Congrats to Brandon Thomson....Will be in the Dodge Development ARCA ride Sunday!

[Rusty the 50/50 Guy]

Congrats to Brandon Thomson, he won the ride with 600 Racing ThunderRoadster Division! This was a year long contest that ended nicely for the Orlando SpeedWorld driver!

Brandon joins the list of Orlando SpeedWorld Alumni Bryan Silas and Alli Owens to compete at Toledo, Also a host of other Florida drivers including Patrick Sheltra...that used to race at ThunderCross on the dirt!

GOOD LUCK to all of our drivers and let's bring home the win!!!

You can read the story at 600racing.com

[Edm]

Good luck Brandon, stay either way in front or way behind
Ms OOOOONOwens.

[ancrdave]

BRANDON THOMSON GETS TOLEDO ARCA RIDE WITH ROAD TO THE TOP WIN AT ELKO, MN INEX NATIONALS
FLORIDA LEGEND DRIVERS HAVE A DIFFICULT WEEKEND BUT QUALIFY FOR A-
MAINS

Former St. Cloud, FL resident Brandon Thomson is headed to the ARCA season
finale at Toledo, OH Speedway this Sunday after dominating the Thunder Car
"Race To The Top" feature that was held as part of the 2008 INEX/600 Racing
Asphalt Nationals last weekend at the Elko, MN Speedway.
Thomson, who now lives in the Charlotte, NC area, was one of six drivers who
earned spots in the front rows of the race by being champions of their
respective States. Thomson was the NC champion and drew the pole for the 50
lap "Race To The Top."
Thomson simply made it look easy as he ran away from his fellow competitors
in the caution free race as he nearly lapped the field. Turning average laps
in his Thunder Car (former known as a Thunder Roadster) at just over 90 MPH,
Thomson took the checker 7.2 seconds ahead of second place Michael Van
Wingerden. Third and fourth place Scott Dalla and Justin Johnson were also on
the lead lap but just in front of Thomson as the checkered flag flew.
T.J. Sneva was fifth, one lap down trailed by Jim Fluharty, James Edsall, Al
Renner, Justin Long and Jarod Carpenter. Another former Floridian, Kara
Clarke, also qualified for the event but had trouble with her machine and was
credited with 13th place.
The win gives Thomson a Dodge development ride in the ARCA season finale at
Toledo, OH Speedway this weekend. Thomson will wheel a Dodge Charger prepared
by Cunningham Motorsports. One of Thomson's main rivals at Toledo will be old
friend Bryan Silas who is a full time driver on the ARCA circuit for Andy
Hillenburg. Thomson and Silas cut their racing teeth in the Legend Car
competition at Orlando Speedworld. The Toledo race can be seen live on Sunday
at 2PM on SPEED.
Although Thomson was eligible to run in the 50 lap Thunder Car National
Championship race on Saturday, he decided to turn his car over to crew chief
and fellow Thunder Car chauffeur Adam Welch. Welch put on quite a show in the
race. Since he did not qualify, Welch started dead last in the field then was
involved in an early race tangle with Nelson Stewart (Tony Stewart's dad) and
sent to the rear of the field again.
Undaunted, Welch drove his way to a fourth place finish behind Michael Van
Wingerden, Scott Dalla and Jesse Bunnell. T.J. Sneva was fifth.
Just a handful of Florida Legend Car drivers made the trek to Minnesota for
the Nationals this year. Lake Mary's Jimmy Norman had a decent run in the Pro
Division taking third in his 20 lap heat earning him a ninth place starting
spot out of 32 starters. From there it got a bit rough as he was
black-flagged for a loose bumper then was involved in a multi-car tangle later
on. Norman was eventually credited with an 18th place finish.
In the Semi-Pro Class, young Gerald White, Jr. of Lakeland had things get
off to a disappointing start as his car broke during qualifying meaning he
would have to start deep in the C Main field. White proceeded to finish third
in the C earning a transfer to the B Main. Again, White drove hard to a third
place finish in the B and earned the right to start last in the A Main.
The A main was a bit of a struggle as White drove a steady, clean race and
came home 16th. Vero Beach driver Alex Kempf also qualified for the A Main
but suffered problems and was the first car out of the race.
Andrew Smith was the Pro Division winner taking the checker in front of
Daniel Hemric, Kyle Beattie, Jace Hanse and Ryan Johnson. The Semi-Pro
National Championship went to Dylan Ames who topped Chad Hackenbracht, Bryce
Walker, Jimmy Heavlow and Justin Swilling.
Two names who are regulars at Orlando Speedworld's Winternationals came home
one-two in the Masters Division (for drivers over 40). Clay Hair of Mt. Airy,
NC took yet another national championship while local MN driver Tim Brockhouse
was a close second. John Lemke, Mike Tuma and Hoyt Demis trailed the lead
duo.