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Thompson Shows Dominant Pace in IMSA Prototype Challenge Debut with Sean Creech Motorsport

May 16, 2022

Thompson Shows Dominant Pace in IMSA Prototype Challenge Debut with Sean Creech Motorsport

MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE, LEXINGTON, OHIO

Parker Thompson seems capable of first-class performance in any race car or series. With his primary campaign in Carrera Cup North America on a scheduled intermission until late June, Thompson filled the hole in his calendar by joining the IMSA Prototype Challenge (IPC) at this weekend’s Lexus Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio. Driving with Lance Willsey and Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) for Sunday’s contest, Thompson produced an exciting mid-race charge that took the #14 SCM/Exelixis/Focal One/Alta Equipment entry from P10 to P3, setting a new IPC race lap record in the process. His charge was ultimately cut short by a fueling issue. After multiple pit stops, the team reached the checkered flag and a ninth-place finish.

Thompson’s dominant pace during the race was a welcome reward for the twenty-four-year-old Canadian who had uncertain expectations in his first opportunity behind the wheel with Sean Creech Motorsport in IPC. After only a handful of laps in practice sessions on Friday and Saturday, Thompson launched into a blistering pace when his stint began, about halfway through the 90-minute race. His best race lap, 1:17.583, marked a new record for the class at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and bested the next best driver at the event by more than six-tenths of a second. With that pace, he worked the white, red, and blue #14 from P10 to P3, unleashing a flurry of action throughout the field as he advanced.

With a podium finish on the horizon, an unfortunate fueling issue forced Thompson into the pits and dropped the #14 back down the order. Yet another pit stop came just minutes later. Back on track, Thompson continued his attack through to the finish, but after two unplanned stops, a podium was out of reach. He took the checkered flag in the ninth position, two laps down.

 

Parker Thompson
“A gigantic thank you to Sean Creech Motorsport and Lance Willsey for a fantastic opportunity this weekend. Getting here was a bit of a whirlwind! We finalized our plans only a few days before the event and poured a seat for me just ahead of practice on Friday morning. Having already worked with the team in other roles, I knew it wouldn’t be any trouble getting comfortable and up to speed here at Mid-Ohio.

It’s not often enough that I get a chance to go wheel-to-wheel in a new series, and the IMSA Prototype Challenge is a series that I respect particularly. Some of the drivers here are drivers who inspired me to launch a racing career. LMP3 cars blend some of the aero characteristics of open-wheel cars that I raced early in my career, with the power and weight of sportscars that I’ve driven more recently. Being dropped in and performing the way I did with minimal preparation lends me massive confidence. It’s a shame that we couldn’t convert our performance on track into a better overall result, but the success that I experienced during the race more than matched my expectations. I hope to do this again sometime in the future and earn a result that the whole team can celebrate.”

As followers of Thompson watch him pilot new race cars, they will be reminded of his 2019 season: a season that in many ways marks the beginning of this chapter in his racing career. That year a younger Thompson remarkably took on three full campaigns; winning the Canadian Touring Car Championship, placing second in IMSA Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, and third in the Road to Indy, Indy Pro 2000 Championship. Earning success in such different machinery, even on the same weekend, revealed Thompson’s adaptability as a driver and his natural feel for racing.

While Thompson’s experiences in 2019 opened the door to the opportunities in Porsche where he is currently focused, that year also marks the last time that he earned an overall championship win. For 2022, another championship title is Thompson’s key objective. That is something that he is closely contesting in Carrera Cup North America, where after six of sixteen rounds, he and team JDX Racing are currently 2nd in the overall standings. Thompson will look to improve that position when Carrera Cup North America resumes on June 24th at Watkins Glen International.

 

Images credit Bob Chapman / Autosport Image

Event Results

IMSA Prototype Challenge at Lexus Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio

Qualifying – Official (PDF)
Race – Provisional (PDF)
Fastest Lap by Driver (PDF)
Championship Standings – Provisional (PDF)

Complete results are available at results.imsa.com

Thompson Joins Sean Creech Motorsport for IMSA Prototype Challenge at Mid-Ohio

May 11, 2022

Thompson Joins Sean Creech Motorsport for IMSA Prototype Challenge at Mid-Ohio

LEXINGTON, OHIO

2022 Carrera Cup North America contender Parker Thompson will make a guest appearance in the IMSA Prototype Challenge (IPC) at this weekend’s Lexus Grand Prix At Mid-Ohio. Held in conjunction with the WeatherTech SportsCar Challenge, IPC features single-seat closed cockpit racecars and 1hr 45-minute races split between two-driver teams. Thompson will pilot the #14 Sean Creech Motorsport (SCM) Exelixis/Focal One/Alta Equipment Ligier JS P320 alongside co-driver Lance Willsey. 

