Champions Profile: #02 Dennis Thomson

To say that 2009 Ontario Pro Challenge champion Dennis Thomson is a veteran of short track racing in this province would be a huge understatement.  Thomson’s father Don Thomson was a regular fixture on the region’s late model scene in the 70s and 80s, and both Dennis and his older brother Don followed in their Dad’s footsteps.  Dennis made his debut in the Challenger class in 1985 running at Flamboro, becoming a force in the category before moving up into in Late Model Sportsmans. From there, Thomson jumped into the short-lived Ontario Speedway Mini Sprints series and onto the Legends program, where he would win three championships.  Fast-forward to 2009 and this year’s Ontario Pro Challenge series champion has added yet another trophy to the mantle that further illustrates a stellar 20+ year racing career.

Thomson is enjoying his current racing focus thoroughly and told PLO that he’s “not going anywhere”. Dennis was part of the initial debut of the Pro Challenge series back in 2001, as a member of the ‘Original Six’, the nickname that is often used for the drivers who made up the grid during the first year in 2001.  Thomson would only continue his impressive on-track performances as the series grew, adding to his resume by topping the final standings seven times since the inception of the Ontario program.

This past year, the 45 year-old sign shop owner from Dundas scored four straight victories through the middle of the summer to pull away from his competition, setting him up for yet another title.  These wins were all part of an amazingly consistent season that saw Thomson finish every race within the top-four.  Victories were logged at four different tracks as well – Mosport, Sauble, Flamboro and Sunset – proving Thomson’s ability to tackle any challenge. With the series traveling to several different tracks around the province, Thomson cannot, however, single out one facility as his favorite.  As far as the most difficult challenge is concerned - the type of test in which champions revel - he was able to tag Sunset Speedway as one that motivated him the most to find the ideal set-up.  His successful chase of getting the car to turn-in while still not sacrificing forward bite off the corner was particularly rewarding.

Aside from his penchant for winning races, Thomson is extremely supportive and complimentary of the Pro Challenge program when asked.  Dennis cites the quality of the people in the series as its biggest asset, along with the car’s affordability.  The stability that has been developed by the hard-working promoters of the series – Kathy and Ken Nicholson – has paid out handsomely, providing a program that has attracted a great field of race cars for 2010.  Growth is certainly not a buzz word in Ontario stock car racing these days, but the Ontario Pro Challenge series is something of an anomaly, and this province’s race fans will be the benefactors.

Next year, Thomson will be back for more, and he will once again enjoy the opportunity to go door-to-door with an ever-improving and ever-growing line-up of Pro Challenge competitors.