Long time Top Alcohol funny car stand out Clint Thompson surprised fans and fellow drivers when he began testing a Pro Extreme Camaro earlier this year and then announced he would be racing on the ADRL tour full times along with racing his own top alcohol funny car at 10 NHRA National Events. Racing on both circuits in two completely different kinds of cars makes this Thompson's most ambitious seasons yet.
Thompson's entry into the ADRL was simply a case of being at the right place at the right time, working for famed engine builder and close friend Bob Minor. "I was helping Bob Minor at his shop when Don Carter, a customer of Bob's came by to pick up some parts. We all went to lunch when Don mentioned he was looking for a driver for his Pro Extreme car. I told him I think I could drive it and I'd love to give it a try" Thompson said. Next thing Thompson knew he was testing the car in Vegas before moving on to Houston for his ADRL debut this past weekend at Royal Purple Raceway.
Thompson's first attempt to make a pass at an ADRL event didn't go the way he wanted as he ended up being pushed off the track when the battery went dead. "The battery tested good and had the correct amperage before the run but it went south after the burnout and I got pushed off the track" Thompson acknowledged.
In the second stanza, Thompson did what any good driver would do as he abandoned the run when the car made a sudden move towards the center line. "Everyone told me I did the right the thing by lifting. I watched a lot of You Tube videos and seen a lot of guys hit the wall or go on their lid so I have a healthy dose of fear and respect for these cars but I'm getting use to it" Thompson said.
Weather played a role in qualifying as the second round was canceled. As a result, the team got just one more chance to qualify on Saturday morning and got in the show with a 3.89 only to be bumped out of the program minutes later. "Had we got that second run in on Friday night I think we would have got in. There were 24 cars for a 16 car field which makes for a good challenge. It was still a good weekend as I've come away from Houston with the confidence that I can drive the car and we continue to run better every time out. My teammate Dan Myers went to the final round in the 10.5 class and even beat Billy Glidden in the semis so that made it a great weekend too".
When asked what the difference is between driving the funny car and the Pro Extreme car, Thompson had this to say. "The Pro Extreme car is like a Pro Mod on steroids. It has a torque converter and a Bruno two speed transmission instead of the clutch set up that is in my funny car. As a result, the Pro Extreme car uses a transbrake so it's quicker off the starting line. Another difference is you are sitting on the left side instead of in the center of the car. Also, there is no visibility on the right of the Pro Extreme car as it has a tall injector. Because of that it's hard to see the tree when you are in the right lane".
Finally, Thompson was asked what he likes best about the ADRL. "It's laid back but still very professional. The track is great and prepped extremely well thanks to a couple of guys nicknamed the "Traction Twins". On this team I don't have to do the routine maintenance so I get to meet and greet the fans between runs rather than work on the car. That's not something I'm use to doing since I'm always working on my funny car between rounds but I'm beginning to like it".
No comments:
Post a Comment