Thompson Anticipating A Full Reset After Challenging 2020 Season

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.”

Thompson Focused as Indy Pro 2000 Season Resumes

Thompson Focused as Indy Pro 2000 Season Resumes

ROAD AMERICA, ELKHART LAKE, WI

Parker Thompson will begin his campaign to win the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship presented by Cooper Tires, as the Road to Indy series begins official race action this weekend at Road America. The event marks the beginning of a condensed nine weekend (18 race) schedule following the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg’s cancellation in March due to COVID-19. Thompson joins team DEForce Racing, campaigning the #9 car for the entire schedule.

The Canadian driver joined DEForce Racing early in the new year and has been focused exclusively on the Indy Pro 2000 Championship since. Entering his third season with the series, Thompson has already proven himself to be a championship contender with five wins and twelve podium finishes in 2018 and 2019. The full scope of Thompson’s 2019 race season was a real showcase of his talents. The 22-year-old campaigned forty races across three different championship series, winning the 2019 Canadian Touring Car Championship, placing second in the 2019 GT3 Cup Challenge Canada, and earning 3rd place in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship. With his sights set solely on Indy Pro 2000 in 2020, Thompson expects that his experience will elevate him to his first Road to Indy Championship.

Parker Thompson
“With the highest expectations for the coming Indy Pro 2000 Championship, I couldn’t be more excited to be with DEForce Racing as racing kicks off! There is no doubt that it’s been a roller-coaster of a year for everyone to date. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to join DEForce Racing, who has been unwavering in their commitment to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship. Throughout the past few months, we’ve stayed focused, working together closely to plan and prepare for this condensed 2020 season. Given the amount of time-off that everyone has had, there is no doubt that many drivers will be looking to light it up here for Race 1. I know that I’m as eager as anyone, but we are looking at the full eighteen race schedule ahead. With all of those races happening in only four months, everyone’s preparation is certain to be tested. That is where I expect that the great work that we’ve done the past few months, and our full experience in previous years, will give us a great opportunity to win the Indy Pro 2000 Championship.”

EVENT SCHEDULE

INDY PRO 2000 by Cooper Tires Round 01 & 02
Road America, Elkhart Lake, WI

Thursday, July 09, 2020
Test Session 1 – 09:00
Test Session 2 – 11:45
Test Session 3 – 14:30
Practice – 17:00

Friday, July 10, 2020
Qualifying Session – 08:50 
Race 1 – 12:15
Race 2 – 15:30

All times CDT. Stay tuned to RoadtoIndy.tv for live results.

SSI Lift Boosts Parker Thompson for 2020

SSI Lift Boosts Parker Thompson for 2020

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Inventive oil and gas services company SSi Artificial Lift Systems (SSi), has partnered with Parker Thompson to take on the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship presented by Cooper Tires. Based in Houston, Texas, the industry-leading rod pump producer and well services provider will join Thompson, and Houston based DEForce Racing team in Florida this weekend as the ten-event championship schedule kicks off with the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg.

 

Parker Thompson
“Innovation and commitment to quality are critical to performance on the racetrack, and also to creating a business that positively impacts communities and industry. DEForce Racing and I examine every possible angle to gain an advantage over our competition, and I see the same determination from the team at SSi Artificial Lift Systems. I could not be more excited to have them with me as I take on the Indy Pro 2000 Championship in 2020.”

Dave Kennedy, CEO, SSI Artificial Lift Systems
“SSi Artificial Lift Systems is proud to be supporting DeForce Racing and Parker Thompson. At SSi, we offer our oil-producing clients highly intelligent, reliable, surface-based artificial lift systems that outperform the competition in every regard. Like our clients, Parker and the DeForce team rely on quality, intelligence, and outperforming the competition at every turn, too. We’re excited about our partnership and look forward to seeing Parker on the podium!”

About SSi Artificial Lift Systems

SSi 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 operating and maintenance costs, providing clients with low acquisition and installation costs on +1,300 units to-date.

Website: https://ssilift.com

Parker Thompson Recipient of the 2020 Nossack Athletic Ambassador Grant

Parker Thompson Recipient of the 2020 Nossack Athletic Ambassador Grant

RED DEER, ALBERTA

Parker Thompson is proud to receive the 1st Nossack Athletic Ambassador Grant (NAAG), which rewards athletes who are actively involved in the local Red Deer community in a positive way.  Born in Red Deer, Alberta, Parker Thompson began the career of a professional race car driver at a young age when he moved to Italy to compete in the World Series of Karting. Now 22 years-old, Thompson is an established race car driver earning championships in both open-wheel and sports-car racing series. For 2020 Thompson is enrolled in the Indy Pro 2000 series on the Road to Indy, competing in ten events throughout North America. 

