Red Deer
Parker Thompson, clearly establishing himself as one of Canada’s young motorsport stars
From Exclusive Autosport
RED DEER’S THOMPSON EXTENDS PRO MAZDA POINT LEAD AT ROAD AMERICA
Top-five finishes highlighted by late-race recoveries maintain momentum
Canada’s Exclusive Autosport brought their USF2000 and Pro Mazda programs to the iconic Road America facility in late June, fueled by the momentum of strong outings during the month of May in Indianapolis. Championship leader Parker Thompson showed why he is considered a primary up-and-coming Canadian motorsports star, as he delivered a pair of performances that turned potential loss into huge gains in the fight for the title in the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires. The Red Deer, Alberta standout made late-race surges in both main events of the doubleheader on the four-mile track in Wisconsin, passing both of his primary championship challengers to extend his lead to 46 points with a pair of fourth-place finishes. Parker’s rookie teammate Antonio Serravalle, from Unionville, Ontario, made his debut at the challenging track and logged crucial experience, scoring a top finish of 12th.
“We had a bit of a difficult weekend in Pro Mazda, where I feel we ran into a little bit of bad luck,” offered Michael Duncalfe, Exclusive Autosport Team Principal. “However, we showed how strong the EA Pro Mazda car is and Parker showed how talented he is behind the wheel – overcoming adversity and charging through the pack to bring home two fourth place finishes, ultimately extending our championship lead. Antonio did a good job this weekend also. He was only able to complete one day of testing at Road America prior to racing here. That said, I think he did a really good job. Not only is this his first year in cars, he is having to learn every circuit for the first time. Although we didn’t achieve the results we wanted to, he continues to develop at an incredibly rapid rate. I look forward to seeing him continue to develop as the season progresses.”
The Pro Mazda component of the MRTI schedule for Road America featured a Thursday-to-Saturday run, and both Thompson and Serravalle took to the track for practice and qualifying on the opening day of action. Coming off a successful test at the track the week prior, both drivers had a baseline from which to improve. Thompson topped the Thursday practice session, and then qualified second for the first of two races. For Race 2, Parker was fifth in the order after a late red flag prevented him from making a run at the pole. Serravalle qualified 13th for both races.
At the start of Race 1, Thompson fell back to sixth position throughout a frenetic opening lap, and then went to work from there. Parker had his primary title challengers directly in front of him, and eventually made his way past Juncos Racing’s Carlos Cunha for fifth. Thompson then chased down Rinus VeeKay for the remainder of the race, making a bold last lap pass in Canada Corner to take fourth. With the pass, Parker extended his championship lead by two points. Serravalle completed the race to gain much-needed track time at Road America, finishing 13th in the final tally.
The second race of the weekend featured chaos from the green flag. An incident in turn five on the opening lap could have easily put Thompson on the sidelines, as he was sandwiched by the RP Motorsports Racing drivers as everyone fought for racing room. Parker’s PM-18 emerged unscathed as the race went to a full course caution. On the ensuing restart, Thompson was again drilled by a competitor, who had been hit from behind, pushing him off-line in turn one. Again, the Exclusive Autosport machine continued unaffected, lighting a fire under the 20-year-old, who had dropped to 13th. Parker began his march forward, reeling in and moving past his competition before setting up a pass on VeeKay for fourth. Thompson closed on Harrison Scott for third over the final laps, but just ran out of time. That move extended his championship lead by another three points over VeeKay, while he added yet another point by turning the fast lap of the race. Serravalle turned in a clean race, finishing 12th.
Exclusive Autosport, which celebrates its Canadian ownership by referring to itself as the ‘Eh Team’ is now thrilled to be planning its only trip north of the border for their ‘home’ race. Although the team is based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the Toronto Indy is their defacto home race and the event is already in the team history book as the site of their first Mazda Road to Indy win. Thompson swept both USF2000 races on the streets last year, and he’ll be focused on further extending his championship lead when the team arrives for the July 13-15 event. It will also be the home race for Serravalle, who lives just outside Toronto in the suburb of Unionville.
Exclusive Autosport is pleased to be able to partner with great companies, such as AERO™ Advanced Paint Technology (www.rethinkpaint.com), which is used on all their race cars.
EXCLUSIVE AUTOSPORT – DRIVER RESULTS AND QUOTES
PRO MAZDA – ROUNDS 8/9 – JUNE 21-24, 2018
ROAD AMERICA – ELKHART LAKE, WI
PARKER THOMPSON – #90
Qualifying 1: 2nd – 2:00.826
Qualifying 2: 5th – 2:00.386
Race 1: Start – 2nd / Finish – 4th
Race 2: Start – 5th / Finish – 4th
Parker Thompson Quote: “Looking back at our Road America race week gets me fired up. We had such a fast race car, and yet no results to show for it. Nothing feels worse as a racecar driver then when you have a car to win a race, and you come home without stopping in victory lane. Unfortunately, some of our troubles were out of our control, like a fluke red flag late in our second qualifying session. But it still feels all the same. I am proud of how we salvaged points though. We kept the big picture in mind, and when the going got tough, I managed to drive from dead last to fourth. I’ll be carrying that intensity into the most important race of the year for me, my home race on the streets of Toronto!”
