Thomson won 32 midget features in 1948 and the UCOA New
England title. He took the UCOA title again in 1950.
The AAA Eastern Midget Champion in 1952 started his
first Indianapolis 500 the next year. Johnny had 8 Indy starts
and placed 4th in 55, 3rd in 59, 5th 1960.
In 1957 he won the first 100 mile race run on dirt in less
than an hour with an average of 100.174 miles per hour at
Langhorne, Pennsylvania in a Champ Car.
He sat on the pole at Indianapolis in 1959. His chief
mechanic for several of his Indy starts was Roy Sherman, the
first National Midget Champion.
Johnny was killed at Allentown, PA 1960 during a sprint
car event.
