Ashton Thompson: Driver Profile

Early Life & Racing Roots

Ashton Thompson was born and raised in Salem, Indiana, a racing-centric town home to the iconic Salem Speedway. She grew up in a motorsports family: her grandfather Gerald and father Tyson both raced mini sprints. Ashton started her own racing journey at age six with quarter midgets at Mini Indy Speedway.

A Journey Back to the Track

After stepping away from racing due to the recession in 2009-2010, Ashton explored other sports during school—softball and basketball—but found herself missing the thrill of racing. She returned behind the wheel in a Legend car (which she didn't enjoy) before stepping into Formula 4 and ultimately finding her niche in Kenyon Midgets for the USSA series in 2022, finishing 10th overall in her rookie year.

A standout moment came when she became the first woman to earn the pole at her hometown Salem Speedway in a 602 Super Sportsman race. Mechanical issues derailed what could have been a win, but she still finished as runner-up.

National Stage: Midgets & Sprint Cars

True to her 'Go Big or Go Home' motto, Ashton campaigned to compete in the prestigious Chili Bowl Nationals, securing backing from Trailer Alarms and launching a partnership that extended into national midget racing with Mounce/Stout Motorsports.

By 2023, she joined Mounce/Stout for over 40 races in the Midwest, driving the Trailer Alarms - Spike - SR-11 #23 in both USAC and Xtreme Outlaw Midget Series events. It marked her first full season in national midgets—an exciting step upward after experience in Legends, F4, and stock cars. Her goals for that season: grow, learn, and lay the groundwork for a championship run in the future.

To broaden her horizons and manage costs, Ashton and her family transitioned to sprint car racing in 2022, investing in a 305 IMCA RaceSaver sprint car they could work on at home. Initial struggles gave way to progress—she started posting top-10 finishes, with a breakthrough at Bloomington where she set quick time and led the first 10 laps of a feature, marking a clear turning point.

Off-Track: Advocacy & Ambassadorship

Beyond racing, Ashton has become an influential advocate for women and health. In 2022, she became the first athletic ambassador for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition (NOCC), using her platform to raise awareness for a cause close to her heart. Alongside that, she's also served as the first athletic advocate for Indiana Women in Need Foundation (IWIN), supporting Hoosiers battling breast cancer through fundraising and awareness.