All About Mark Thompson, the Former Army Pilot Who Remains the Oldest Driver to Run the Daytona 500

The cars that started the 2018 Daytona 500 must have felt an anomaly in the middle of them. A 66-year-old driver with gray hair and wrinkled skin was inside one of the Fords on the start/finish line. But it was no mistake that landed Mark Thompson in the seat of the No. 66 MBM Motorsports car.

Thompson served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War as a helicopter pilot. He was barely 19 years old at the time. The end of the war and the progress of age did not cease his need for adventure. He founded Phoenix Air, a skydiving school that also functions as an airline services company, in the late 1970s.

The company provides a range of services for the government and also has an international air ambulance in its fleet. It played a significant role in transporting patients, medicine, and tissue samples between the United States, Europe, and Africa during the Ebola virus epidemic in 2014.

Despite this notable venture, it is a career in racing that fulfilled his heart. Thompson drove in the ARCA Menards Series majorly with a part-time career in the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series. His final start, in the 2018 Daytona 500, became a noteworthy effort since he was the oldest driver in history to attempt the Great American Race.

His goal was simple. Finish the race without wrecking himself or any of the other full-time entries. Despite his frailing age, the driver managed to do just that. He crossed the checkered flag in 22nd place after an impressive performance that saw many drivers fall out of contention on the dangerous track.

Former driver Mike Wallace is set to attempt the Daytona 500 at age 65

When Thompson drove in the 2018 Daytona 500, he effectively replaced Dave Marcis as the oldest driver to start the Daytona 500. Marcis was 60 years, 11 months, and 17 days old when he raced in the 2002 Daytona 500. Mike Wallace announced on Thursday that he will be attempting the 2025 Daytona 500 next month.

He will not be replacing Thompson in the old drivers’ throne, but will come close. Wallace is an expert on superspeedways with multiple victories in Daytona and Talladega. It would be a surprise if he failed to qualify for the Great American Race. Interestingly, he is doing this as a tribute, in contrast to Thompson who did it for the sake of thrill.

His wife of 44 years, Carla, passed away in 2024 following a battle with cancer. Wallace revealed to Sportsnaut that he aims to honor her memory with his participation in the race. As fate would have it, he will be driving the same No. 66 MBM Motorsports Ford that Thompson used in his final race.