1958 – 100-Miler Captured by Thomson

The field roars into turn one at the start of the United States Auto Club championship 100-miler at the Springfield Mile. 

Springfield, Ill. (August 16, 1958) - Johnny Thomson of Boyertown, Penn., gunned into the lead on the 75th lap and held on to narrowly defeat Elmer George of Speedway, Ind., in record time in the Illinois State Fair 100-mile auto race.

Don Freeland, of Speedway, Ind., finished third in a race marked by mechanical troubles, that forced all but eight of the 18 starters out before the race was over.

Thomson, driving the D.A. Lubricant Special out of Indianapolis, set a new standard of 1 hour, 1 minute and 8 seconds, breaking the previous mark of 1 hour, 3 minutes and 36 seconds set in 1953 by the late Bill Schindler of Freeport, N.Y.

Thomson averaged 98.137 miles per hour over the one-mile dirt oval before 30,000 spectators.

The victory was worth $4,020 to the 36-year-old winner.


Results –


1. Johnny Thomson, Boyertown, Penn.
2. Elmer George, Speedway, Ind.
3. Don Freeland, Speedway, Ind.
4. Joe Barzda, New Brunswick, N.J.
5. Bob Veith, Oakland, Calif.
6. Rex Easton, Springfield, Ill.
7. Don Branson, Champaign, Ill.
8. Buzz Barton, Tampa, Fla.
9. Len Sutton, Portland, Ore.
10.Earl Motter, Hayward, Calif.