Thompson shines USF2000, Johnson returns to Pro Mazda action after injury
LEXINGTON, OHIO – There was lots to smile about under the JDC MotorSports tent last weekend (July 30-August 1) during the Mazda Road to Indy event at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course in Lexington, Ohio. The team welcomed back their Pro Mazda drivers Michael Johnson, who was returning to race for the first time since his hard wreck at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg in March. While Johnson focused on getting back up to speed, working muscles he hadn’t in over a month, the squad’s USF2000 driver Parker Thompson put in a stellar performance in the three series events that were on the docket at Mid-Ohio, posting a trio of top-five finishes. Johnson’s Pro Mazda teammate Kyle Connery did not have any luck go his way, and he had a first lap off in Race 1 and was hit by another driver in Race 2.
Thompson’s weekend was all about recovering from a tough streak of bad luck in Toronto, where he ran into trouble in the wet weather main events. The 17-year-old from Red Deer, Alberta has shown consistency throughout the season and he has developed his skills extensively, and they were on display at Mid-Ohio. After qualifying sixth, he handled the chaos of the starts in all three of the main events that took place during this unique tripleheader weekend, using his poise to remain calm during the hectic opening lap action. Thompson finished a strong fifth in the opening race on Friday afternoon and then came back on Saturday morning to card a fourth place result, matching his best finish from NOLA Motorsports Park earlier in the year. Parker capped an incredible weekend in Ohio by finishing fifth in the second race on Saturday, fending off a race-long attack from Team Pelfrey’s Luke Gabin. As a single-car squad, the freshman and his JDC MotorSports crew are one of the great stories of the 2015 USF2000 campaign. With the consistent results, Parker closes to within 59 points of Anthony Martin for the Rookie of the Year crown, and now sits a comfortable fifth overall in the championship point standings.
The entire JDC MotorSports team will now focus on preparing their race cars for the final event of the 2015 USF2000 and Pro Mazda seasons, which will take them to the spiritual home of Mazda in southern California – Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey. JDC MotorSports races with associate sponsorship from RedLineOil.com, HR Sportswear and Showdown Displays.
Parker Thompson - #80
Qualified: 10th – 1:12.7305 (+1.951 secs)
Race #1: 5th
Race #2: 4th
Race #3: 5th
2015 Record:
Point Standings: 5th – 144 points
Best Finish: 4th – NOLA (Race 2)
Driver Quote: “I can't express how happy I am with the progress we made in Mid-Ohio. From Toronto to Mid-Ohio, we have improved in leaps and bounds together and it feels great for it to all pay off with three solid results. JDC MotorSports did a fantastic job in preparing and executing the whole week, and I had some solid drives that let us contend for three top-fives. I can't thank my partners and supporters enough for getting us to this point. I would also like to take the time to thank Surge Energy Inc. and Lapizta for coming on-board my partner program for the race at Mid-Ohio. I can't wait to see what the future holds heading into the last race at Laguna Seca!"
About JDC Motorsports:
Involved in formula car racing since its inception in 1994, JDC Motorsports has established itself as one of the leading junior open-wheel teams in North America. Initially making its mark in the F2000 class of club racing competition, JDC Motorsports was soon a team worth watching in the pro ranks. Competing in the Formula Ford 2000 Zetec Championship, the team not only won races, but also helped develop multiple young drivers. In 2005, JDC Motorsports expanded its efforts, entering the Star Mazda Championship. Quickly becoming one of the top teams in the series, JDC captured both the driver and team titles in 2007, as well as Rookie of the Year honors, with Dane Cameron scoring a series-high three wins. In 2008, JDC Motorsports was the runner-up in the Star Mazda Championship and finished fourth in its inaugural season of F2000 Championship Series competition. The Minnesota-based team won the Star Mazda Championship title with Rookie of the Year Adam Christodoulou, and the F2000 Championship Series title with Chris Miller in 2009. The following year, JDC continued its winning ways, earning the Rookie of the Year award in the Star Mazda Championship with Connor De Philippi, and scoring a non-points win in the USF2000 National Championship. In 2011, the Minneapolis-based squad captured its third Star Mazda Championship title with Tristan Vautier, scored a win in the USF2000 National Championship, and made its Prototype Lites Championship debut, earning five podium finishes. JDC Motorsports added to its Star Mazda Championship win tally, USF2000 Championship podium total, and finished as the Prototype Lites Championship runner-up in 2012. Last year, the squad continued its run of Pro Mazda and USF2000 podium finishes, and was third in the Prototype Lites title fight.