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Mark Thomas Racing edit
Personal edit
Mark Thomas is the only 7-Time International Hot Rod Association (IHRA) World Champion. He is the winningest driver in IHRA Alcohol Funny Car History.[1]
The dream to become a professional drag racer for Mark began in sixth grade with a class assignment to write a paper about "The Perfect Day." Mark chose to write his paper about waking up and farming in the morning and going drag racing at night. Looking back, Mark has followed through with his dreams in both areas of the paper that he wrote. Every day Mark works on his family farm in Louisville, Ohio where he raises 850 dairy cows and grows 2,300 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa. Mark and his family have made farming their life’s work, making his partnership with Ethanol and the Corn Growers a perfect match.
Mark is married to lovely wife Christine, and they have three children, Valerie 19, Andrea 16 and Nick 14.[2]
Career edit
Highlights edit
Quickest Elapsed Time: 5.719 seconds (Epping, New Hampshire 2007)[3]
Fastest Speed: 249.72mph (Budds Creek, Maryland 2007)[4]
National Event Wins: 30
Final Round Appearances: 62
World Championships edit
1990: Still a fresh face in the IHRA professional ranks, Mark fought toe-to-toe with his heroes growing up on the way to his first Alcohol Funny Car World Championship.
1991: Many questioned whether 1990 and Mark's first World Championship was a fluke and Mark came out and let his critics know that were was no question that he was for real by defending his championship with another title.
1992: With a target on his back due to back-to-back championship seasons, Mark came out and leveled the playing field on the way to taking his third World Championship in as many years.
1994: Mark returned to championship form by barreling through the Alcohol Funny Car field all season long on his way to capturing his fourth World Championship.
2001: While many began to believe that Mark's glory days were behind him after six straight years without a championship, Thomas struck again in 2001 to capture the 5th World Championship of his career.
2006: After feeling the heartbreak of losing the championship in the final race of the year in 2005, Mark rebounded strong to win his 6th World Championship, tying him for the most in IHRA history.
2007: With two rounds remaining in the 2007 season, Mark Thomas defeated Neal Parker in Rockingham, North Carolina to become the only professional 7-time World Champion in IHRA history.
Awards and Recognition edit
1993: Received the Don Carlton Award for Sportsmanship in a Professional Category. This award is presented to a racer who exemplifies the true meaning of being a good sport in good times and especially the hard times.
1998: Received the IHRA Sportsman of the Year award. This is the IHRA’s most prestigious award. A humbled Thomas went on to say in his acceptance speech that “the championships mean I am a good racer, but this award means that I am a good person.”
2004: Mark set a new IHRA Alcohol Funny Car record by winning four consecutive National Events to start the season. He was also selected to address Congress on the importance of Ethanol as a renewable fuel source and his race car was displayed in front of the Capitol Building for the day.
Racing Operation edit
Racecar edit
2008 Chevrolet Impala: As a reward for being the only 7-time professional IHRA World Champion, Chevrolet rewarded Mark Thomas by providing him with the first ever 2008 Chevrolet Impala body. The team responded by running the fastest speed in IHRA history in Budds Creek, Maryland under the lights at 249.72 miles per hour.
526 Cubic-Inch Hemi: Supercharged, alcohol fed, and synthetically lubricated, the power plant in an IHRA Alcohol Funny Car isn't for the faint of heart. The engine is capable of propelling the 2,200 pound racecar from -250 miles per hour down the quarter-mile dragstrip in approximately 5.7 seconds.
Driver's Cockpit: Made specifically for each driver, the cockpit in a racecar is the home away from home for every pilot. Clutch pedals, air shifters, parachute levers, brake handles, and a throttle pedal are just a few of the weapons at the driver's disposal. To master driving one of these monsters is a true ballet and takes years to accomplish.
Rear Wheels: Running on massive rear slicks manufactured by Hoosier Tire, Mark is able to hook up 3,000 horsepower instantaneously without losing traction. Each set of tires will last normally between 8-10 runs. In terms of mileage, a pair of slicks has 2-2.5 miles of life in them.
Parachute Braking System: Accelerating to 250mph in a quarter-mile is one thing. Slowing down in nearly that same distance is another. Upon crossing the finish line, Mark releases two parachutes from the rear-end of his 2008 Chevrolet Impala to both straighten the car out if it is out of shape and to drastically bleed off speed while he gets on the brakes.
Team Members edit
Mark Thomas edit
- Driver and Owner (Louisville, OH)
- 7 World Championships
Rod Jackenheimer edit
- Crew Chief (Ashland, OH)
- 3 World Championships
Rick Hickman edit
- Tuner (Sevierville, TN)
- 2 World Championships
John Michalek edit
- Clutch specialist (Louisville, OH)
- 1 World Championship
Corey Michalek edit
- Bottom end/track specialist (Louisville, OH)
- 1 World Championship
Sponsors edit
Primary Sponsor: Ethanol / Ohio Corn Growers Association ( 17th season)
Associate Sponsors: Michigan Corn Growers Association, South Dakota Corn Utilization Board, Summit Racing.
Product Sponsors: Weld Wheels, Crane Cams, NGK Spark Plugs, Hoosier Tires, Hussey Copper and Renewable Lubricants.