Thompson joins SCM for a single race at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, a circuit where he has won races both on the Road to Indy and in Porsche GT3 Cup. Co-driver Lance Willsey is coming off an LMP3 class win at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in March. When the two drivers take to the 2.4-mile Mid-Ohio road course on Sunday morning, they will look for a solid performance to advance SCM’s current 6th place position in the IPC championship standings.

Having earned thirty-four race wins in multiple series throughout North America, twenty-four-year-old Thompson is an established driver, but he takes the wheel with SCM from a unique position. For the past two years, Thompson has worked with the team as a race spotter for the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. Having developed a strong relationship with Willsey and SCM in that capacity, the IPC event at Mid-Ohio offers a natural opportunity to put Thompson in the driver’s seat. SCM is running double duty at the event, contending both IPC and the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, where they lead the LMP3 class. Thompson is coming off of a weekend sweep of Carrera Cup North America at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca earlier this month and is amid a long intermission in that series before it heads to Watkins Glen International in late June.

Parker Thompson
“I can’t thank Sean Creech and Lance Willsey enough for this opportunity. When I worked with them last year at Sebring, they needed a spotter at the last minute, and I told them that I was stepping away from spotting because I don’t want people to get the wrong idea – I’m in this sport to make a career as a driver. At the time, they said they’d give me a test. Now that it’s turned into a race opportunity, I couldn’t be more thrilled. I’m looking forward to working with the team again. They’ve heard me talking on the radio for 24 hours over the past two years, but it will be good to work with them on a new level, to get to know Sean and Lance better, and help the team get more track time. They’re leading the LMP3 WeatherTech Championship and want to stay there, so that’s the bigger picture. I want to have a strong weekend and bring the car home in a good spot.”

 

About SCM

Team leader Sean Creech has competed in a multitude of sports car series from 1990 until the present day, including Group C, IMSA GTP, WSC, Grand-Am, SRO World Challenge, and IMSA. SCM will contest the full WeatherTech SportsCar Championship in 2022 with João Barbosa and Lance Willsey. http://seancreechmotorsport.com/

Event Information

IMSA Prototype Challenge at Lexus Grand Prix of Mid-Ohio

Friday, May 13, 2022
02:05 PM EST – IPC Practice 1

Saturday, May 14, 2022
11:05 AM EST – IPC Practice 2
02:40 PM EST – IPC Qualifying 

Sunday, May 15 2022
09:20 AM EST – IMSA Prototype Challenge at Mid-Ohio

Flag-to-flag coverage of the race is available to USA viewers on PeacockTV. International viewers can watch via IMSA.tv, with IMSA Radio also available at IMSA.com. A race replay will air on USA Network Saturday, May 21 at 2:00 PM EST. Follow Parker throughout the weekend at https://parkerthompsonracing.com/live

Thompson Sweeps Carrera Cup North America Weekend at Monterey

May 2, 2022

Thompson Sweeps Carrera Cup North America Weekend at Monterey

WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA, MONTEREY, CA

This weekend, Parker Thompson earned wins in two out of two races as Carrera Cup North America presented by Cayman Islands visited WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. Driving the No.9 JDX Racing machine of Shell Tap-Up, Surgere, Byers Porsche, Renier Construction, Jersey Mike’s, and SSi Artificial Lift, Thompson leveraged strong performances on the opening laps to earn the lead. He fended off all challengers on each day, taking the checkered flag and valuable points. Sweeping both races, Thompson maintains second in the overall standings, tightening his approach on the championship lead.

The white, red, and yellow No.9 JDX Racing Porsche led all but one lap of racing throughout the weekend – an admirable accomplishment after traffic thwarted Thompson’s best opportunities during Qualifying. Furiously navigating other drivers on track, Thompson managed just the third-best lap of the Laguna Seca circuit during the session. While he did not earn the pole position, Thompson emphatically dominated the most critical sections of the eleven-turn road course all weekend.

