Rocky Ragusa

Glen Thompson of Buckingham, Ill., a two-time Sportsmanship Award winner and longtime Late Model regular at Fairbury (Ill.) Speedway, died unexpectedly Friday afternoon. He was 45. His wife Katalin posted news of her husband's passing on Facebook.

Thompson, who finished 10th in Fairbury's points last season with two top-10 finishes in nine feature starts, typically drove his Thompson Auto Wreckers-sponsored No. 14 Kryptonite Race Car in Fairbury's weekly action and occasional special events at Peoria (Ill.) Speedway, Kankakee County Speedway in Kankakee, Ill., and other dirt tracks.

"Our hearts our broken," Katalin Thompson wrote on her Facebook page, noting his death came on their 12th wedding anniversary. "Today was the hardest day of my life and I wish it on no one."

Thompson's racing success included a 2021 semifeature victory at Fairbury and his team frequently hosted an offseason race party for his supporters. His Sportsmanship Awards came at Fairbury in 2021 and, before that, Kankakee.

“I try to carry myself where people and my sponsors are proud to support me,” Thompson told reporter Rocky Ragusa in 2021. “If a driver needs to borrow a tool or part, I am always glad to help them out."

Besides his wife, survivors include a daughter, Grace, and son, Tucker. Arrangements weren't immediately available.