John A. Thomson (April 9, 1922 – September 24, 1960) was an American racecar driver. Thomson was nicknamed "the Flying Scot." He won several championships in midgets and sprint cars before competing in Championship Car (now IndyCar) racing. He won the pole position for the 1959 Indianapolis 500. Background Thomsom was born on April 9, 1922 to William and Marion Ross Thomson. He graduated from Lowell High School then the New England Aircraft School. He served in the United States Air Force as a crew chief during World War II in Corsica and Italy between 1942 and 1945 on a B-25 bomber. Thomson was awarded five service stars and the Distinguished Air Force Medal. Thomson met his future wife Evelyn Peterson in 1951. He moved from the Springfield, Massachusetts area to a five-acre ranch that he built near Boyertown, Pennsylvania in the mid 1950s. Midget cars Thomson began watching races at a track across the street from his home in 1937 and 1938 in Lowell. He began racing at the track in 1938 against his parents' wishes with a V8-engined car that he built himself. After returning from the war, he resumed racing midgets at the Bay State Racing Association. His first win happened at Seekonk Speedway in 1946 and he won seven times in 1947. Thomson won the 1948 United Car Owners Association (UCOA) New England title after winning 32 midget events. He won his second UCOA title in 1949; he also race in some American Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) events. He switched to the ARDC in 1950 to finish fifth in points and took second in points in 1951. He won the 1952 AAA Eastern division midget car championship after winning twice at Williams Grove Speedway. Championship cars He drove in the AAA and USAC Championship Car series, racing in the 1953-1960 seasons with 69 starts, including the Indianapolis 500 races in each season. He finished in the top ten 43 times, with 7 victories. His best Indy finish was third in 1959 after starting the race on the pole position. Roy Sherman, the first National Midget Champion, was his chief mechanic for several Indy 500s. He won his first champ car race at the Milwaukee Mile in 1955. He ended up finishing third in season points after having to sit out the middle part of the season while healing from a end over end flip at the