In turn two on the opening lap of Race 1, Thompson boldly chose the outside line, taking the second position and immediately mounting a challenge on pole-sitter and leader Trenton Estep. Estep and Thompson jostled back and forth through the opening lap before Thompson made a pass that would stick for the entire race. With an excellent run out of the Andretti Hairpin, turn 2, he cleanly took Estep on the inside of the sweeping turn 3.

For Race 2, Thompson lined up on the front row with Kelly Moss Racing driver Riley Dickinson. Thompson began on used tires versus Dickinson, who had reserved a fresh set of rubber for his pole-position start. Again Thompson showed great strength in the early stages, taking the lead through the Andretti Hairpin with a clean move on the outside. Dickinson remained close behind. Throughout 40-minutes, the two drivers were separated by less than a second. Thompson however, seemed to show his best pace in sections of the Laguna Seca circuit most conducive to passing. Dickinson never uncovered an opportunity to make a move, and when lap traffic added a new variable to the battle late in the race, Thompson again showed appropriate poise. He would take the checkered flag without incident.

Two wins for Thompson and JDX Racing make a strong statement in this 2022 Carrera Cup North America Championship. While the result marks the duo’s first weekend sweep, the accomplishment is not unexpected. With three wins in 2021, Thompson is one of three drivers who have earned a first-place finish in the Carrera Cup series since it arrived in North America. Early in the 2022 season, Thompson and JDX cleanly navigated events at Sebring and Long Beach, capturing podiums in three out of four races. Now, two wins at the famed WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca have firmly placed them in contention for the overall championship. Action resumes June 24th from Watkins Glen International.

Parker Thompson
“Without question, the first thing I have to do is thank the whole JDX Racing team. Their continued belief in me and their work effort to support our campaign is second to none. It always seems that when we need to dig deeper as a team and find a way to improve, that is precisely what we do. Sweeping the weekend at one of the most iconic tracks in North America is a testament to the strength of this team. Thanks to my engineer Luke, and my crew Larry and Darryl, The No.9 Shell Tap-Up machine was absolutely on rails. They didn’t put a wrench wrong, and I didn’t put a foot wrong. Our end goal is still on the horizon, and we will need more weekends like this to make that goal a reality! I can’t forget our fantastic partners in Byers Porsche, Surgere, Jersey Mike’s Subs, and SSI Artificial Lifts – Without them, we can not make this magic happen. Next stop, New York!”

Images credit Bob Chapman / Autosport Image

IMSA 2022 CARRERA CUP NORTH AMERICA
Rounds 5 – 6, WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

Qualifying – Official (PDF)
Race 1 – Provisional (PDF)
Race 2 – Provisional (PDF)
Overall Standings – Provisional (PDF)

Complete results are available at results.imsa.com

Thompson Moves to 2nd in CCNA Standings After Long Beach Performance

Apr 13, 2022

Thompson Moves to 2nd in CCNA Standings After Long Beach Performance

LONG BEACH, CA

With over four decades of rich history, the Grand Prix of Long Beach has earned a reputation for providing exciting racing regardless of series. Making their first-ever visit to the event, thirty-four spec Porsche race cars of the Carrera Cup North America presented by Cayman Islands displayed the compelling but unforgiving character of the two-mile street course. Also participating in his first race at the circuit, Canadian driver Parker Thompson entered the weekend looking to make an impression on the 2022 CCNA championship. Driving the No.9 machine of JDX Racing/Shell Tap-up/Surgere, Thompson took second-place and fourth-place finishes through two tumultuous races – earning enough points to seize second in the championship standings to date.

The Grand Prix of Long Beach event launched on Friday with early challenges for Thompson and JDX Racing. Through opening practice sessions, the duo struggled to match time with other series’ front runners. In Qualifying, they posted just the fifth-best time – over half a second off of pole position. Starting Race 1 from the third row on the tightly walled circuit presented a substantial hurdle to Thompson’s hopes for the weekend.

However, in the close traffic of that race start, Thompson demonstrated the racecraft that has made him a strong contender race after race. With excellent car positioning, he captured two places as other competitors jostled through the opening corners of the race. After an incident deep in the field and a short caution, Thompson found himself under attack from MDK Motorsports driver Trenton Estep on the race restart. For eight laps, Estep and Thompson had perhaps the most exciting battle of the contest. The two changed places multiple times before an error from Estep saw him leave the racecourse in Turn 1.

