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HISTORY: A 1969 write-up from Thompson, Ohio entitled “Big John’s Opel & Jr. Thom[p]son – All The Marbles” stated, “For the first time in T.D.R.’s racing history, Ohio George Montgomery did not, repeat Did Not win the AA/Gas Super Meet! It was Junior Thompson-“Big John” Mazmanian’s Candy Red hemi-powered Opel, putting on an awesome display for the 6000 standing drag fans, winning all the rounds. Staging next to the Opel in the second round, was ‘hisself’ “Ohio George” and the big Ford Cammer Gasser. The tree came down, and “Junior” pulled a super “2” holeshot on the big blue bomb. Could he hold it? Indeed!! To the time of 8.80/159.29, as “Ohio George” clocked the best of the day, trying to catch the flying Opel, of 8.78/153.40, but it was “Junior’s” day.”
Another article entitled “AA/GS Shine at Irwindale” on November 8, 1969 shows how sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, “Jr. Thompson let the fans know he was back and runnin’ hard as he laid down a beautiful 8.64, to set low E.T. of the meet and 164.23 mph as he cut the feared team of Herrera & Lombardo who ran a very close 8.67. (See photograph.) It looked like Jr. Thompson & “Big John” all the way until the Opel made a 90 degree right turn for the guard-rail forcing Jr. to back out of it, so Steve Korney breezed to an 8.82 -159.57 mph and the win.”
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