Johnny Thomson

John Ashley Thomson (9 April 1922 - 24 September 1960): American racecar driver nicknamed 'the Flying Scot' who served in the United States Air Force as a crew chief during World War II in Corsica and Italy between 1942 and 1945 on a B-25 bomber, and was awarded five service stars and the Distinguished Air Force Medal. Thomson won the 1948 United Car Owners Association (UCOA) New England title after winning 32 midget events. He won the 1952 AAA Eastern division midget car championship after winning twice at Williams Grove Speedway. Thomson won the Eastern AAA Big Car championship in 1954 after winning eight events.

He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1953-1960 seasons with 69 starts including the Indianapolis 500 races in each season, finishing in the top ten 43 times with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was third in 1959 after starting the race on pole position, having set a record speed of 145.900 mph. The Indianapolis 500 was part of the FIA World Championship from 1950 through 1960, with drivers competing at Indy credited with World Championship points.

Johnny Thomson participated in 8 World Championship races. On 24 September 1960 Thomson was racing in a USAC Sprint Car at the Great Allentown Fair at the Allentown Fairgrounds when on a rutty and dry track his car flipped and crashed through the backstretch fence and flipped into the infield. He was thrown out of the car and pinned underneath, his leg was broken, and he died several hours later at Allentown General Hospital at age 38. Thomson was inducted in the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1996 and the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame in 1997.