With the third-place position then solidified, Thompson was presented with a surprising opportunity. Race leaders Van Berlo and Dickinson simultaneously spun at the circuit hairpin when they encountered fluid on track at the scene of an incident. While Van Berlo recovered quickly, Dickinson did not and was forced to surrender his second-place position. Green flag action did not resume before the race timer expired.

In Race 2, Thompson once again capitalized on early jostling amongst the leaders, improving his fifth-place starting position by one in the opening corner. Mid-race, Thompson pressured the cars ahead with a strong pace, but multiple incidents of full-course-yellow stymied any opportunity to mount a successful charge. With 13 of 23 race laps run under caution, a compelling opportunity came for Thompson when the green flag flew for just a single lap at the race end. Thompson pressured fellow Road to Indy veteran TJ Fischer for the final podium position but unfortunately did not find sufficient opportunity to overtake him in just a single lap.

Carefully navigating through perilous racing action on the Long Beach Street Circuit and earning two strong finishes on the weekend, Thompson demonstrated his skillset on track and a big-picture approach to the season championship. With four races out of sixteen now completed, he has created a small cushion in the points standings – holding second with a gap greater than twenty points. That cushion might give Thompson the wherewithal to mount a charge on championship leader Kay Van Berlo. The two have an intense rivalry dating back to 2021 but have yet to find an opportunity to battle each other directly in this new season.

Parker Thompson
“It was an extremely hard-fought weekend of racing for us here at Long Beach. To come away with two solid finishes and move upwards in the championship standings is a massive positive for me and the team at JDX Racing. After our performance at the first event in Sebring, we had some good notes to help us going forward. Again, here in Long Beach, we are coming out of the event stronger. Next up, we visit WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca. That’s all we’re thinking about now. Special thanks go to Shell Tap-Up, Surgere IoT, Byers Porsche, Renier Construction, Jersey Mike’s, and SSi Artificial Lift. Each of our partners shares our same goal for this year. I’m so honored to be a part of their efforts in this Carrera Cup North America Championship.”

Images credit Bob Chapman / Autosport Image

IMSA 2022 CARRERA CUP NORTH AMERICA
Rounds 3 – 4, Long Beach Street Circuit

Qualifying – Official (PDF)
Race 1 – Official (PDF)
Race 2 – Official (PDF)
Overall Standings – Official (PDF)

Complete results are available at results.imsa.com

Thompson on the Podium Twice in Carrera Cup Opener at Sebring

Mar 19, 2022

Thompson on the Podium Twice in Carrera Cup Opener at Sebring

SEBRING, FL

Forty-three Porsche 992 race cars lined up at Sebring Circuit this week to launch a new season of Carrera Cup North America presented by Cayman Islands. Parker Thompson earned second and third-place pro-class finishes, driving the white, red, and yellow JDX Racing #9 car of Shell Tap-Up / Surgere / Byers Porsche / Renier Construction / Jersey Mike’s in two races around the Florida circuit. The result marks a solid start to 2022 as 24-year-old Thompson and the Colorado-based JDX Racing look to build on their 3rd-place finish in last year’s championship.

Through all sessions at Sebring Circuit, Thompson was a top performer. Wet conditions in Wednesday mornings practice sessions presented challenges to all entrants as they looked to refine car setups for qualifying. While Thompson managed excellent times through practice, he was not among the leading drivers when qualifying began on a dry Sebring track. With the session winding down, the team called Thompson into the pits for an aggressive setup change in a last-ditch effort to find more speed. The measures worked. While navigating traffic in the session’s final minutes, Thompson clinched third-place starting positions for races on Thursday.

Thompson and JDX continued to take a bold stance when racing launched on Thursday morning. In contrast to the majority of the field, the team started the #9 on brand new rubber for Race 1, looking for an advantage early in the race that would allow Thompson to pass rivals with Kelly Moss Racing to take the lead. The strategy nearly paid off. Thompson cleared American driver Riley Dickinson on the opening lap to take second-position and then battled with race leader Kay Van Berlo for multiple corners before expending his tire advantage. After twenty laps, he would cross the finish line in second place.

With his tire allotment for the weekend used up, Thompson started Race 2 on a used set of tires, knowing that most of his competitors were on fresh rubber. Despite that disadvantage, a strong start allowed him to gain a spot on the opening lap, moving from third into second. A forceful maneuver from Dickinson saw him give that position back just a lap later. Although Thompson appeared to be under pressure in the third position early on, he earned a comfortable gap for himself as the race progressed. When the checkered flag fell, he stood on the final podium position.

