Parker Thompson Moves to Pro Mazda

By Christopher DeHarde, Staff Writer

Canada’s hero is moving up the Mazda Road to Indy.

Exclusive Autosport announced that the Parker Thompson will be racing one of their new PM-18s in the 2018 Pro Mazda Championship presented by Cooper Tires.

The Red Deer, Alberta native finished second in the 2016 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship powered by Mazda to Anthony Martin, and won three races last season in the  USF2000 championship for Exclusive Autosport. Those wins included a sweep of the streets of Toronto and a victory at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

This is a true Canadian effort. Exclusive Autosport is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and have numerous Canadian staff members.They also ran Thompson in the 2017 Canadian F1600 Super Series where he won that title.

“I am extremely proud to have the opportunity to continue working with (team principal) Michael Duncalfe and the Exclusive Autosport family,” Thompson said in a team release.

“We have all enjoyed some immense success together over the last few years, and I look forward to bringing our momentum from 2017 into the 2018 Pro Mazda Championship. It’s an honor to lead EA’s charge into the Pro Mazda category, and I can’t wait to pick up where we left off last year in USF2000.”

Jay Green will be the crew chief for the Pro Mazda effort, stepping up from the USF2000 program.

“We are thrilled to welcome Parker back to the Exclusive Autosport program for 2018,” commented Duncalfe.

“I couldn’t think of a better driver to make our debut in Pro Mazda Championship with. He is an incredibly well rounded athlete and a fan favorite.

“I have said it before, Parker’s work ethic on and off the track is second to none. Whether it’s training at the gym, working on his marketing campaign or continuing his development as a driver, he invests so much of himself into his racing program/career. Although we feel we have some unfinished business (coming up short in the USF2000 driver championship in 2017), we made huge strides last year and it is such a positive that we get to build on that success and momentum from 2017.”

The 2018 Pro Mazda season begins on the streets of St. Petersburg the weekend of March 9th-11th.