INDIANAPOLIS — Parker Thompson earned his fourth win of the Porsche Carrera Cup North America Presented by the Cayman Islands season on Saturday in the first race of the Porsche Sports Car Together Fest.
The native Canadian held the lead from the pole position to the end of the 40-minute race in the No. 9 JDX Racing Porsche 911 GT3 Cup in the premier one-make race series.
“Really good day for points. We got the win, pole this morning, I’d say that is a pretty good day for the JDX crew,” Thompson said. “It is pretty cool to be an Indianapolis resident and to get to kiss the bricks three times. We are going for four tomorrow.”
NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon came out of retirement today here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to try his hand behind the wheel the No. 24 Hendrick Performance Group car. The one weekend program was headed by longtime crew chief Ray Evernham.
Efrin Castro scored the Pro-Am class victory in the No. 65 Kelly Moss Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car to win his third Carrera Cup victory at The Brickyard in the two years of the event.
Mark Kvamme continued to strengthen his position in the Am class taking the victory in the No. 43 MDK Motorsports Porsche capturing the victory on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course winds its way through the infield before crossing the “Yard of Bricks” start-finish line.
Pro Class Results
Behind Thompson’s green to checker run, title contenders and Kelly Moss teammates Kay van Berlo in the No. 3 and Riley Dickinson driving the No. 53, raced as hard as two teammates could race, including several moments of contact in the heat of battle.
When the 40-minute race came to a close, it was championship leader van Berlo who nosed out Dickinson.
Fourth-place went to series newcomer Matty Graham in the No. 91. While the young Brit was making his first North American start, he has already won three times in the Porsche Carrera Cup Great Britain this season.
Fifth-place went to Trenton Estep in the No. 6 MDK Motorsports Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Estep, with three wins on the season, is deep in the fight for Pro class title chase.
Gordon, who last raced in 2016, was able to experience the Porsche 911 GT3-based race car in competition. With limited seat time in the car, Gordon made a strong showing against the field of experienced hands of the rear-engine racing machine. He finished 15th in his first race in the series.