I heard some bad news in the Paddock at Mid-O yesterday.

SCCA driver dies Saturday after single-car incident at Road America
By GREG MIGLIORE


A veteran SCCA driver died Saturday after a single-car incident at Road America.

Thomas Thrash Jr., 48, of Houston, lost control of his E Production class Mazda RX-7 before turn eight, and the car entered the gravel trap and came to a stop against the tire wall. The incident took place at the SCCA-sanctioned Chicago Region June Sprints event.

The cause of death is under investigation, the SCCA said.

Thrash Jr. was pronounced dead at a hospital in Sheboygan, Wis. He was a 12-year veteran of SCCA competition, won the 2007 SCCA national championship in E Production and was a two-time runoffs pole-sitter. He had qualified on the pole for Saturday's race before the incident.

“We are deeply saddened to have lost Tom Thrash, a great champion and individual that epitomized the spirit and competition of SCCA racing, and most importantly, a member of our SCCA family,” SCCA President and CEO Jeff Dahnert said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends.”

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20090620/MOTORSPORTS/906209995#ixzz0J5IAOcGw&D;

We paddocked with Tom in the Mazda tent at HPT a few times. He was a hell of of nice guy, always willing to help out his competitors with there cars. He also had the ability to take a car that was nothing special by the scruff of the neck and do amazing things with it on track. He was qualified on pole for both the E production and GT-3 races at the Sprints.

It's still a little unclear what happened, but the corner workers report that he may have been slumped over in the car before the crash. Possibly a heart attack or some other sudden health condition. At any rate, it was a very unusual place for a car to go off.

Tom will be missed greatly, and the Runoffs are going to be a lot less fun this year.

Sad to hear... :(

aaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

Sad when a driver loses his life, regardless of his level of participaton.

Really sorry to hear this. Condolences go out to all his friends and family. I was really just a great big fan of watching this guy race. He struck me as the 'win it or bin it' type of driver. The EProd race was always going to be a good one if he was in it. Very sad.

Fishbulb, we're definitely talking about the same guy. One of the most entertaining racers I've ever met, both on and off the track.

Sorry to hear the news, I hate hearing something like this in what is supposed to be a fun weekend of racing. At least he was doing what he loved. Didn't a similar incident occur but in Canada Corner a few years back?

I hate hearing stuff like this. I remember him and his Mazdas from the Runoffs. Its guys like him that make it fun.

And anytime I hear of a guy close to my age passing like that, it serves as a reminder for me to take better care of myself.

http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/scca-services-set-for-scca-champion-tom-thrash/

Also, memorial stickers are available here. http://sparkwraps.com/?page_id=148