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Parker Thompson Wins as Carrera Cup North America Takes On Circuit of the Americas

May 3, 2021

Parker Thompson Wins as Carrera Cup North America Takes On Circuit of the Americas

AUSTIN, TX

Carrera Cup North America visited Austin’s Circuit of the Americas this weekend for rounds 3 & 4 of the 2021 season. Weather played a significant role in the event, while Parker Thompson pulled off one of the most exciting performances of his career. Driving for Porsche Canada, Thompson piloted the #9 Byers Porsche / JDX Racing GT3 Cup to his first win of the season.

Whether driving open-wheel or closed cockpit racecars, Thompson has managed some of the best performances of his career in unsettled weather. This past weekend, the Porsche Junior driver’s pace was evident right from the opening laps of practice as rain fell at Circuit of the Americas. Practice 1 saw him clock a time nearly three-tenths of a second ahead of the field. 

Unfortunately, rain would intensify overnight and create complications for race organizers. On Saturday afternoon, water overwhelmed the Texas road course and forced the cancellation of qualifying. Thompson and the 26 car field were unable to prove their pace in an official session. Instead, the starting order for Sunday morning’s race was determined by championship point totals.

Two top-five finishes at the season opener in Sebring meant that Thompson would line up on row three of the grid for Race 1. Remnants of water from an early morning rainfall left conditions on the track less than ideal. With some drivers opting for wet tire options, and others opting for Michelin’s slick tire, there was tumultuous action when the green flag flew. While all drivers managed the opening laps without incident, Thompson was able to earn an advantage in the conditions and gain multiple positions. Four laps in, he found himself in second place with a four-second gap to Kelly-Moss driver Kay Van Berlo.

Through sixteen laps, Thompson chipped away at the race leader while the track continued to dry. In the final moments of the race, sitting multiple car lengths behind Van Berlo, it looked like Thompson might settle for a second-place finish. Instead, a surprising series of moves in turns 16 through 18 put Thompson and Van Berlo side by side as the pair entered the final straight. Thompson would win the straight shot to the finish line and take the checkered flag! It was a dynamic win for Thompson, who had top-tier pace but a less optimum starting position.

In the second race of the weekend, Thompson found that dry track conditions did not suit the setup of his white and red maple-leaf liveried Porsche quite as well. Aggressive action from other drivers on the race start forced Thompson to give up multiple spots. As the field spread out, he found clean opportunities to move forward however, regaining ground to create a gap for himself in fourth. Thompson would hold that position for the remainder of the race.

Parker Thompson
“What an incredible weekend! I’m excited to come through with a win for the team at JDX Racing. With support from our amazing partners at Porsche Canada, Byers Porsche, Renier Construction, Surgere, and SSi Artificial Lift Systems, we’ve put in some great work since the season opener at Sebring. Everyone is clearly invested in our effort! The team at SSi even made the trip here this weekend to take in the action. There is nothing better than being able to reward our group with a win and celebrate together. Moments like this provide the fuel it takes to win championships!”

Now four races into this inaugural Carrera Cup North America season, featuring the new Porsche 992, Thompson can once again claim that he has won races in every race car he has driven throughout his career. From Formula 1600, through the Road to Indy, touring cars, and Porsche spec racing, Thompson has earned a total of 31 wins.

Twelve remaining races in the 2021 Carrera Cup North America schedule will surely provide Thompson the opportunity to add even more wins to that total. Next up, the series will visit Watkins Glen International, New York, on June 24th. Thompson will enter that event after making a dramatic impression on the series in Texas. He will look to improve on the third-place standing he currently holds in the overall championship race.

Images credit Porsche Motorsport North America

IMSA 2021 CARRERA CUP NORTH AMERICA – Rounds 3 & 4, Circuit of the Americas

Round 3 – Provisional (PDF)
Round 4 – Provisional (PDF)
Overall Standings – Provisional (PDF)

Complete results available at results.imsa.com

SSi Artificial Lift Systems Reunites with Parker Thompson for 2021

Apr 30, 2021

SSi Artificial Lift Systems Reunites with Parker Thompson for 2021

AUSTIN, TEXAS

SSi Artificial Lift Systems (SSi) will reunite with Parker Thompson for 2021 as he takes on the inaugural Porsche Carrera Cup North America racing championship. An oil and gas services provider and rod pump producer, SSi has found success around the world using patented lift systems providing unrivaled lift capacity and pumping stroke length. With core values emphasizing safety and reliability, Thompson and SSi share similar priorities in both racing and business operations. 

