Thompson Snags Pro Truck Podium In Derby Week Kickoff

Grant Thompson finished third Thursday night in Pro Truck action at Five Flags Speedway. (John Thompson photo)

PENSACOLA, Fla. – As both a driver and an owner, 18-year-old Grant Thompson kicked off his Snowball Derby week in solid fashion during opening night Thursday at Five Flags Speedway.

Thompson earned a third-place finish in his own right at the half-mile oval, and added a fourth-place result with Seth Christensen, who was driving a second truck for Thompson’s family-owned team.

Thompson qualified second for the 50-lap feature and challenged for the lead on a lap-27 restart, nearly edging the top spot for a moment before falling back behind race-long dominator Steven Davis.

The Mobile, Ala., native crossed the finish line fourth on track, but was elevated to the podium after Davis was disqualified during post-race technical inspection.

“This was a really solid opening run for us to kick off Snowball Derby week,” said Thompson after the race. “It’s always a stacked Pro Truck field here every year, so to get two top fives and have two clean trucks at the end of the night is a big deal for our small operation. My truck was really quick in practice, and I felt confident going into the race. We ran top three most of the way, but once the cautions thinned out and we got some longer green-flag runs in, the handle just got tighter and tighter on us.

“I think we were an adjustment or two off from really being where we needed to be to challenge for the win, but I’m proud of all our guys and the effort they put in. We’ll come back stronger and look to use this momentum to push forward.”

Christensen trailed Thompson by a truck length at the checkered flag and also produced a clean showing.

“It felt good to know that Seth was right behind us and that he ran a really strong race,” Thompson added. “I’m proud of him for that and for a family-owned team that puts every ounce of effort we have into this truck program, to do what we did against some of the bigger teams means a lot to this small group from southern Alabama.”

Thompson will be back on track Saturday for the Allen Turner Hyundai Snowflake 100, driving the No. 82 pro late model for BKC Motorsports. Every lap of Snowball Derby week can be streamed live on FloRacing.

About Grant Thompson Racing

Grant Thompson is an 18-year-old racing driver from Mobile, Ala., competing in high-profile pro late model events in the Southern United States.

While Thompson cut his teeth in racing in the popular Bandolero division as a youngster, his motorsports career began to attract a mainstream spotlight in 2018, when he began racing in the Southern Pro-Am Truck Series and earned rookie-of-the-year honors at the end of that season.

Thompson earned the 2019 Pro Truck championship at Mobile Int’l Speedway as a 13-year-old. He was also chosen as the winner of the Jr. Late Model Challenge Camp at Madera (Calif.) Speedway that year.

After track titles at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., and Crisp Motorsports Park in Cordele, Ga., in 2020, Thompson moved into the Tundra Super Late Model Series the next year, earning rookie-of-the-year honors on the strength of a sixth-place finish in Tundra points.

Thompson returned to his Pro Truck roots for the 2022 and 2023 seasons, also racing in various pro late model events as his schedule permitted. He earned the Mobile Int’l Speedway track championship for the second time in 2024, but the first time in the track’s pro late model division.

Off the racetrack, Thompson completed his senior year of high school at Cottage Hill Christian Academy this year and graduated in May.

For marketing opportunities and business inquiries, contact Grant Thompson Racing at (251) 767-5454 or via email at [email protected].