Vicksburg, MS (11/27/17) – After only racing once in the past year and a half – and zero times in 2017 – Vicksburg, Mississippi’s Bub McCool is excited to announce that he’ll be returning to the driver’s seat on a regular basis in 2018.
“I was just burnt out and needed some time away from the sport. I also needed to focus my time on the family business,” the 40-year-old McCool said. “Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I would ever come back, but I always said that if I ever did that it would only be with Randy (Thompson). We started talking real serious about it a month or so ago and decided to team back up for next year.”
McCool will return to the driver’s seat of the Randy Thompson Motorsports-owned #57J Super Late Model. The duo teamed up to win 13 events during the course of the 2015 season and the first half of 2016 before McCool stepped away from racing. They also claimed the 2015 Mississippi State Championship Challenge Series (MSCCS) title together.
“Randy and I get along really well together,” McCool continued. “We both want to race and we both want to win, but neither of us wants to commit to any full-time tour or race every weekend. That makes it where we can both enjoy it and not race ourselves to death. I’ve still got to make my family business (McCool Logging) my primary focus.”
Thompson – who has already obtained a brand-new Club 29 Race Car – is also looking forward to teaming up with McCool again.
“We’ve talked about it a few times over the past year, but recently we decided it was the right time for us to come back,” Thompson noted. “I think the world of Bub and his family, and I really enjoy racing with them. We had a lot of success together when we were teamed up in 2015-2016, and I know that we can do it again.”
For Thompson – who will be 62 years old in April – he knows his window for being able to pursue racing as an active car owner is beginning to narrow.
“I’m not getting any younger, and I really want to get back out there and race again with my team, while I can still enjoy it,” Thompson laughed.
Thompson took delivery of a brand-new Club 29 Race Car from Darrell Lanigan on Thanksgiving afternoon during practice for the Possum Town Grand Prix at Magnolia Motor Speedway.
“Darrell (Lanigan) has been really good and supportive to my team over the years, so it was a no-brainer to get a Club 29 Race Car,” Thompson said. “We’ve had a lot of success in them, and I really like where they are at with their technology.”
The team will again utilize Jay Dickens Racing Engines under the hood of their Super Late Models.
For McCool, he knows that it might take some time in the car to knock off the rust.
“I haven’t raced full time since May 2016, and the last time I was in a car at all was October 2016, so I know it’ll take a few laps, but I have no doubt it should come back pretty quick,” McCool commented. “We are probably going to practice the car a few times before we enter an event, so that I can get comfortable behind the wheel again.”
The team hasn’t penciled an official first race, but hope to be ready to enter an event as soon as mid-to-late January. As dates are confirmed they’ll be posted on the team’s website at www.BubMcCool.com .
The team has also brought some familiar faces back on board to turn wrenches on the car. Long-time McCool crew chief Doug Todd has returned to Thompson Motorsports. In addition, Randy’s son – Randy Boyd Thompson – will assist in maintaining the cars during the week at the team’s Meridian, Mississippi shop.
McCool concluded with a simple but to-the-point thought.
“I’m just excited to be getting back in the car again. I’ve really missed racing and I’ve missed seeing all my friends and fans at the track. It’s an exciting time.”
The team is currently finalizing deals with principle and associate sponsors.
Anyone, who is interested on sponsoring the team can reach Randy Thompson at 601-480-4511.
For more information on Bub McCool, please visit the official team website at www.BubMcCool.com .
Ben Shelton, Owner
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