Road trip in memory of young Leeds car fanatic

David Thompson and Rach Cooper. Picture courtesy of Jay Ogilvie

Mr Thompson of Smithy Lane, Tingley was a car enthusiast and big fan of multiple MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi.

Every year, he and his friends visited the Nurburgring motor sports complex on a trip away together.

And on Thursday, Mr Thomspon’s friends and relatives will make the trip in his memory.

They will set off from the Ferrybridge Services on the M62 motorway in more than 30 cars.

Close friend Lee Heap said: “We are all going to Nurburgring in memory of Dave, where he spent quite a bit of time.

“We thought it would be a fitting way to remember him.

“He was really into his motor sport and we used to go to Nurburgring every year, but on a much smaller scale.

“Dave was a close friend to many people and he treated everybody the same.

“This is the first time we have done this in his memory.

“And it should be a good turnout to show that he’s not forgotten.”

Well-wishers will gather at the service station to wave the motorists off on their trip.

And the BMW M3, which Mr Thompson used to drive to the Nurburgring, will be driven to the station for the send off at 3pm.

The drivers will then head for the ferry at Hull, crossing to Rotterdam and driving across to Germany, where they will spend several days.

Mr Thompson, 35, died from his injuries a month after he was involved in a collision on the A650 Wrenthorpe Bypass on April 18, last year.

He was airlifted to Leeds General Infirmary with severe head injuries.

His condition deteriorated and he died in hospital last May.

Mr Thompson, known to friends as Timpson, worked as a production worker at Tower crane specialist HTC Plant in Sheffield.

In the month after his death, his friends and family sold hundreds of specially made car stickers which featured a BMW logo and read “RIP Dave Thompson 13-05-15”.

The group riding to Nurburgring will display car stickers with Mr Thomspon’s registration number stating “memorial ring trip 2016”.

They are also taking a framed picture of Mr Thompson and his car to leave at the ring in his memory and have had a memorial helmet specially made.

Last month, three people were charged in connection with the crash.