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Tyler Thompson on his 2025 season, career, future plans
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JW: Hi Tyler! Thanks for taking time out to speak with me. First off, you have had an eventful season up to this point with ups and downs. How do you look at how 2025 has gone for you considering we are nearing the end of the year?
TT: Tough question… Early in the year, things seemed to go well, but we couldn’t put the whole night together. It’s been a struggle. We had a few podiums and some good runs, but we also struggled at a handful of races where I thought we could have been better. I really want a 410 win this year with NARC. It’s been an interesting year, though. I felt like this year I finally got my experience to a certain level that I needed to move forward with my progression as a driver. To be able to compete on a night-in, night-out basis. Certain things didn’t fall our way at some races, but that’s sprint car racing…
JW: For those that are not familiar with your background, do you mind sharing how you got involved with the sport?
TT: It’s been through my family. My great-grandpa started in it, then it went down to my dad racing sprint cars, which has then led to us [our immediate family] racing up to this point. Our family has always been involved in racing in one way or another. The Oregon scene is a lot smaller compared to other regions, including the lower divisions. We did as much as we could do. When it came to the sprint car scene, my mom said, “You can race sprint cars, but we ain’t going to pay for one...” - that was the reality. Brian Crockett helped a lot when I started. I hustled a lot to get cars out every weekend, whether it was buying used tires, doing buyouts to get a different motor, things like that. Similar to what I heard from Justin [Sanders], just to really hustle and do the best you can to get cars out on track. The last couple of years, I have gotten better opportunities to run in other people's cars, and it’s helped with my experience today.
JW: You are early on in your career, but are there any results that stand out to you up to this point in your career; especially, within the last two seasons?
TT: Last year, we won the SCCT race at Cottage Grove, and that was big for me. The race at Ocean this year, with NARC and getting on the podium, was a great feeling as well. Those were big deals for me. We have had some Top 5’s and Top 10’s for stretches as well. Despite that, I’m still searching for that one successful weekend where everything comes together from the start of the night until the end of the night. Ultimately, I just want to get that 410 win under my belt and keep progressing forward as a driver. The race weekend with High Limit at Skagit Speedway was an amazing time. That said, I’m not satisfied; I’m aiming for more.
JW: Being a part of the West Coast Sprint Car scene, how much do you credit the area for your development as a driver over the last couple of seasons?
TT: When I first started 360 sprint car racing, I was running against Roger Crokett and Jason Solwold on the regular. Right off the bat, I was thrown into tough competition for me to compete against on a local level. When I first started 410 sprint car racing, I started competing against guys like Trey Starks and Justin Sanders regularly. Again, the competition level was right there from the first race. The major aspect of the West Coast Sprint Car scene is that you are always competing against a solid field of drivers for whatever race you go to. You are always up against a good field of cars. Even with NARC, it’s really difficult to pick up an “easy” win as the competition is there night in, night out. The California scene made me uncomfortable in the beginning, as the tracks are so tight and quick. Learning how to adapt and get up on the wheel was a big transition, on top of the competition you are going up against. Funny enough, what helped build my confidence was going out on new tracks and running solid on my first time out. Quick time at Antioch and running well at Ocean with NARC this year was a great feeling to have. Shoot, I’m learning to adapt, and I’m doing a good job. I know these last two years, I have seen progression in myself as a driver, and more wins will follow. I’m proud of where I have gotten so far.
JW: You became a staple on the NARC circuit running with Harold-Main Motorsports 35M. How did you initially get paired up with HMM to run the 35M?
TT: A little over two years ago, just before the Fourth of July, I got a DM from Adam Main [Harold’s son]. He asked if I wanted to race the car at Chico that weekend on the fourth. Then we went up to Montana to run a couple of races. We won a race at Electric City and had some success on that trip. This year was a big undertaking to take the NARC tour on. It was a bit bigger than we expected it was going to be. But it all started with a message on IG to race together.
JW: You and HMM parted ways after Chico during the High Limit swing on their West Coast Swing. If you are able to share, what happened between the two of you to part ways, considering you were looking stronger race by race on the NARC schedule this season?
TT: The undertaking of the year, between the schedule of NARC and all the other races we planned for, was just a lot for both parties. For both of us, it was a lot of races and new undertakings that we had not done prior. There was a lot of stuff going on with both sides. When it came to the Chico weekend with High Limit, with how everything was going up to that point, we just felt that it was best to part ways. It’s part of racing. I’m really proud of the fact that in two years of racing together, we never flipped or tore up a lot of equipment during our time together.
JW: How did you get paired up with Brock Lemley and get the opportunity to drive the #13L at Skagit Speedway during the High Limit swing?
TT: Well, Brock [Lemley] and I ran one race earlier this year. We got on well for the one-off and kept in touch with each other. I ended up getting a call from Brock. He flat-out asked me if I wanted to run a car at Skagit [Speedway] for the High Limit Weekend. Obviously, I said yes as I had nothing else lined up. I was in Jeff Neeham’s car for the weekend, and we used one of Brock’s Shark Racing Engines, which was absolutely a joy to race with. I liked Brock's motor a lot, and it gave me a ton of confidence the entire weekend. Not only did we perform well with one podium during the week, but we had speed every time we hit the track. Everything just clicked for us, which is great when you get those nights of racing. The coolest thing about racing with Brock was his entire family and having a whole group of thirty or so people at the track. Supporting you at every session and cheering you on. It’s more fun whenever you have that support behind you as an experience on a weekend like that, not just the on-track side of it. After running well at Skagit for the High Limit Weekend, he is all in for us to run the Trophy Cup this year together. I’m really looking forward to working with Brock and Jeff again.
JW: Do you have any long term goals as a driver in sprint car racing?
TT: It’s so tough. I’m really happy with my life - honestly. I’m happy with where I am living, where I’m at with my personal life, where I’m at with my job, and my family life is great. There is nothing to complain about. I love racing a lot. I love watching it and being a fan. I love being a part of the sport. I would love to race full-time in the future, but I’m also being realistic about where my life is at right now and where things might take me.
JW: Finally question, do you have any plans for 2026 yet, or are you just taking it as it goes?
TT: I’m keeping it open at this point. Ideally, linking up with Brock [Lemley] and Jeff [Needham] at some point next year would be great again. I don’t want to run fewer than 40 races this year, but if I can race around 50 times next year, I will be happy with that. I will more than likely run my own car for at least 20 or so races, and then I will see how things play out. I would love to get the chance to race out in PA at some point as well, as I feel my driving style would work really well for me in that part of the country. Honestly, though? I’m happy with my life and where everything is at this point. I’m not forcing anything. Everything happens for a reason, and I’m not going to force things. I’m sure opportunities will come up for me next year that I haven’t even thought of at this point.
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I hate to be the bearer of bad news to all the sprint car free agents and aspiring national tour racers, but Tony Stewart was not looking for a project. My thoughts on that today, plus all the racing to pay attention to this weekend.
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