Adjustments to the 2021 Carrera Cup North America schedule, see the series visiting Texas’ Circuit of the Americas for rounds three and four of the championship series this weekend. This stop provides a special opportunity for the Houston-based SSi to initiate the 2021 partnership. Members of the SSi team will join Thompson and JDX racing this weekend, as the duo seeks to challenge for top step of the podium in Porsche Carrera Cup North America. 

Parker Thompson
“Having had the opportunity to work with SSi in 2020, I’m proud to continue with Dave Kennedy and his team again this year! As I get to know SSi better and better, I’ve learned tremendous respect for their achievements in both the oil and gas sector and the communities where they work. Innovative technology and a commitment to quality are key factors in their sustained success, and I will look to use those same attributes to find success here in Texas this weekend and in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America championship rounds that follow!”

About SSi Artificial Lift Systems

SSi (Sure Stroke Intelligent) Artificial Lift Systems manufactures, sells, and services surface-mounted artificial lift systems used to optimize production in oil and gas wells in onshore applications. The SSi design maximizes well production while reducing operations and maintenance costs, providing clients with low acquisition and installation costs.

Website: https://ssilift.com

Road to Indy TV Rolls Out Season 8 with New Host Parker Thompson

Apr 3, 2021

Road to Indy TV Rolls Out Season 8 with New Host Parker Thompson

PALMETTO, FL

Road to Indy TV, the broadcast production and social media arm of the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, will kick off its eighth season of exclusive content with a familiar face in the paddock holding a leading role. A race winner on the first two steps of the Road to Indy, Parker Thompson will bring his outgoing personality to a new position as host.

A multiple race winner in both the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship, Thompson is currently tied with NTT INDYCAR SERIES driver Rinus VeeKay in third for the most podiums across the three ladder series at 36, and is tied in 10th for most wins at 12. He also leads the record books with the most top-five finishes at 67 and ranks second in most top-10s at 79.

While Thompson will be juggling his hosting duties with a season in the new Porsche Carrera Cup North America series, he will rely on his vast public speaking experience to set the stage for another step in his off-track career with a hosting role. Since founding his Drive to Stay Alive program, a texting and driving campaign to educate teenagers about the dangers of distracted driving, Thompson has spoken to well over 100,000 high school students and is an award-winning road safety advocate.

“I am ecstatic to be the new host of Road to Indy TV and to remain relevant on the Road to Indy and INDYCAR,” said Thompson, 23, of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. “With the support I have received from Porsche Canada this year, it made sense for my career to focus on sportscars and tackling the IMSA sanctioned Porsche Carrera Cup North America. But I will be using the background that I learned on the Road to Indy for my championship campaign as a Porsche Junior Driver for Carrera Cup North America. 

“When the opportunity arose for me to remain on the Road to Indy as the host of RTI TV, it was a no-brainer! Those who know me, know that I love to talk! If I couldn’t drive this year, this position was easily the next best option. I can’t wait to get things kicked off this weekend and get the season underway!”

Thompson will see plenty of time in front of the camera as Road to Indy TV will produce over three hours of streaming content daily on race weekends which includes a dedicated pre-race show and race and post-race coverage of each series highlighted by special segments.

The shows will be available on demand as well as live on Apple TV, Amazon Fire and Roku. They will also be live streamed on the Road to Indy TV App (which launched in 2015), on RoadToIndy.TV and its social media platforms and on the respective series websites – indylights.com, indypro2000.com and usf2000.com – and social media outlets. [Note: Indy Lights races will not be live streamed in the United States due to live coverage by Peacock Premium.]

“There is a reason why Parker is a two-time winner of our Spirit Award, which recognizes a driver that embodies the heart of a champion as they aspire to reach their goals,” said Dan Andersen, Owner and CEO of Andersen Promotions. “Parker is a class act on and off the track, and his passion for racing and making it to the top of the sport is always on display. He works hard and I know he will do a great job as the new host of Road to Indy TV.”

Thompson will kick off his new role this weekend at Barber Motorsports Park during Spring Training for all three series.

Watch Parker and all Road to Indy action with the Road to Indy Mobile App, and on RoadtoIndy.TV.

Parker Thompson Earns Top-Five Finishes as Carrera Cup North America Debuts in Sebring

Mar 19, 2021

Parker Thompson Earns Top-Five Finishes as Carrera Cup North America Debuts in Sebring

SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY – SEBRING, FL
The inaugural season of Carrera Cup North America kicked off this weekend in Sebring, Florida. With the debut of the series and a brand new Porsche 992 Cup car, Parker Thompson returned to sportscars, driving the #9 Pro class entry of JDX Racing. Amidst the unknowns of the new series and race car Thompson would earn 4th and 5th-place overall finishes – a solid start to what is expected to be an intensely competitive season series.