While his athletic pursuits often take him all over the continent, Thompson remains committed to the Red Deer community where he resides in the offseason and educates drivers across the province about the dangers of distracted driving. His road safety campaign, “Drive to Stay Alive,” was founded in 2015 and since that time has reached more than 100,000 students and safety industry professionals.

Parker Thompson
“I’m so proud to receive the Nossack Athletic Ambassador Grant for 2020. Many thanks to Svitlana and the entire team at Nossack Food Group for taking the initiative to establish this amazing grant. The NAAG will not only help me further develop my career in racing, but more importantly, it will support my road safety campaign Drive to Stay Alive in 2020 and beyond. As a proud Albertan and Red Deer native, I often feel like the businesses and athletes in our community don’t get the recognition they deserve. I feel fortunate to have been recognized myself, and I am proud to wear the Nossack logo on my racing suit as I pursue the Indy Pro 2000 Championship in 2020.”

Svitlana Nossack – Nossack Food Group
“Nossack Food Group and Get Golden Fundraising are excited to announce Parker Thompson as the first recipient of the Nossack Athletic Ambassador Grant (NAAG). We appreciate Parker’s positive attitude and strong work ethic with everything he does, and know that the NAAG is in great hands! Parker is engaged in our local community with Drive to Stay Alive as well as representing Red Deer and Alberta across the nation, and internationally with Parker Thompson Racing. We look forward to this partnership and shared success in 2020!“

About the Nossack athletic ambassador grant

Established by the Nossack Food Group and their fundraising division, Get Golden Fundraising, the Nossack Athletic Ambassador Grant recognizes a need in the Red Deer community for increased sports funding during these tougher economic times. Over the past 25 years, they have been helping clubs, sports teams, community groups, and charities with convenient, local, profitable, and experience-based fundraising solutions. As a family-owned and operated company, they have been proud to help these organizations reach their fundraising goals and are excited about this next step! The NAAG awards $10,000 ($5,000 each to two recipients) annually. 

Applications for the 2021 NAAG will open in April. More information is available here: http://bit.ly/nossack-naag.

 

Thompson Joins DEForce Racing to Take on the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship

Thompson Joins DEForce Racing to Take on the 2020 Indy Pro 2000 Championship

HOUSTON, TEXAS

Parker Thompson is proud to announce his return to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship presented by Cooper Tires for 2020, running with team DEForce Racing. After multiple years with rookie teams on the Road to Indy, Thompson will join an experienced DEForce Racing team and veteran drivers, Moises de la Vara and Kory Enders. Piloting the #9 DEForce Racing entry, Thompson sees an overall championship victory as the only way to improve upon the 3rd-place overall finish he earned in the series last year.

The young Canadian’s introduction to the team came during October’s Chris Griffis Test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he showed promising pace and an instant connection with the DEForce Racing crew. The two parties recently came together at team headquarters in Houston to finalize their partnership and prepare for the coming season.

Parker Thompson
“I’m delighted to be with DEForce Racing, and back in the Indy Pro 2000 Championship for 2020. The Road to Indy is close to my heart. I’ve had some great success in both USF2000 and Indy Pro 2000, and after a strong season in 2019, I think that DEForce Racing provides me a great opportunity to advance to another level. The team is well established on the Road to Indy and is composed of some very experienced individuals. I want to thank David and Ernesto of DEForce Racing for this opportunity. My teammates Kory and Moises have graciously welcomed me onboard. After some great results by each of them last season, I’m excited to build on those performances in 2020. The goal is nothing less than a championship win!”

About the Series

The 2020 Indy Pro 2000 calendar will consist of a 10-event, 18-race schedule alongside the NTT IndyCar Series at premier venues, which include two ovals, six road courses, and two street course venues. It is the second official step on the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires ladder system, bridging the gap between the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship and Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires. For 2020, a total event and year-end prize package valued at over $808,000 is on offer, including a champion’s scholarship valued at $594,820 to advance to Indy Lights in 2021.

 

2020 Indy Pro 2000 Schedule

Mar. 14 – 15, 2020     Streets of St. Petersburg
Apr. 25 – 26, 2020      Circuit of The Americas
May 08 – 09, 2020     Indianapolis Motor Speedway
May 22, 2020            Lucas Oil Raceway
Jun. 20 – 21, 2020     Road America
Jul. 11 – 12, 2020       Streets of Toronto, Ontario
Aug. 15 – 16, 2020     Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Aug. 22, 2020            World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway
Sep. 05 – 06, 2020     Portland International Raceway
Sep. 19 – 20, 2020     WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca

 

Important Links

https://indypro2000.com
https://www.deforceracing.com