colin-thompson-set-for-f1600
Sharon, CT - Soon to be 17 year-old American Colin Thompson is set to run the inaugural edition of the F1600 Formula F Championship Series in a Swift DB6 with Honda Fit power. So far, 47 drivers are registered for the inaugural season. The high school junior grew up on a farm in Perkasie, Pennsylvania, just outside of Philadelphia. Thompson began his racing career at the age of five, and competed in the VW TDI Cup last year, becoming the youngest driver to race in that series. Thompson also brings an abundance of quarter midget experience to the grid.
“My racing obsession began at a local asphalt oval track, where I drove Quarter Midgets of America on a weekly basis,” said Thompson. “I drove a 270 Micro Sprint on dirt at a few tracks in the area such as Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. At this point in my career I was 15 and my passion for road racing overcame that for oval racing.”
So, Thompson went to the Skip Barber Racaing School, running a few regional races along with the Skip Barber Scholarship Shootout in 2009 and 2010.
“At the same time I also invested into a 125cc Rotax CRG Kart. I ran the VW TDI Cup last year and that went as expected. Even though my finishes never qualified for a podium, I walked away experienced at seven new premier race tracks. It gave me a chance to compare myself against the top of the competition of this generation,” he continued.
Thompson has several Quarter Midgets of America track records, the 2008 National Championship and over 100 wins.
“I have chosen to run the F1600 Series this year because it is a professional level playing field which runs a basic formula car. This will allow me to continue my racing career at the speed necessary, while learning the basics of racing such as race craft and building relationships for the future,” Thompson explained.
“My goal for 2011 is to finish in the top ten in points; I would like to run at the front of the field of course. However, all drivers in this series are very talented and know their cars very well. Like any driver I would love to win the championship, although for the opening year of the series a top ten points finish would still be fantastic!”
The 2011 inaugural F1600 Formula F Championship Series opens at VIR, April 8-10, with a double-header weekend, like all the events. The Series next heads to Watkins Glen, June 3-5, with Grand-Am. June 30-July 2 sees the Series visit Mid-Ohio before pairing up with the NASCAR Modifieds at Lime Rock Park, September 16-17 and finishes at Watkins Glen, October 14-16., with what is appearing to be a 2011 full of massive car counts.