After a 2020 campaign on the Road to Indy with Indy Pro 2000, the weekend in Sebring marked Thompson’s first opportunity in sportscar racing since 2019, when he first joined JDX Racing in the GT3 Cup Challenge USA. With the highest hopes for the 2021 Carrera Cup North America season, Thompson and JDX Racing had tempered expectations for the opening weekend at Sebring International Raceway. Adjustments were required all around as both team and driver came to terms with the new 992 race car and Michelin slick tire. In practice and qualifying sessions, Thompson found himself slightly off the pace of the field leaders. He would start Race 1 from 7th position and Race 2 from 8th.

During race action Thompson discovered a new pace, climbing from fourth-row starting positions to challenge for the podium. In Race 2, the action was most intense. Off the start Thompson quickly moved up, engaging in an extended three-way battle for 3rd position, chasing Leh Keen and Riley Dickinson. Making multiple passing attempts, Thompson put intense pressure on Keen. The close battle ended when lap traffic came between the two, creating a gap that could not be closed before the checkered flag flew.

With the first of eight race weekends (two of 16 rounds) on the books, Thompson holds fifth-place in the overall championship standings. Rounds three and four are scheduled for the weekend of May 21 at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park. With almost two months to prepare, Thompson is looking to solidify his championship push as the series makes the first of two visits to his home country of Canada.

 

Parker Thompson
“It was an absolute team effort from a great group of people to make our first round of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America such a success. There was some adversity that both the JDX team and I had to overcome but to come away with two top 5’s with our No. 9 Byers Porsche entry is a testament to everyone coming together and performing. From our ownership, engineering, and mechanics by all accounts we made a great start to 2021. This would never have been possible without the involvement of some incredible sponsors. Special thanks to Porsche Cars Canada Ltd., Surgere, and the team at JDX Racing – Byers Porsche and Renier Construction. Now it’s time to carry this momentum into the rest of the season!”

Images credit Mark Riehle – Mint Photos

IMSA 2021 CARRERA CUP NORTH AMERICA – Rounds 1 & 2, Sebring International Raceway

Porsche Canada Supports Parker Thompson in new Carrera Cup North America

Mar 5, 2021

Porsche Canada Supports Parker Thompson in new Carrera Cup North America

TORONTO, ON

Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. (PCL) renews its engagement in supporting motorsport and young Canadian talent in the new North American-wide one-make series that is starting for the first time in 2021, with eight event rounds. Joining the newest Porsche racing series is Parker Thompson, the vice-champion from the 2019 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, where he drove as a rookie.

“We are excited that the highly competitive Carrera Cup program is coming to North America for the first time and that the program is encouraging Canadian racing talent like Parker Thompson to challenge others on the grid in the all-new Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car,” said Marc Ouayoun, President and CEO, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. “Parker displayed his skills well in his rookie season in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, where he had four second-place finishes and a total of six podiums out of 12 races. He is determined for success with Porsche Motorsport one-make racing and we are happy to support by bringing additional awareness to his team’s efforts.”

“I’m thrilled to have been identified as a rising young talent to contend in the Porsche Carrera Cup North America this year and have Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. alongside my journey with the strong and dedicated JDX Racing team,” said Parker Thompson. “I’m excited for the season to get underway and to start chasing checkered flags and the top step of the podium!”

With the program in place to support developing racing talent, Parker will be competing under the JDX Racing banner with a clear vision and intention to win the series and further develop. The 22-year-old will wear the Canadian colours in one of the most competitive one-make series in North America. Parker will join many PCL events in 2021 with a clear objective to share his passion for Porsche Motorsport with brand fans. The Red Deer, AB, native will also join PCL at the upcoming Sports Cup program. The Porsche Sports Cup is a new program that is starting in 2021 in Canada where customers will be able to experience their Porsche road cars at the three main racetracks across Canada: Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Circuit Mont-Tremblant, and Area 27, in events designed to develop driving skills and track driving capabilities in a competitive, yet safe environment, organized by Porsche. More news on the program will be available shortly.

About Carrera Cup North America
Porsche Carrera Cup is recognized as one of the preeminent one-make racing series in the world, and with the North American series starting this year, a total of 21 iterations exist globally. The highly competitive reputation is due in no small part to the emphasis placed directly on driver skill, as every single car competing is identical.

