Roscoe Thompson (July 5, 1922 in

Forest Park A forest park is a park whose main theme is its forest of trees. Forest parks are found both in the mountains and in the urban environment. Examples Chile * Forest Park, Santiago China *Gongqing Forest Park, Shanghai * Mufushan National Fores ...

, Georgia – April 10, 1988) was a

NASCAR The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and hi ...

Grand National Series driver who drove from 1948 (at the age of 26) to 1962 (at the age of 40).

Career summary

His best season was in 1950 in the NASCAR Xfinity series where he won 6 of 29 races, finished in the top 5 23 times and top 10 29 times. In the Grand National Series out of 2033 laps, Roscoe Thompson only managed to lead 11 (less than 1%) of them. His total career earnings were $5,440 ($ when adjusted for inflation). The most notable races that Thompson attended were the first running of the Southern 500,

1959 Daytona 500 The 1959 First 500 Mile NASCAR International Sweepstakes at Daytona (now known as the 1959 Inaugural Daytona 500) was the second race of the 1959 NASCAR Grand National Series season. It was held on February 22, 1959, in front of 41,921 spectator ...

(first on paved track) and the 1961 running of the World 600. Some of his earlier accomplishments are as follows: * He was inducted into the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame 10/27/06. * Peach Bowl Champion in 1950 and 1951. * NASCAR's sportsman champ for Georgia in 1953 * Southeastern Modified champ in 1954. * He started 7th in the 1959 Daytona 500. (First on the track). * He was 10th in NASCAR'S first points standings in 1948. * In 1964 he was inducted into the Museum of Speed in Daytona. Thompson has traditionally used the #15 and #24 as his racing numbers. He also had relied on

Oldsmobile Oldsmobile or formally the Oldsmobile Division of General Motors was a brand of American automobiles, produced for most of its existence by General Motors. Originally established as "Olds Motor Vehicle Company" by Ransom E. Olds in 1897, it produ ...

engines for the majority of his career.

References

1922 births 1988 deaths NASCAR drivers People from Forest Park, Georgia Sportspeople from Clayton County, Georgia Racing drivers from Atlanta Deaths from emphysema {{NASCAR-bio-stub