News Director 
Story By: DAN KAPUSCINSKI / JASON SIMMONS RACING – OSWEGO, NY – The fuse has officially been lit on the young Modified career of ‘TNT’, Tyler Thompson.
The teenage sensation, who will graduate from high school in June, rolled the outside with the poise of a veteran in Fulton Speedway’s 358-Modified main on Saturday night, flying to a third-place finish behind Larry Wight and Rob Bellinger in his No. 98T machine.
Starting from the 8th position in the lineup, Thompson wasted little time as he rocked the outside of the speedway from the drop of the green flag in the 32-car, 35-lap main event.
Before long, Thompson was battling for top five positioning with the likes of Wight, Bellinger, Ryan Arbuthnot, Glenn Forward, Bobby Herrington, Dale Planck, Tim Sears Jr., Jeff McGinnis and more.
With Thompson riding fifth in the running order late in the going, a late-race caution flew, giving Thompson one last chance at the leaders.
As the green flag waved, Thompson took advantage, threading the needle by Arbuthnot and Forward, charging into the third position in the final laps as Wight hurried under the checkered flag for the second time this season trailed by Bellinger and Thompson.
Thompson’s drive from eighth to third was no doubt impressive, building off of his 11th place finish in Fulton Speedway’s opener on May 4.
“We knew he had that in us,” said Thompson. “Our cars and team have been so good; it was just a matter of time before everything worked out and we could put a good night together. It felt good to move forward, especially in that field. I can’t thank my team and sponsors enough, it’s great to give them a good run like this, they deserve it.”
On Sunday, Thompson was scheduled to compete at Utica-Rome Speedway in DIRTcar 358-Modified competition, but the Vernon, NY oval was again rained out.
Utica-Rome has now scheduled their season opening event for Wednesday, May 15, with Thompson expected to take part in DIRTcar 358-Modified action.
Wednesday’s event at Utica-Rome will make for back-to-back nights of action for Thompson as he intends to return to Albany-Saratoga Speedway on Tuesday for their postponed “Come ‘N Get It” Big Block Modified main.
Thompson will start from the fifth position on Tuesday at the Malta, NY oval in their 54-lap, $5,400 to win special.
Next weekend will see Thompson return to Fulton Speedway on Saturday, May 18, after hot lapping his Supermodified at Oswego Speedway during the afternoon.
On Sunday, Thompson hopes to compete with the Big Block Modifieds behind the wheel of his 358-Modified machine at Weedsport Speedway in search of their $500 bonus at the A-Verdi Storage Containers Empire State Challenge.
JSR and Thompson will be kicking off their Supermodified season at Oswego on Saturday, May 25 with the Jim Shampine Memorial Twin 50’s.
JSR kart racers Sean and Savannah Simmons have plans to open their 2019 season as well on Friday, May 17 at Oswego Kartway.
