For Shane Thompson, racing has never been just about cars. It’s about family, friendships, memories, and years of dedication built one pass at a time.
LARIS MOTORSPORTS INSURANCE
AGENT: Kari Carr
Phone (941) 232.8594 or Kari@larismotorsports.com
But on a New Year’s Eve “Hangover Nationals” trip to Tucson, Arizona, everything changed in the middle of the night.
Thompson and wife were asleep when a phone call came at 1:30 a.m. — the call every racer fears.
“There’s a fire,” his friend Greg told him, before the call dropped.
Moments later, Thompson learned the truth. His stacker trailer was fully involved. By the time he arrived between Wikieup and Wickenburg, Arizona, the scene was already over.
“All I could see was that everything had melted to the ground,” Thompson said. “Two dragsters. The Nova. Tools. Equipment. Years of work. Just… gone.”
Inside the trailer were three race cars:
• A championship-winning Race Tech dragster that had delivered multiple Summit Bracket Series victories.
• A nearly brand-new Race Tech Silver State car with only 30–40 passes.
• And the 1967 Nova — a car filled with family history, memories, and milestone moments.
“My daughter learned to race in that Nova,” Thompson said. “Sixteen years old, Top Sportsman. That car meant everything to us.”
The Nova had been sold once when the family shifted to dragsters — then later tracked down, repurchased, and completely rebuilt from the ground up. New engine, transmission, rear end, paint — every detail restored.
“It was just a great car. So many memories. A lot of good memories.”
THE FIRST THOUGHT: INSURANCE
As Thompson raced toward the scene, one thought kept repeating.
“Is my stuff insured?”
Like many racers, he admits insurance was something he once dreaded paying for. But that night, it became everything.
Thankfully, Thompson had recently moved his motorhome and racing equipment to Laris Motorsports Insurance.
And that decision changed everything.
“Within the same day, Laris was calling me,” he said. “Not the other way around. They were updating me. Walking me through the process. Sending checks.”
At the same time, Thompson says he is still to this day waiting on a $3,500 claim from another insurance provider — while Laris was already handling a claim involving three race cars, a trailer, and a motorhome. Imagine if his motorhome, trailer and cars were not insured by Laris!
“It was night and day,” Thompson said. “I’ve never experienced anything like that with an insurance company.”
He specifically praised claims handler Haley, support from Karrie Carr, and personal outreach from Ross and the Laris leadership.
“When the owners of a company call you personally, that means something,” Thompson said. “That tells you who they really are.”
A MESSAGE TO RACERS
Thompson didn’t hesitate when asked what he would tell racers who think this will never happen to them.
“That was me,” he said. “I thought it would never happen. And then it did.”
He now views insurance as part of racing itself — no different than fuel, tires, or entry fees.
“If you don’t have insurance, you’re on a ticking time bomb,” he said. “And I would hate for anyone to lose everything they’ve worked for and not be able to replace it.”
WHAT’S NEXT
Despite the loss, Thompson isn’t done racing.
He still has additional dragsters in his stable and plans to continue bracket racing while building toward a completely new race program.
“We’re not done,” he said. “We’ll be back.”
And through it all, he remains grateful.
Grateful for the memories.
Grateful for the support.
And grateful that when the unthinkable happened, he wasn’t alone.
FINAL WORDS
“I want racers to know this,” Thompson said. “When your tragedy comes to an end, you want to be with the right people. And Laris Motorsports proved they’re second to none.”
DragCoverage spoke with Kari Carr who said: “When I got the call from Shane Thompson (well actually his daughter, Alexis called me first) then him, I was shocked. I could hear the heartbreak in their voices.”
“I’m so happy we were able to assist him with such a difficult time. I’m so proud to work for a company that cares so much for their customers like Laris Motorsports does. Being a racers wife, daughter & never knowing any other life, it means so much that they value the racers & the support they give to this sport.”