About the 911 GT3 Cup
From the start of the 2021 season, the new 911 GT3 Cup car will be campaigned in various Carrera Cup programs globally. The spectacularly styled Cup car is the first racing version based on the current 992-generation and the first makes-cup racer of the sports car manufacturer to feature a wide turbo-spec body. Producing around 510 hp, it exceeds the output of its immediate predecessor by 25 horsepower.

About Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd.
Established in 2008, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd. (PCL) is the exclusive importer and distributor of the Porsche 911, 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman, Taycan, Panamera, as well as Cayenne and Macan. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, since 2017, PCL employs a team of more than 50 in sales, aftersales, finance, marketing, retail development, and public relations. They, in turn, work to provide Porsche customers with a best-in-class experience in keeping with the brand’s 70-year history of leadership in the advancement of vehicle performance, safety, and efficiency. In 2019, a Parts Distribution Centre opened its doors in Mississauga to service the countrywide network of 21 Porsche Centres. PCL is the dedicated subsidiary of Porsche AG, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. In 2020, Porsche sold 7,402 units in Canada.

 

IMSA Carrera Cup North America

2021 SEASON SCHEDULE

Mar. 17 – 20      Sebring International Raceway
May 20 – 23.    Canadian Tire Motorsport Park
Jun. 24 – 27      Watkins Glen International
Jul. TBA            Toronto Indy
Aug. 06 – 08    Road America
Aug. 20 – 22     Virginia International Raceway
Sep. TBA           TBA
Oct. 06 – 09     Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta

For more information visit the official series site at https://porschecarreracup.us.

Thompson Anticipating A Full Reset After Challenging 2020 Season

Dec 21, 2020

Thompson Anticipating A Full Reset After Challenging 2020 Season

RED DEER, AB, CANADA

It was a tumultuous race season on the Road to Indy for Parker Thompson. A record season in 2019 saw the Canadian driver enter forty races, across three different championships winning ten of them. 2020 brought a sharp contrast. Focusing exclusively on the Indy Pro 2000 Championship by Cooper Tires, Thompson had only one goal – to win his first Road to Indy Championship. Joining team DEForce Racing for the campaign, Thompson often showed the pace that made him a top contender in the 2018 and 2019 season series. Unfortunately, his overall campaign was devastated by a variety of issues on track. The season’s final results showed him without a race win for the first time in his six-year auto racing career.

A seventeen race schedule, condensed by COVID-19, officially kicked off July 9th at Road America. Having shown great pace in the test and practice events ahead of the season, expectations for Thompson were high. However, an alternator failure in Race 1 prevented Thompson from reaching the checkered flag. In the second, a collision on the opening lap ended his day early.

In the rounds that followed, Thompson rediscovered the strong finishes that made him an early favorite for the championship title. He earned podium finishes at Mid Ohio Sports Car Course, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and New Jersey Motorsports Park. During the series’ second visit to Mid Ohio for Rounds 11 & 12, Thompson started Race 1 in second place and pushed past the pole qualifier, Danial Frost, on the opening lap. Taking the lead, he would pull away from the field, creating a comfortable gap through 11 laps until an engine failure ended his race.

The incident represented a huge blow to Thompson’s season. A race win would have put him within striking distance of the Championship lead. Instead, he found himself at a growing deficit. Failing to finish races in five of seventeen rounds created an insurmountable hurdle for Thompson’s Championship hopes. He ended the season holding 7th spot in the overall points standings.

Given Thompson’s career of success on the Road to Indy and other series, there is no doubt that he will be back in action for 2021. Following the events of the 2020 race season, and the continued impacts of COVID-19 throughout the world, Thompson was simply content to reflect on the experience and future possibilities.

 

Parker Thompson

“We experienced more than our fair share of challenges during this 2020 season, but I am ever thankful for any chance I get to go racing. Many thanks to David, Ernesto, and the team at DEForce Racing for the opportunity. I know that we all hoped for a better outcome. I wish the team all the best in the future.

2020 was not an easy year for anyone in the business of motorsports. I’m so proud to work with partners who see racing as a great way to grow their businesses and connect with their communities. Surgere, Troubled Monk, SSi Artificial Lift, VRX Simulators, Sparco, and Bell Helmets – Thank you so much!

This off-season, I see a chance to take a step back and re-examine the path I’m on. Having had the opportunity throughout my career to compete, and win races in five different series, I know that whatever happens, we’re going to make a great run at it. I’m excited to see what unfolds in the new year.”