Red Deer’s Parker Thompson was strong in the early morning qualifying but suffered a setback in the afternoon session at the Cooper Tires Pro Mazda Grand Prix of Toronto Friday.
Thompson will start third in round one on Saturday morning after a solid qualifying time of 1:10.3951. In the second round of qualifying, the Red Deer product suffered a mechanical malfunction and will start at the back of the pack in Sunday’s race.
The #90 suffered a fluke electrical gremlin in our qualifications today. That leaves us starting P3 for Race 1, and dead last for Race 2. The boys are working a late night to get it sorted, and I’m ready to put on one heck of a show for all my 🇨🇦 fans!! #MRTI #TeamCooperTire pic.twitter.com/tqqMlOlc5n
— Parker Thompson (@parkertracing) July 13, 2018
Another day, another track record (unofficially) broken! @FollowRVK @sting_ray_robb @parkertracing #IndyTO I #MRTI I #TeamCooperTire pic.twitter.com/6SkCqTjQlA
— Pro Mazda (@ProMazda) July 13, 2018
The 20-year-old leads the Pro Mazda Championships series heading into the races this weekend in Toronto. The two races in Toronto are rounds 10 and 11 of the 16-round championships series. Currently, Thompson leads the circuit by 46 points with seven races left on the schedule.
In his rookie season on the Pro Mazda Championship series, Thompson rolled to victory in Race One in Alabama before adding a second-place finish in Race Two to take over the points lead early in the year. He also won at the Indianapolis Grand Prix and at the Lucas Oil Raceway.
Thompson has a history of performing well in Toronto, winning three times in the past two years on the USF2000 circuit.
For more information on the races this weekend head to www.promazdachampionship.com/schedule/2018-season/rounds-10-11.
Email sports tips to Byron Hackett
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