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Hi everyone, my name is Rand Thompson and I wanted to introduce myself as the MARC Times Racing News & Michigan Racing Scene correspondent for Toledo Speedway in 2009. The lightning fast high banked Toledo half mile has been my favorite short track for many years, so I am really excited to be able to share my enthusiasm with you every week. It looks like 2009 will once again be an exciting year for short track racing, and nothing seems to be more uplifting than the start of a new racing season when all the tracks start to re open after a long cold winter.

Many people talk about seeing a robin to signal the end of winter, but for me, it always seems like the beginning of spring when you pass through the track gates for opening day and the green flag drops for the first time. The track promoters appear to be working very hard to promote their facilities and cooperate with each other, so it potentially looks like a good year ahead for the drivers and fans. Especially in these economic times, there is no better value for the dollar than taking the family to your local track and seeing some thrilling live racing in person.

I have been a long time race fan since the early 70's when I finally convinced my Dad to take me to the 1973 Indy 500. All it took was the pageantry of Jim Nabors singing "Back Home Again in Indiana" and Tony Hulman commanding "Gentlemen, Start Your Engines", and from that moment on, I was hooked for life.  I also became a big MIS supporter after I made my Mom take me to the track for my birthday in 1975 (Isn't there something I can just buy you instead?), and  went to the races there as much as possible. My wife, Lori, and I enjoyed our trips to MIS so much; we relocated to the Irish Hills area from Pontiac in 1993 and currently live in Somerset just 10 minutes from the speedway. I have also served as a volunteer at MIS on race weekends for the last several years giving pit road and garage tours to corporate sponsors and track hospitality as well as being a former tour guide with the Motorsports Hall of Fame in Novi.

After attending the big speedways at Indianapolis and MIS for several years, I discovered the thrills and excitement of short track racing and soon subscribed to the MARC Times Racing News to find out the latest results and to see all the track ads to determine where to go for the next big race. I have attended 48 tracks in 7 states, but besides Toledo & MIS, my favorite tracks are Flat Rock & DuQuoin, with my favorite series being ARCA, NASCAR Trucks, and asphalt Super Late Models. I am also very excited to see the return of the USAC Sprints and Midgets to Toledo once again after a one year absence. If you haven't visited Toledo in quite a while, Ron Drager, Roy Mott, and Scott Schultz have made a lot of great improvements over the last several years, and the track has never looked so good.

Growing up in Pontiac, I naturally gravitated towards local legend Joy Fair as my favorite driver, later developed a friendship, and stop by his shop for lunch every month or so. My other favorite past drivers are Joe Ruttman, Bob Keselowski, Rich Vogler, Karl Busson, Jack Hewitt, and Lloyd Ruby. My current favorites, many of whom were once Toledo regulars, are Terry Cook, Brad & Brian Keselowski, Chuck Roumell, Butch Miller, Justin Allgaier, and AJ Henriksen.

In my professional life, I am an alumnus of Michigan State, and Lawrence Technological University, and worked for automotive suppliers as a quality assurance engineer, but like others, am between positions at the moment. When not at the races, I enjoy reading and collecting racing & automotive history books, writing book reviews for the Dayton Speedway Lives website, attending car shows in my restored 1973 Mercury Capri, and spending time with my two spoiled dogs.

I am looking forward to being "The Pit Guide" for all the readers of the MARC Times Racing News & Michigan Racing Scene, along with everyone at Toledo Speedway this year; make sure you stop and say Hello.