MAT-SU — He’s as much a part of North Star Speedway as the grandstand that seats about 3,000 fans, the beer garden and even the paved oval track.

Since attending the very first race hosted by the Wasilla-area raceway more than 12 years ago, Mike Thomas has been a North Star Speedway staple. And after spending a dozen summers on the track, Thomas is having one of his best seasons yet.

“It’s been good,” Thomas said on Wednesday. “I’m feeling good about what’s going on in my life, and it’s making the racing good.”

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The fixture at the track has been cemented atop the legends class season points standings throughout the summer. Thomas won his seventh straight feature race last weekend and will go for his eighth in a row in his No. 5 car tomorrow when North Star hosts its weekly GCI Saturday Night Thunder at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s the best year I’ve had,” Thomas said.

He’s won a hat trick award for winning three straight races in the past, Thomas said, and even hit the double hat trick one year. But this season, he’s 7-for-7 in the legends feature events. Off all the times that the tires of his ‘34 Chevy coupe have hit the paved oval this season, he’s only lost three preliminary heat races. And in those three races, he took second twice and was in a minor collision in the third.

Although he’s one of the most successful and recognized drivers at North Star, it took the birth of the Wasilla speedway to bring Thomas back to the track.

Thomas recalls attending the races with his father near his childhood home in the Spokane, Wash., area. He even took a stab at quarter-midget and mirco-midget racing as an 11-or 12-year-old. But other than following the sport on television, Thomas waited until he was in his 50’s to find his place on the track.

“I never got back into until (North Star) opened up,” the 68-year-old said. “I was there for the opening weekend and I don’t think I’ve missed more than a dozen or so (races) since. I’ve been around that track as many times as anybody.”

Thomas said he bought a car and figured he’d give it a shot, and then let his children give racing a try.

“The kids are still waiting,” Thomas said with a laugh. “I’m not done trying it out. I’m having too good a time.”

Even though his kids didn’t necessarily get bit by the racing bug like Thomas did, Thomas praised the family atmosphere tracks like North Star provide.

“It’s a real good family hobby,” Thomas said. “I’ve met so many good people out here.”

Now, North Star and its drivers and fans make up a big part of Thomas’ social network. When he first hit the track and didn’t have a permanent place to work on his car, another driver — Willie Creech — helped him out.

“Through racing, he’s now one of my closest friends,” Thomas said.

After a collision during a race at the North Pole Speedway caused extensive damage to his car during a recent season, Thomas said a group of friends and fellow drivers from North Star came together had another car built for him in a week.

He’s also helped get people on the track. Kelly Sawyer began bringing her family to the track as a fan, and after meeting Thomas, she got a chance to get in the car.

“Couple years later she started racing, and a couple years later she beat me in a heat race,” Thomas said with a laugh. “It’s fun to see the new ones get started.”

Because of that attitude, Thomas has garnered special praise at North Star.

“Mike is a mentor to many drivers and is always willing to give a hand whenever he can,” legends class driver Erika Bills said. “He represents our sport in a very positive manner.”

The sport has also allowed Thomas to venture Outside. He’s qualified for a handful of national events and has competed on tracks in Charlotte, N.C., Las Vegas, Nev., and Elko, Minn.

Last fall, at the 17th annual RACEceiver Legends Car and Thunder Roadster Asphalt Nationals in Elko, Thomas place 13th and posted the best finish in a national event of his career.

“It’s a fabulous hobby, and it’s been great to me,” Thomas said. “You even get to travel some.”

Thomas said it does take quite the commitment to maintain and race every weekend, but he enjoys working on his car almost as much as he likes to get it out on the track.  And he plans on spending many more Saturday nights on the Wasilla paved track.

He’s 68, but Thomas has a lot of racing left in him.

“I’ve got a lot of living left in me,” Thomas said.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

ON THE TRACK

Mike Thomas will be in search of his eighth straight win in the legends class during GCI Saturday Night Thunder, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at North Star Speedway in Wasilla. Saturday is also the track’s Kids Day and Pit and Treat, a special event sponsored by Mad Science.

GET TO THE TRACK

North Star Speedway is located at 2151 Jensen Rd., near the Trunk Road overpass along the Parks Highway.

MORE ON THE TRACK

For more about North Star Speedway, see the track’s Web site www.northstarspeedway.com.