Busy and successful weekend for Parker Thompson
FOUR RACES – FOUR PODIUMS IN TWO CATEGORIES
Two different announcements the week leading to the first major event to be presented at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, Parker Thompson was busy this weekend behind the wheel of GT cars.
With his signing in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada by Yokohama and Canadian Touring Car Championship(CTCC), Parker spent quite a bit of his weekend on-track.
“I’m so fortunate to have the opportunity to work with two great teams in SCB Racing and Speedstar Motorsport. Sports GT racing is still very new to me. With some great people behind me though, we’ve managed some great results”, Parker said. “We have a great chance to contend for two championships here in Canada. Speedstar Motorsport has proven great results in international series as well. I’m excited about future possibilities that exist with that team and their partners.”
Driving the Speedstar Motorsport Audi R8 LMS GT4 in the CTCC, Parker walked away with two wins in his first outing for the team.
In the Speedstar Motorsport / New Roads Automotive Group Audi R8, Thompson marked a lap time that bested not only all CTCC competitors, but all GT4 America’s entrants as well. In fact, the 1:23.332 that Thompson posted is faster than any GT4 lap on recent record at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park.
“We’re racing guys over in the SRO GT4 America’s paddock. We’re comparing and making sure we’re faster than all the manufacturers over there. The Speedstar Motorsport / New Road Automotive Group #1 Audi R8 was on rails all weekend long. It’s amazing to drive for this team. Thank you to everyone who came out from New Roads Automotive Group and Audi Uptown”, mentioned Parker Thompson.
Already racing in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA and second in the standings so far, Parker has signed for SportsCar Boutique to run one of their Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada entry for the season.
With qualifying interrupted due to a red flag, race 1 was to be a roll of the dice as for the finishing order since some of the top contender did not have the time to set a quick lap before the interruption. Thompson qualified second and finished second close behind race winner Jeff Kingsley. For race 2, with the grid set from fastest times from the Saturday sessions, Parker occupied the fifth spot.
Race 2 had lots of action throughout and heavy rain shower in the late stage of the race making it more challenging, Thompson placed third behind race winner Roman De Angelis and Patrick Dussault.
Thompson holds second place in the overall championship standings, just one point behind race 2 winner Roman DeAngelis. The two drivers are also first in second in the Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA standings. Having shared the track for six races so far this year, Thompson and DeAngelis are demonstrating the tight competition that the GT3 Cup series is renowned for.
Images: Patrice Marchessault / PMstills Photography
