCH		DAR		17	RSD	ASP	CLT 41	PIF		GPS	BGS				DAY		CLB	MBS	BRI		BGS	AWS	RCH	SBO	DAR	HCY	RCH	CSF	ATL	MAR	NWS									62nd	1,564
1961	Wood Brothers Racing	21																																																		CLT 11	BRI	GPS	HBO					62nd	1,564
1962	Holman-Moody	15		CON	AWS	DAY	DAY 23	DAY 17	CON	AWS		HBO	RCH		NWS	GPS	MBS	MAR	BGS	BRI	RCH		CON	DAR	PIF	CLT	ATL	BGS	AUG	RCH	SBO	DAY	CLB	ASH	GPS	AUG		MBS	BRI	CHT		HUN	AWS		BGS	PIF		DAR	HCY	RCH	DTS	AUG	MAR	NWS						42nd	2,522
1962	Petty Enterprises	41	Plymouth																																																				9	ATL				42nd	2,522
1971		91	Chevrolet	RSD	DAY	DAY	DAY		RCH	CAR		BRI	ATL	CLB	GPS		NWS	MAR	DAR		TAL			CLT 16	DOV	MCH		HOU	GPS	DAY	BRI			TRN	NSV	ATL	BGS		MCH	TAL	CLB		DAR	MAR	CLT	DOV	CAR	MGR	RCH	NWS	TWS									n/a	n/a

Awards[]

He was inducted into the and the .

References[]

Racer Profile: Speedy Thompson at InsiderRacingNews.com
Speedy Thompson driver statistics at Racing-Reference
Speedy Thompson at Find a Grave

^ "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.

[1] "18 Jul 1958, 6 - The Ruston Daily Leader at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14.

[2] "Baker Tops Petty By 10 - Statesville Record And Landmark at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. 18 Aug 1960. Retrieved 2021-09-14.

[3] "3 Apr 1972, 2 - The Odessa American at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14.

[4] "4 Apr 1972, Page 7 - Florence Morning News at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2021-09-14.

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