ANTONIO SERRAVALLE – #91
Qualifying 1: 13th – 2:03.088
Qualifying 2: 13th – 2:02.554
Race 1: Start – 13th / Finish 13th
Race 2: Start – 13th / Finish 12th
Driver Quote: “I’m trying to learn these tracks with very little time to practice but Road America is almost double the length of a normal track and we just didn’t have enough time on this track to be super competitive there. I’m looking forward to my home track race in Toronto.”
The new Red Deer Justice Centre will help Albertans resolve their legal matters faster.
Albertans deserve to have access to a fair, accessible and transparent justice system. Modernizing Alberta’s courthouse infrastructure will help make sure Alberta’s justice system runs efficiently and meets the needs of the province’s growing population.
Alberta’s government has invested $191 million to build the new Red Deer Justice Centre, increasing the number of courtrooms from eight to 12, allowing more cases to be heard at one time.
“Modern, accessible courthouses and streamlined services not only strengthen our justice
system – they build safer, stronger communities across the province. Investing in the new Red Deer Justice Centre is vital to helping our justice system operate more efficiently, and will give people in Red Deer and across central Alberta better access to justice.”
Government of Alberta and Judiciary representatives with special guests at the Red Deer Justice Centre plaque unveiling event April 22, 2025.
On March 3, all court services in Red Deer began operating out of the new justice centre. The new justice centre has 12 courtrooms fully built and equipped with video-conference equipment to allow witnesses to attend remotely if they cannot travel, and vulnerable witnesses to testify from outside the courtroom.
The new justice centre also has spaces for people taking alternative approaches to the traditional courtroom trial process, with the three new suites for judicial dispute resolution services, a specific suite for other dispute resolution services, such as family mediation and civil mediation, and a new Indigenous courtroom with dedicated venting for smudging purposes.
“We are very excited about this new courthouse for central Alberta. Investing in the places where people seek justice shows respect for the rights of all Albertans. The Red Deer Justice Centre fills a significant infrastructure need for this rapidly growing part of the province. It is also an important symbol of the rule of law, meaning that none of us are above the law, and there is an independent judiciary to decide disputes. This is essential for a healthy functioning democracy.”
“Public safety and access to justice go hand in hand. With this investment in the new Red Deer Justice Centre, Alberta’s government is ensuring that communities are safer, legal matters are resolved more efficiently and all Albertans get the support they need.”
“This state-of-the-art facility will serve the people of Red Deer and surrounding communities for generations. Our team at Infrastructure is incredibly proud of the work done to plan, design and build this project. I want to thank everyone, at all levels, who helped make this project a reality.”
Budget 2025 is meeting the challenge faced by Alberta with continued investments in education and health, lower taxes for families and a focus on the economy.
Quick facts
- The new Red Deer Justice Centre is 312,000 sq ft (29,000 m2). (The old courthouse is 98,780 sq ft (9,177 m2)).
- The approved project funding for the Red Deer Justice Centre is about $191 million.
City of Red Deer
City of Red Deer Employee Honoured with Bob Stollings Memorial Award for Outstanding Contributions
Annette Scheper, Community & Program Facilitator in the Safe & Healthy Communities Department is The City’s 2025 recipient of the Bob Stollings Memorial Award.
The Bob Stollings Memorial Award is given out each year to a City employee who displays outstanding performance in alignment with The City’s RISE cornerstone values – respect, integrity, service and excellence. Nominations for the award are submitted by fellow coworkers detailing the employee’s achievements professionally and interpersonally, along with letters of support. The award is considered a great honour among City staff.
With an impressive 22-year career, Annette has played a pivotal role in shaping Red Deer’s cultural and special events landscape. Her leadership and innovation have brought thousands of successful events to life, creating lasting traditions that enrich the lives of residents. Her commitment to excellence and resourcefulness has ensured that community initiatives are inclusive, accessible, and impactful.
One of Annette’s most notable achievements is the development of the Community Loan Program, which provides essential resources for local groups, contributing an annual value of $86,778.95 back into the community. In addition, she has successfully led and executed a variety of large-scale events, demonstrating remarkable problem-solving skills and a dedication to sustainability. From creating elaborate event designs with repurposed materials to managing complex logistics, she continuously sets the standard for excellence.
“Annette exemplifies the best of our organization,” said City Manager, Tara Lodewyk. “Her unwavering dedication, innovative thinking, and ability to bring people together has made a profound impact on our city. This award is a testament to her hard work and passion for creating meaningful experiences for our community.”
The Bob Stollings Memorial Award was first established in 1985 and is presented every year to honour Robert (Bob) E. Stollings, a loyal and dedicated City employee from 1960-1984.
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