Second and third-place finishes put Thompson third in the overall standings and in a good position as the series heads to Long Beach Street Circuit on April 8th. With tight quarters racing expected there and at all fourteen remaining rounds, Thompson is focused only on one race at a time, aiming to use the team’s experience from 2021 to reach a higher goal in the new season. 

 

Parker Thompson
“This is just the beginning! Last year when the season launched at Sebring Circuit, we may have felt a little out of sorts. This season’s performance is a sure sign of our progress as a team. Two podiums here is a solid result. Still, from our team leader Jeremy Dale to our incredible partners at Surgere, Shell Tap-Up, Byers Porsche, Renier Construction, and Jersey Mike’s, our end goal is something greater than podiums. After a full season here in Carrera Cup, we’re figuring out what that will take. We made some great notes here at Sebring. Now our focus shifts to Long Beach, where we believe we can do even better.”

Images credit Bob Chapman / Autosport Image

IMSA 2022 CARRERA CUP NORTH AMERICA – Rounds 1 – 2, Sebring Circuit

Qualifying- Official (PDF)
Round 1 – Provisional (PDF)
Round 2 – Provisional (PDF)
Overall Standings – Provisional (PDF)

Complete results are available at results.imsa.com

Parker Thompson Rejoins Carrera Cup North America for 2022

Mar 13, 2022

Parker Thompson Rejoins Carrera Cup North America for 2022

SEBRING, FLORIDA

Parker Thompson returns to JDX Racing and Porsche Carrera Cup North America presented by Cayman Islands for a new year. Using spec Porsche 992 Cup race cars, Carrera Cup represents the pinnacle of one-make racing with eleven Carrera Cup series run in regions around the globe every year. In Canada and the United States, Carrera Cup North America promises some of the most exciting racing action on the IMSA schedule with a multi-class sprint race format. Thompson returns to the Pro-class for 2022 with his sights set on the championship title.

Surgere, Byers Porsche, and Renier Construction continue the new campaign effort, supporting Thompson as he pilots the #9 Shell Tap Up / JDX Racing entry. After noteworthy success in his 2021 Carrera Cup North America campaign, the 24-year-old Canadian is a prominent figure in the series. In his first full-season of SportsCar racing south of the border, Thompson was one of only three drivers to earn a race win, standing atop the podium at Circuit of the Americas, Road America, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The final result was third place in the championship series. For the new season, Thompson is looking to improve on that result. Still, with other top drivers returning to the series, the close rivalries and competition we saw last year are expected to intensify further.

The 2022 Carrera Cup North America schedule launches March 15 with a doubleheader race weekend at Sebring Circuit. An additional fourteen races will follow as the series follows the IMSA SportsCar Championship to seven of the continent’s most famed sports car circuits.

 

Parker Thompson
“It’s a new season, and I am as hungry as ever to get back behind the wheel and into a Porsche for another year with Carrera Cup. Last year I joined the series, feeling a bit like an open-wheel racer trying to learn sports cars. With an entire season under my belt now, I feel great about our chances in 2022. The competition in this Porsche series is exceptionally close, and it takes a complete team effort to hang out at the front of the field. With JDX Racing, and an incredible group of partners returning for the campaign, I have full confidence in our abilities! In 2021 we didn’t quite reach our championship aspirations. Everyone in our program, Jeremy Dale at JDX Racing, Michael Wappler at Surgere, and even our transportation crew and marketing team, are as hungry as I am for that top step of the podium. It’s going to be an exciting year!”

IMSA 2021 CARRERA CUP NORTH AMERICA – Season Schedule

March 16, 2022 – Rounds 1 & 2
Sebring International Raceway, Sebring, FL  

April 8, 2022 – Rounds 3 & 4
Long Beach Street Circuit, Los Angeles, CA

April 28, 2022 – Rounds 5 & 6
Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca, Monterey, CA

June 23, 2022 – Rounds 7 & 8
Watkins Glen International, Watkins Glen, NY

July 15, 2022 – Rounds 9 & 10
Streets of Toronto, Toronto, On

August 5, 2022 – Rounds 11 & 12
Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

September 2, 2022 – Rounds 13 & 14
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, IN

September 28, 2022 – Rounds 15 & 16
Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, Atlanta, GA

Complete results are available at results.imsa.com