Peter 'Bull' Thompson returns in green

When spectators spotted a green Mazda RX-7 with May Pen Ice markings blazing around the Dover Raceway track, St Ann on Sunday, as soon they got a chance, like detectives approaching a crime scene, they drew closer to investigate who the driver was. Their investigations quickly revealed that the man behind the wheel was the popular, multitalented Peter 'Bull' Thompson.

After about three years away from the track, Bull is back.

"We have been doing some testing, getting there little by little, but (we) still have a good way to go," a chuckling Thompson remarked about his race car. "We are hoping to be ready for the Labour Day race meet."

This means that the upcoming meet is now shaping up to be an even more intense showdown in the Thundersport II Class, where David Summerbell, Chris Campbell, Peter Rae, and Charles Chen are all top drivers.

"The car has potential. The feel of it was encouraging, though there is room for improvement. The good thing is that I am getting some seat time, because it has been a while. The car has been parked for the past three years, so we decided to start working on it," said Thompson.

Though jokingly referring to himself as an 'old foot', the lanky, bald-headed Thompson said he has been keeping himself in immaculate condition "At my age, that was how I was able to get around the steering wheel," the May Pen-based businessman said.

lack of sponsorship

Thompson has owned the Mazda RX-7 for the the past 12 years, but lack of sponsorship has affected his ability to race consistently. "The budget is tight and I have been concentrating on my work. We have no sponsor, so I have been kept busy working hard," he said.

While Thompson is getting ready for his next trip to Dover, his fans on Facebook have been making several comments. One fan remembered a ding-dong battle between Thompson and Peter Moodie, which went down to the wire as they raced bumper to bumper, negotiating sharp corners aggressively. In the end, Thompson took the chequered flag.

"For me, that was one of the best meets ever," one of the fans commented.

Although one of the oldest competitors at the race track, Thompson has proven time and again that he is no pushover and is a stalwart warrior on the circuit.

"Thompson's return is going to remind many of when the Jamaica Race Drivers Club (JRDC) started out, with the top classes very competitive. He is a crowd-puller - but don't rule out Heath Causwell and Andre Anderson, who are expected to be ready for the May 25 race meet," president of the JRDC, Charles Chen, told Automotives.

Anderson and Causwell were involved in an accident on the track at the last race meet. Their cars were badly damaged.

CORRECTION AND CLARIFICATION: This story originally stated that Peter 'Bull' Thompson competed in a meet at the Dover Raceway, St. Ann, in April 2015, which he did not. He was spotted in the practice at the track.