Ohio’s Thunder Capital, IHRA Reach Sanctioning Agreement

WEST PALM BEACH, FL — Thompson Raceway Park, nicknamed “Ohio’s Thunder Capital,” has renewed its sanctioning agreement with the International Hot Rod Association (IHRA).

Located less than an hour east of Cleveland in Thompson, Ohio, it is the oldest drag strip in the Buckeye State, first opening in 1958 as Thompson Drag Raceway. It has undergone many upgrades over the last six decades and features a 1/4-mile drag strip with Sunoco Race Fuels offered on site.

The IHRA Division 3 (North Stars) track helped launch the career of such drag racing icons as “Big Daddy” Don Garlits and “TV” Tommy Ivo. For the last several years, it has featured such amenities as a pedestrian bridge and a paved pit area for the racers.

“There are only a handful of places left in the world where one can stand on top of two race cars as they leave the starting line,” IHRA Division Director Jon O’Neal said. “There’s a character that emanates from a track such as Thompson. The history, the amazing layout of the facility and the hard work that goes on behind the scenes are what make it notable.”

The track features a number of special events such as the Gasser Nationals and the Independence Eve Explosion, as well as a strong program in the IHRA Summit SuperSeries. Track champions for 2018 who qualified for the IHRA Summit SuperSeries World Finals were Mike Capazzio (Top), Ray Babb (Mod) and Robert Richard (Junior).

In addition, John Vergotz Jr. captured the Junior Dragster victory at the IHRA Division 3 Summit Team Finals and Thompson racer Vic Ellinger was the 2016 Summit SuperSeries Mod World Champion.