SIOUX CITY, Iowa – Fast learner Cody Thompson made the quick transition to the IMCA Modified division.
After collecting 80 victories in just four-plus Karl Kustoms Northern SportMod seasons, Thompson was a 19-time feature winner in his initial modified campaign, earning national and Side Biter Chassis North Central Region rookie of the year honors, along with Minnesota’s Murray County Speedway and Worthington Speedway track titles.
“I don’t know which accomplishment was the biggest,” said Thompson, fourth in national and runner-up in regional points. “Winning rookie of the year and 19 features is tough to do your first year in the modified division.
“I’d only raced Worthington one time before in a sportmod and that was the heat only because the feature rained out. I hadn’t raced at Slayton much before this year, either,” he added. “To win two track championships was pretty cool, too.”
Thompson made nine early season starts in Arizona and another at Beatrice (Neb.) Speedway’s Spring Nationals. He’d made running for rookie of the year a goal before winning his second home region outing, on April 17 at Park Jefferson Speedway in Sioux City, S.D.
“We didn’t know a lot about the car at the start of the season. We wrote stuff down and had a better understanding of what to do when we got home and the car got better and better,” he said. “It felt good to get that first win and get that weight lifted off my shoulders. We knew what it took to get it done preparation-wise.”
Thompson’s 19 feature victories were the most for a modified rookie of the year since Jesse Sobbing’s record 32 in 2013.
“That didn’t set in until after the season and I took a break from racing. I thought ‘Wow, did I really win 19 races?’” he said.