Neil Thompson passed away

[Glen]

Neil Thompson passed away this morning. He was a pioneer in LSR and held many records in his Studebaker on the salt and dry lakes. He was a member of the Gear Grinders. God Speed Neil.

[dw230]

Crud! Seems like the passings are coming in fast and furious.

I liked Neil - he was way fast when others were looking to go fast. Neil became a Bonneville 200 MPH club member in 1966, 265+ in a Studebaker.

God Speed,
DW

[jimmy six]

Neil was my friend and mentor. I worked for him for a short time and it was my pleasure. He taught me a lot. He continued to work too long and still had many more dreams and aspirations in LSR which he will now not be able to accomplish. He was admired by many....I will miss my true friend Neil..................JD

[Freud]

Years ago, on a very hot day, Neil was sitting on the side of the Studbugger with a wet washcloth over his head. I did a foto of him and printed it in the room

at the Wendover Best Western. I gave it to him. He lost it and every time I saw him he told me about that foto.

He made horsepower and drove "balls to the wall." I think he was an early Freddie Dannenfelzer or George Fields.

Nope, I am wrong.

Freddie and George are late model Neil.

FREUD

[NathanStewart]

Man, other one gone.  Neil's Studebaker was insane and it's still around today (in an undisclosed location) and I had the pleasure of taking a very close look at it.  Man, you had to have one hell of a pair to pilot that monster to nearly 300 mph.  My dad told me a story once that the first time he went to Bonneville he and some friends flew up to Wendover and landed out some where on a near by dry lake bed or a dirt road or something.  Before they landed they got down near the road and saw a truck towing a bitchin' looking Studebaker.  Once they landed they all ran up to the highway and here comes this truck over the hill with the Studebaker behind it.  Sure enough it was Neil Thompson.  He pulled over and gave everyone a ride into town.  Neil had always been one of my dad's heros.     

[hotrod]

I found a picture of his car at http://www.roddingroundtable.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=57007




Source is from Purplesagetradingpost.

Larry

[Bob Drury]

  I never had the pleasure of meeting Neil but Bruce Geisler said that he had "one wicked car".
  Tom Burkland shared with me pictures of both the Burkland Studebaker and several of the different incarnations of the Thompson car along with many stories of both cars.
  It sure would have been neat to have them both run with Today's modern technowlogy.   
  God speed Neil.                                Bob Drury

[jimmy six]

No one ever says much about it but there is an old car magazine from the 60's which has a 2 or 3 page article on Neil's Studebaker. One of the photos shows a timing slip with the #400 and a speed of over 300 mph out the back door....Neil was never to use any nitro also.

I guess the Man Upstairs needed a few things all at once: A USC Chemical Engineer, HD dealership owner, Lincoln-Mercury dealership CEO, electrical mechanic, and a super tuner all in one.....................JD

[lvsalt]

 heres an old pic i had

[Stan Back]

Boy, the view outta there musta been very limited.

[Freud]

That's the car on which he was sitting on the door sill when I did is foto.

Several year ago I saw him at Jack's Garage and most recently at Gas up with his son and his dog.

When he left LSR he bonded with dirt bikes.  Whatever he did he did with gusto.

RIP Neil....

FREUD

[Bville701]

RIP Neil

[fastman614]

Neil IS one of my heroes..... even if he's gone now! I used to stop by his place when he lived in Elko and, on one occasion, I nearly had him talked into selling me "The Wold's Fastest Coupe"..... I had to go home and borrow money to do it and by the time I got a loan arranged, Neil decided he did NOT want to sell it. I didn't want to run it, I just wanted to OWN it!

We sat together and benched race at more than one 200 Club get-together and, at the salt, we ribbed each other about who tried to copy who's lakester......

We're going to miss you Neil..... Godspeed and see you on the other side....

[Scott]

Sad news, Neil wasn't finished yet. He had alot of ideas he wanted to try.
Met Neil when he lived in Elko, bought motorcycles from him.
I took  the pic of the coupe on the trailer about 1967 in downtown Ely. They were taking a break on the way to Bonneville'
Years passed, I got back with him in the early 2000's at Bonneville. He taught me the ways of the salt and introduced me to many of my hero's.
My thoughts are with his family may peace be with you, God Speed Neil.
                            SB

[Stainless1]

Met Neil, his son and the Wolf at one of the early Bub meets.    I noticed he was wearing the oldest faded red hat I had ever seen.  I really enjoyed talking with an old salt legend, God Speed Neil