JEROME, Idaho -- While most teams are talking about how and when they are going to work the new composite body into their program, Thompson Motorsports team members have already made it happen. Over the last month Crew Chief Rob Dixon and his crew of eight have been working 14 and 16 hour days in their Jerome ID based 12,000 sq. ft. state of the art facility to get their Thompson Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo composite body car ready for race day in Stockton this last week.
Thompson Motorsports has gone beyond just using the new composite body; they have taken on the challenge of building a new chassis literally from the ground up. “It is exciting to drive a car that your team has constructed,” Brett Thompson said. “I don’t know of any other team in our series that has built their own chassis”.
“Most people don’t realize the work that goes into building a race car; six weeks ago our chassis was on the tubing rack in our fabrication shop and now we are racing it,” Rob Dixon said. It was only after a race last year that got the team thinking about building the chassis. During pre race testing Brett Thompson was six laps into his test run when a radiator line broke dumping water on the front tires making it impossible to stop. Thompson slammed into the wall at over 120 mph. “It was our best car,” Brett Thompson said. Thompson Motorsports was able to finish the season with their number two and number three cars. At the beginning of this season the team decided to rebuild their number one car. “When we got all of the body off of the chassis it became apparent that it would be less work to build a new chassis,” Dixon said.
When asked why Thompson Motorsports would take on such a challenge, Owner Rich Thompson said “Part of the thrill of racing is to see how much you can push yourself and your team. Our guys have always responded to any challenge that is given them, I am always proud of the quality of their work,” Rich Thompson said.
The unveiling of Thompson Motorsports’s newest race car with its new composite body, drew the attention of other teams who took the opportunity to asked questions and some even took photos of the new car. Don Hawk, NASCAR Director of Regional Racing Development was also on hand for the Thompson Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo’s maiden race. “Everyone including me is interested in seeing how the new composite body will hold up in a race,” Dixon said.
The 150 lap race on the Stockton 99 Speedway ¼ mile track was the true test for the new composite body. NASCAR’s idea behind the new body is to help teams save money, compared to the custom-mounted steel bodies, while maintaining the quality of racing on the track. The bodywork and equipment required for the steel bodies has always been a major expense. The new composite body has the potential to drastically drop that expense for teams. Repairs to the new composite bodies are expected to cost less, due to the time required to fix any damage, most pieces can easily be replaced on the new body. The universal body shape will be an added benefit, adding to the competition on the track by eliminating any aerodynamic advantages of one car model over another.
After a 4th place finish in Stockton that had everyone on their feet, the Thompson Motorsports Chevrolet was the only car with minimal damage. Fans and other race teams all commented on how impressed they were with the way the new composite body held up under all the bumping and banging in the race. Thompson moved up to 7th in points after the race putting him 59 points off the leader.
"It was definitely a good way to start out with a new car," Brett Thompson said.
The race didn’t start as well as it finished for Thompson Motorsports.
"When they gave the green flag and we went down into turn one I was bumped by the car behind," Brett Thompson said. "That caused me to spinout and put me in the back of the pack."
After racing his way from the back of the pack to 4th place, it showed that Thompson Motorsports has a team that can hold its own even if they have to do it from the back.
The aggressive racing going on Saturday night quieted most concerns about extensive damage to the new composite body.
At the end of the race the Thompson Motorsports Chevrolet Monte Carlo had a few spots that were damaged, and a small hole on the left side. "But nothing like what we have come home with in the past,” Brett Thompson said.
Rob Dixon had some suggestions for NASCAR’s new composite body, “They need to reinforce the attaching points and the hood needs to be a little bigger so there is room for modification when it is installed, other than that I am very happy with the performance of the new body” Dixon said.
After the race Brett Thompson was quick to point out that had it not been for the dedication of the Thompson Motorsports team their new car would not have been possible. “The guys at the shop put together an outstanding car,” Brett Thompson said. Thompson also had good things to say about the new body. “It will take us longer to drive home to Idaho than it will to repair the damage done during the race. After last years race at Stockton it took us several days just to remove the damaged panels and several more days before the new panels were ready for paint” Brett Thompson said.
“Other teams’ response to our car has been positive,” Brett Thompson said. Several teams have approached Thompson Motorsports about putting a car together for them.
Thompson Motorsports shop in Jerome is state of the art and after Stockton, others are taking note of the race team in Jerome, Idaho as well as what they can do. “We have some of the best fabricators, welders, painters and mechanics anywhere,” Rich Thompson said. “Some teams are hesitant about having us work on their car due to the fact that we will be racing with them at the next race. We look at it a little different, more as an opportunity to make our sport as competitive as possible, I know that the quality of cars that we build are second to none, if we can help another team to victory lane that’s great too,” Rich Thompson said.
Thompson Motorsports has the new composite bodies in their parts inventory and would be happy to put a car together for a team or assist them in doing their own. As you look around the shop at Thompson Motorsports you see several trucks from the Intermountain Pro Truck Series along side Grand National Division West Series cars all customers of Thompson Motorsports. “Our customers like our work and they know that we are committed to providing them with a quality race car at a fair price, and they know that they can call on us for technical support as well”, Rich Thompson said.
