Parker Thompson will return for another season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda as part of an all-Canadian effort from first-year entrant Exclusive Autosport in the lowest rung of the Mazda Road to Indy development ladder.
Thompson, who finished second in the USF2000 driver’s championship in 2016, will return to the team that helped launch his racing career in race cars piloting Exclusive Autosport’s No. 30 Mazda-powered Tatuus US-17.
“It has been a long time coming, signing Parker to a full-season program with Exclusive Autosport,” team co-owner Michael Duncalfe said. “I am especially excited that he will be one of our drivers, a series veteran, leading the EA program in our inaugural season in the USF2000 championship/MRTI. I have the utmost respect for not only Parker’s race craft, but also his work ethic on and off the track. I have never seen a driver work as hard as he does off the track on his racing program.”
Thompson, an 18-year-old from Red Deer, Alberta, last raced for the team in Formula Tour F1600 in 2015, sweeping a weekend of racing at Circuit ICAR in Mirabel, Quebec. Thompson drove in USF2000 for Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing in 2016, winning four races and finishing second to teammate Anthony Martin in the championship.
“This was easily one of the hardest offseasons I have had in my motorsport career, thus far,” said Thompson. “I honestly didn’t know if I was going to get behind the wheel of a race car in 2017, so when the opportunity arose to become a part of the EA organization, I was ecstatic.
“This is a dream team fit for myself, in a number of different ways. I met Michael when I was just 11 years old racing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, at the Western Canadian Karting Championships. It just goes to show you what relationship-building can do for your career down the road.”
SOURCE: INDYCAR