Seven-time IHRA TAFC world champion Mark Thomas said his decision to walk away from drag racing in 2009 was nothing more than a means to spend more time with his family and farming business.

The Louisville, Ohio-based farmer believes a year without racing will leave him wondering how he managed to have time for racing anyway. Thomas has not missed an IHRA national event since the fall of 1988.

“It’s all my own doing,” Thomas said. “I have not missed a rodeo in twenty years. I just want time with my wife and kids. I really want to see what normal life is like. Seven-time IHRA TAFC world champion Mark Thomas said his decision to walk away from drag racing in 2009 was nothing more than a means to spend more time with his family and farming business.

The Louisville, Ohio-based farmer believes a year without racing will leave him wondering how he managed to have time for racing anyway. Thomas has not missed an IHRA national event since the fall of 1988.

“It’s all my own doing,” Thomas said. “I have not missed a rodeo in twenty years. I just want time with my wife and kids. I really want to see what normal life is like.

“I have wanted to take a year off for the last seven years but we kept doing well. Everyone told me I ought to walk away while I’m on top. I got news for them, that’s not easy.

A good friend of mine – Ken Veney told me I would realize when the right time to walk away would be. I kept hoping a while back that would happen.”

He admits he started racing before his three children were born and coming up he and his wife will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

Thomas’s sponsors have all conveyed they will rejoin him should he decide to return. His major sponsor is Ethanol and the Corn Growers of America. He’s carried their sponsorship for nearly as long as he’s competed on the IHRA tour.

“They realize I am doing this for the right reasons,” Thomas added. “The nice thing about it is nothing is forced. I don’t have to sit out. There are no health issues, family problems or loss of funds. It’s just what Mark Thomas wants to do.”

An unsubstantiated rumor circulated in the racing community suggesting Thomas was leaving due to perceived uncertainty with the IHRA and the speculation the Alcohol Funny Car division wouldn’t be part of the curriculum in the future.

Thomas said nothing could be further from the truth. While he realizes many decisions in drag racing are driven by the current economic climate, if the class is removed from the IHRA line-up, he’s confident when he returns he could do so with enough sponsorship to bring it back.

“I believe one way or the other the IHRA will be strong,” Thomas said. “We really don’t what the future is for any business out there now. IHRA has been around a long time and I love drag racing.”

Thomas told CompetitionPlus.com that once word leaked out he was planning to take the time off, he was offered an abundance of quality rides from other teams in the TAFC community.

“I hope that taking a year off doesn’t damage anything,” Thomas said. “Life will go on and a lot of racers have said that life won’t be the same at the IHRA races without me. I have to tell you that it will be the same for everyone else; I’m the one who will be dealing with the difference. Life doesn’t stop no matter who of us decides to walk away.”

He admits he wished at one time he could fade away and no one would notice but admits the number of friends he’s made along the way would make such a thing nearly impossible.

Thomas doesn’t rule out a return with possibly another driver behind the wheel. The leading candidate, according to Thomas, would be one of his kids, which one is yet undetermined.

He won’t have to look hard for something to do as his family farm extends beyond 2,000 acres and his dairy farm consists of over 900 heads of cattle.

“I told my wife that in a year from now I will either say, ‘Gosh I need to go racing’ or ask ‘Why didn’t I quit sooner?”

“I don’t know what the answer will be because I’ve never had a life without a race car.” Thomas surmised.