Well the season is now over, so lets start with the positives. When all was said and done I completed 183 laps towards our Right To Play program, which means we raised an incredible $12,550 this year. Thank you to everyone! Unfortunately my championship dreams came up a bit short, as I only managed to wind up 7th in the final race, leaving me about 40points short of the title. Considering where I started down in 11th, it was still a good race, and I had a lot of fun battling with my buddy Michael Hogg so at least I ended the season smiling (at least when I was in the car!!!).

It has been an up and down year for me, as it always is with spec racing. In these type of situations, a certain amount always comes down to luck, and this year wasn’t my year. I think I can walk away with my head held high though, as I am proud of the way I drove. Last year as a rookie, I was fortunate enough to be in a number of fast cars and almost always fighting for the win, but I made a number of mistakes throwing away good finishes. This year I didn’t seem to have the same luck, and I felt like I hardly ever had the chance to fight for the win, but on numerous occasions I was able to get solid finishes in cars I couldn’t even qualify in the top 10. I finished every race except for the blown tire in Race 1, and I think got the most out of myself at almost every event, so really there’s not much more I could ask for. I had a lot of fun and made a number of good friends so all in all it was a great year.

A huge congratulations to my friend JD Mobley on winning the championship as well as Juan Pablo Sierra Lendle and Wyatt Gooden (top rookie) on finishing 2nd and 3rd. I had singled JD out as one of my toughest competitors at the start of the year, and he drove a fantastic championship never putting a wheel wrong. His dominant performance here in Mexico really showed that he deserved this championship.

I want to say one last big thank you to all of the incredible techs from Volkswagen. They have worked so hard for me over the last couple years and none of this could happen without them. I also want to thank my fellow drivers, the good people at radical media, and everyone else who made this year so fun. Also thanks to everyone who has supported me from back home.

I have no idea what’s next for me in the racing world, but as soon as I have a plan I will be sure to let everyone know!

Cheers

Jake Thompson