You say you hear the thumb release pop at different times?? Sounds like your timing isnt consistant on every approach to the line. I would look into that personally. I know a guy near me that uses a mental 5 count during his approach, smoothed out his game very well and gained him 15 pins to his average. As for the poping during your release, does it hurt? If not then you should be fine. I have a minor pop from my release, depends on which ball im using also. Doesnt effect me.
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Mike Zadler
NE Lake County IL
Sanctioned Highs:
775 Series/288 Game
Sanct. Ave. (Ending 2006) 198 (THS)
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
http://members.bowl.com/FindAMember/memberView.aspx?ms=12886&mp=552&s=2005-2006
PBA/Sport Highs: Game 225, Series 602.

if your pro shop can, have them drill a vent hole,..he'll know what you're asking for if he's good.

I've always had a problem with gripping through my release.  I know its bad, and I've done some things to correct it.  I'm using a tighter thumbhole than I used to and its ovaled so that I don't have as much room to "knuckle the ball"  I've gotten a lot better about not gripping it,  but I do notice that when I take a piece of tape out of my equipment the ball actually sticks to my thumb more because I do grip it,  what can I say, my game is in knots right now, and with Jr. Gold commming up thats not exactly a good thing .  But even when I'm not bowling and I just stick my hand in the ball and slowly pull my thumb out I find that my thumb sticks and then releases.  but like I said, if I take a piece of tape out, it just sticks more.  its really odd, something I've never had problems with before.

Jimen...  My proshop operator is out of town down at bowl expo so can't really do anything there,  if you can just do it with a drill bit and a drill I could do it myself,  I'm just not sure on the proper size of bit to use, angle, etc.

Thanks

Jeremy
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"Strive to be perfect,  that is afterall the only way to become perfect."

"If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans."

Taken from Desiderata

Proud user of Columbia 300 and Visionary Bowling Products

well went out tonight after my last post and tried some things.  was thinking about changing my bevel on my equipment since I do have a bevel and a sander here at the house.  decided to see if there was any equipment that I had that didn't pop.  there wasn't,  it kept on feeling like it was gripping the back of my thumb and that thats where the suction causing the popping was comming from.  then something hit me,  I have some of the Yellow Vise Grips tape in my bag,  I've seen people use it on their thumbs and fingers.  so I took a strip of it and put it on the back of my thumb, tried rolling a shot, there was still a pop but it was so much quieter than it had been,  Like BigAu said, its a fairly slick tape and I come out of the ball much smoother,  as far as having more revs.  that would suck,  I have problems on dry conditions as it is .  thanks everyone for the advice,  Think I found something that will work.  

Jeremy
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"Strive to be perfect,  that is afterall the only way to become perfect."

"If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans."

Taken from Desiderata

Proud user of Columbia 300 and Visionary Bowling Products

3 things to check that come into my mind:

a) pin position on ball.
For a high tracker, a very high pin (more than 1 " above finger holes) can result in a thumb hole position that gest it very close to the track.

b) wrist poistion
If you bend back your wrist, consciously or unconsciously, the track might move higher than usual, aven between thumb and finger holes (like a full roller). Concentration, some wrist training or a wrist device might help.

c) Finger pressure and finger grips/holes
Finally, with an uneven pressure of the fingers upon release, the track might move higher, too.

Some background... A friend of mine had the problem of clipping his thumb and even finger holes on just 1 ball some weeks ago, without a clue why. The ball reacted erratically, and carry was so so out of a sudden. Great riddle.

The solution (we hope it is!) was simple and complex at the same time: His middle finger hole with power lift grips had broken in some time ago, and he fixed it with super glue. Some small pieces of the coverstock must have slipped between ball and grip, and the superglue "baked" them into a small hump just under his grip point of the middle finger. the result was un even pressure, and a lack of ring finger power. this shifted the track almost 1" towards the thumb and caused the clipping (it even hit the finger holes sometimes!).

The ball is to be refilled soon, but this seems to be the cause for the troble.
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DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
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"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream..." - Edgar Allen Poe