Tyler Thompson Leads Laps, Builds Momentum Over Busy Weekend

Story By: DAN KAPUSCINSKI / TEAM TAPOUT RACING – OSWEGO, NY – For the most part, the weather finally cooperated for a full weekend of racing with Tyler Thompson and Team Tapout taking full advantage, competing in four events over the course of three days between the DIRTcar Sportsman division and the Wing Champ Racing Series.

With initial plans to compete in the Can-Am Speedway opener with their No. 98T DIRTcar Sportsman, rain moved the team to Albany-Saratoga Speedway on Friday night with Thompson making quick work of the Malta oval. Thompson grabbed a second-place finish in his qualifying heat race before rain came yet again, postponing the feature event.

On Saturday the momentum continued for Thompson at Fulton Speedway, this time with a victory in his Sportsman qualifier. The win placed the No. 98T on the outside front row of the main event, with Thompson jumping out front early on to lead his first feature laps of the season on the Fulton high banks.

Unfortunately, the set-up did not match the racing conditions over the long run as the team continues to learn their all new Troyer chassis, with Thompson falling to an 11th place final finish in the main.

A beautiful Sunday provided Thompson and team the opportunity to run two races in one day.

The team started the afternoon at Caroga Creek Speedway for the season opening Wing Champ Racing Series event with their Slack Karts No. 98T.

With 30 karts in attendance, Thompson started 8th in his heat race and finished 4th to lock into the main event.

After starting 11th, Thompson methodically worked his way through the field to find himself in a battle for the lead by the conclusion of the 25-lap A-Main. After briefly holding the lead, Thompson fell to second, but battled back on the final circuit for another run at the top spot.

Trying for room on the inside, the two leaders tangled resulting in each driver going to the tail, with victory now out of sight.

Knowing they had a kart for victory at Caroga, the team packed up and moved on to Glen Ridge Motorsports Park to end the night with another Sportsman run.

Thompson was able to first join the tail of a make-up event at Glen Ridge to start the evening, driving to a 7th place finish for a solid top ten run.

In the nightcap, Thompson again won his heat race and found himself in the lead of the feature by some six car lengths before finding a rough patch on the speedway, which dropped Thompson to third.

Thompson again rebounded however, battling under Rocky Warner for the runner-up position before clipping a track tire on the low side of the speedway which sent the car into a slow roll over. Thompson was ok, and the car suffered only minor body damage.

With their mechanical gremlins seemingly behind them, Thompson and team continue to show speed with a trip to victory lane on the door step.

The team will now travel to Can-Am Speedway on Friday before returning to Fulton Speedway on Saturday and hitting Utice-Rome Speedway on Sunday.