page_title: Dick Thompson (racing driver)
hierarchical_section_title: Dick Thompson (racing driver)
caption_attribution_description: Legendary Corvette Driver Returned to VIR Danville, Va. (April 4) – Dr. Dick Thompson, the “Flying Dentist” who drove Corvettes and Porsches to numerous victories in sports car races of the 50s and 60s returns to one of the classic race tracks of the era, VIRginia International Raceway, for that track’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, the Heacock Classic Gold Cup Historic Race, June 8, 9 and 10. The “Flying Dentist” started racing in 1956, winning the Sports Car Club of America’s national championships in that year, plus 1957, 1960, 1961 and 1962 in A, B and C Production classes. He won a feature race at Sebring in class in 1957, drove a Corvette Grand Sport to a Watkins Glen victory in 1963, the same year he captured third at Daytona. Again at Daytona, he won GT in 1970. Putting his knowledge of the cars and racing to good use, he wrote The Corvette Guide in 1958, as a handbook for Corvette racers. He was inducted into the Corvette Museum’s Hall of Fame in 2000. While he was best known as a Corvette specialist, Dr. Thompson also drove other cars, usually Porsches, and drove both marques at VIR’s first weekend of racing. At VIR, he won the B Production heat race in a Corvette and took third in a Porsche Carrera GT in the F Sports class. Thompson duplicated those finishing positions in the feature races for those classes. In the weekend’s top race, the 24–lap “Grand Prix” Thompson secured an entry in a Jaguar XKSS and finished fourth overall and in class, behind Carroll Shelby, Walt Hansgen and Charles Wallace, in a Maserati 450S and a pair of newer Jaguar D–types. Dr. Thompson also surprised VIR with a 50th Anniversary present – a donation of the sterling silver trophy he won at the track in 1966. “We are excited and honored to have Dr. Thompson join us for the Gold Cup and are very thankful for the donation of this important piece of VIR history,” said VIR’s General Manager Josh Lief. Web: &lt;a href="http://www.virclub.com"&gt;www.virclub.com&lt;/a&gt; (Photo by Sherry Lambert)
context_page_description: Richard Knight Thompson, Jr. was an American racecar driver. A Washington, D.C. dentist by trade, he is known as "The Flying Dentist". He won numerous Sports Car Club of America championships and was inducted in the Corvette Hall of Fame. Thompson brought credibility to the Corvette as a world-class sports car. Active from the late 1950s until the 1970s, Thompson raced for several notable racers, including the factory Corvette team for John Fitch and Briggs Cunningham.
  Thompson started racing in 1952 in one of the first 12-hour races at Sebring International Raceway. He drove to the track in his MG TD, and co-drove the car to an eighth-place finish. He caught Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov's eye in 1956, when Thompson was the only driver to compete in a production Corvette. He won the SCCA championship in his Corvette in 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961 and 1962 in Classes A, B and C. He was selected to test drive a new Corvette Grand Sport at Sebring in December 1962. In 1963, he drove a Corvette Grand Sport to victory at Watkins Glen International. He took third place that year at Daytona International Speedway and won the GT class in 1970.
context_section_description: Richard Knight Thompson, Jr. (July 9, 1920 – September 14, 2014) was an American racecar driver. A Washington, D.C. dentist by trade, he is known as "The Flying Dentist". He won numerous Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) championships and was inducted in the Corvette Hall of Fame. Thompson brought credibility to the Corvette as a world-class sports car. Active from the late 1950s until the 1970s, Thompson raced for several notable racers, including the factory Corvette team for John Fitch and Briggs Cunningham.
  Thompson started racing in 1952 in one of the first 12-hour races at Sebring International Raceway. He drove to the track in his MG TD, and co-drove the car to an eighth-place finish. He caught Corvette engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov's eye in 1956, when Thompson was the only driver to compete in a production Corvette.  He won the SCCA championship in his Corvette in 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961 and 1962 in Classes A, B and C. He was selected to test drive a new Corvette Grand Sport at Sebring in December 1962. In 1963, he drove a Corvette Grand Sport to victory at Watkins Glen International. He took third place that year at Daytona International Speedway and won the GT class in 1970.
  In 1967, Thompson won the 1000km of Spa with Jacky Ickx in the Gulf-liveried JW Automotive Mirage M1.
  Thompson used his knowledge of the Corvette to write The Corvette Guide in 1958. He never made enough money to cover more than his expenses. He had never quit his dentistry business, so he decided to concentrate on that business full-time. He has raced occasionally in events since his retirement. He lived in Wellington, Florida as of October 2007. On September 14, 2014, he died of pneumonia at a hospice in West Palm Beach, Florida.
caption: Dr. Dick Thompson in 2007
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