Red Deer’s racing phenom, Parker Thompson, 14, is heading to Portugal to compete in what he called the Olympics of go-kart racing.
With speeds reaching up to 120 km/h, Thompson will be battling against some of the world’s best drivers.
“We think we’ll be in for a good finish,” said Thompson.
After winning the Western Canadian Championships with races in Chilliwack, B.C., Saskatoon and Calgary, Thompson’s ticket was punched to the 2012 Rotax World Finals in Portimao, Portugal, which is on the southern coast of the small European nation.
About 12 Canadians earned their way to the finals, which Thompson described as the Olympics of his sport.
“Last year was kind of a shocker, it’s the same thing as your first time at the Olympics,” said Thompson.
“You see everything that is going on, you go from fields of 30 go-karts to now you’re in a field of 72 go-karts all racing on the same track, it’s kind of mind-blowing.”
Thompson said last year his team suffered some bad luck with qualifying not going so well.
Canada is one of almost 70 countries with representatives in this weekend’s races.
They start with four practice runs at eight to 12 minutes per run, which means he only gets about 40 minutes of practice on the outdoor track before the races start to matter.
“You have to learn the track very quick and everyone is on the same go-kart and the same engine package,” said Thompson.
Then qualifying sets the racers up for their heats, and each driver goes into three heats. The top 34 drivers go straight to the pre-final.
Position on the track is arranged by score.
The other 38 drivers in each class, Junior, Senior, DD2 and DD2 Masters, then compete for the remaining four spots in the pre-final in the last chance qualifiers.
“Last year I missed the actual final by one spot,” said Thompson.
The chassis of the karts at the World Finals in Thompson’s junior category are being sponsored by Birel.
“We went and did testing in France with Birel to get used to the chassis,” said Thompson. “The different stiffness and materials and the different ways you tune them and drive them has a huge effect on you.”
There will also be an adjustment on the tires Thompson will use as the competition will use a different type of homologated tire.
“What I’m looking at accomplishing is becoming a better driver,” said Thompson.
“Every country has a different driving style and in Canada we have clean driving styles, the passing is very clean, no-contact. When you go to the world finals, you have so many countries in one field so you get everybody’s different driving style.
“You learn things from different drivers and take that back home with you and put that into your own driving style.”
In preparation for this year’s event, Thompson has competed in several events and racing series in the junior division. He competed in the Florida Winter Tour, in which he came in third place.
“It’s not the most competitive, but it is the biggest Rotax field in the world,” said Thompson.
He also competed in the Gatorz Challenge of Americas, where he also came in third.
In Canada, he kept his driving skills fine-tuned by winning the Rotax Western Canadian Championship and coming in second in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship.
Thompson said the European Kart tours are the most competitive for drivers.
Throughout his career, Thompson has received some tutelage from Buddy Rice, the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner. Earlier in Thompson’s racing career, he was a member of Rice’s Tony/Kart West racing team.
This year, Thompson wasn’t with the team because he wanted to enter into some different races, but he did a one-off race with his old racing team earlier this month in Las Vegas.
“That was the biggest race in North America,” said Thompson.
He competed in the Super Nationals, a race in the parking lot of the Rio Hotel.
He made it to the finals, but had his engine blow out coming out of the first corner.
“I want to make a living out of it, I want to become a professional race car driver,” said Thompson.
“I think I want to go to the open wheel side. Obviously anywhere I go, if I can be a professional race car driver, that would be awesome. My dream is open wheel, so Indy Car or Formula One.”
The Grade 9 student keeps up with his studies and his world travels through St. Gabriel Online School.
His principal, Donna Leontowitz, said Thompson is an excellent student who manages his school and competitive racing life well.
“Here it’s my responsibility, I can learn on a computer, get it done and hand it in,” said Thompson.
For more information on Thompson and his driving exploits, visit www.parkerthompsonracing.com.
mcrawford@www.reddeeradvocate.com