By Daniel Powell
It may not have been something that he had in his sights at the beginning of the 09/10 season, but James Thompson is now a genuine chance at winning the Parramatta City Raceway (PCR) Sprintcar Track Championship and is doing everything in his power to do so.
Recently at PCR Thompson, who currently sits second behind defending champion Mitchell Dumesny in the PCR Track Championship point standings, made his first appearance aboard his brand-new Maxim chassis and Kriner 410ci powerplant and despite some teething dramas the new package showed plenty of potential.
After he had started the feature race out of position 18, due to finishing his two heat races with a ninth place finish and a win, Thompson charged his way forward to pass a total of 13 competitors on his way to a fifth place finish.
“The new format that PCR are running for the remainder of the season is quite a tough one and it makes every driver have to earn a good starting spot in the feature race by having to pass as many cars as possible in each of their heat races,” the NSW # 22 Hills Motorcycles backed Maxim drivers said. “I failed to go forward in my opening heat race and then won my other heat race and that only put me 18th in the feature race field. That just goes to show how tough it is and proves that you need to move forward as much as possible on both of your heat races or otherwise you are going to be in for a tough night.”
Aboard his new car / engine package Thompson’s fifth place finish recently was a result that he had to well and truly earn as it banked a solid point’s haul towards his PCR Track Championship challenge.
“With the PCR Track Championship in the balance to come out with a new car and work our way from 18th in the field up to fifth is an encouraging sign, especially considering that there are still plenty of gains to be made with this package,” Thompson explained. “After I wrecked my car during the last World Series round at PCR our team has been forced to bolt together our new car and it happened at the same time that our new Kriner engine arrived from America and it’s going to take a few race meetings just to get it all sorted out,. The main thing is that we’re still in contention for the PCR Track Championship.”
Thompson wanted to say a huge thanks to both Ros and Ron Mudford for the purchase of his new Kriner 410ci engine.
This Saturday night (February 13) Thompson returns to PCR to do battle in the 14th round of the PCR Track Championship.
Current PCR Track Championship Point Standings (after 13 of 18 completed rounds):
1 Mitchell Dumesny – 3058 points
2 James Thompson – 2995
3 Marty Perovich – 2992
4 Ian Madsen – 2976
5 Glen Saville – 2938
For the 09/10 season Thompson is proudly supported by: Hills Motorcycles www.hillsmotorcycles.com.au, Aprilia www.aprilia.com.au, Thompson & Associates and Stahlwille www.stahlwille.com