Eric Thompson

Mendota Heights

Staff Writer at Daily Norseman

Former longtime writer for @DailyNorseman. NDSU alum. West Ham supporter (endurer?).

Articles

Scott Dixon aims for second Indy 500 win amidst tricky conditions

2 weeks ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Scott Dixon qualified on the second row in fourth. Photo / Icon SportswireKiwi IndyCar racer Scott Dixon is looking forward to Monday (NZ time) morning’s 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 despite some pretty big crashes in practice and qualifying. Of the three New Zealanders in the field, Dixon was the only one who didn’t experience a massive accident that caught out Scott McLaughlin and Marcus Armstrong.
Kiwi racer sharpens focus for pivotal F3 round at Imola

3 weeks ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

New Zealand's Louis Sharp has tested at Imola and feels confident on the track. Louis Sharp aims to improve his F3 season at Imola after a challenging start. Sharp, currently 25th, has struggled with qualifying despite strong practice performances. Imola marks the first of three consecutive race weekends, offering a chance to build momentum. Kiwi FIA F3 racer Louis Sharp is looking forward to turning his season around this weekend at Imola.
Kiwi driver Matthew Payne eyes strong performance in Tasmania Supercars

4 weeks ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Matthew Payne aims to build on his success at Taupō when racing in Tasmania this weekend. Photo / PhotosportKiwi Supercars’ driver Matthew Payne is looking forward to building on his good form from the last round at Taupō when the action hits Symmons Plains, Tasmania, this weekend. Payne left the New Zealand round of the championship with the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy after winning two races and clinching a fourth place. “Taupō was certainly pretty good,” Payne told the Weekend Herald.
Dixon seeks elusive Barber victory in tight IndyCar season

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Scott Dixon: 'There have been years when we really thought we were going to win it, but it just slipped away.' Photo / PhotosportMultiple IndyCar race winner New Zealander Scott Dixon might be second on the all-time list with 58 victories, but Barber Motorsport Park is one place he’s yet to knock off. In 14 starts he’s had nine podium finishes and this weekend he’d really like to get that elusive first win in Alabama and his first win of the season.
Kiwi teen bucks the trend in tough Moto3 world championships

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Cormac Buchanan has a highest placing of tenth in Moto3. Kiwi teen Cormac Buchanan is getting up to speed in his rookie FIM Moto3 season, with the evolution more mental than physical. The Moto3 world championships are probably the most cut-throat of the three classes (MotoGP and Moto2 the others). With up to 30 riders at each round, it has the biggest fields and is packed full of the hungriest junior motorcycle racers in the world.
Motorsport: Brendon Hartley determined to get World Endurance Championship season back on track

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Kiwi driver Brendon Hartley. Photo / Getty ImagesBrendon Hartley is aiming to get his season on track when the World Endurance Championship resumes at Imola this weekend. The 35-year-old Kiwi is a four-time WEC champion but he and co-drivers Sebastien Buemi and Ryo Hirakawa had to settle for fifth in the opening round at Qatar in February.
Supercars Taupō: Kiwi Matthew Payne claims Jason Richards Memorial trophy

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Matt Payne won Sunday's race in Taupō to claim the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy. Photo / Photosport. The fight for the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy went down to the last race of the Supercars weekend with New Zealander Mathew Payne reigning supreme in Taupō. After a short hiatus across the Ditch in the hands of last year’s winner Anton De Pasquale, the Jason Richards Trophy is now back in the hands of a Kiwi.
Supercars Taupō: Matthew Payne, Ryan Wood provide Kiwi highlights on day one

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Matthew Payne won race 8 of the V8 Supercar series in Taupō. Photo / PhotosportMatthew Payne and Ryan Wood provided the Kiwi highlights on the first day of Supercars racing in Taupō on Saturday. Ryan scored his third first and Wood his first third in the afternoon’s opening sprint race. The crowd was appreciative of the double podium for the New Zealanders but didn’t see the feat replicated in race two.
Taupō Supercars: New Zealand driver Andre Heimgartner seeks repeat win

1 month ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Supercars driver Andre Heimgartner is keen to emulate his feat of last year at this weekend’s Supercars round at Taupō. The 29-year-old became only the fourth Kiwi driver to win on home soil when took line honours in race one of the weekend. Heimgartner sits 10th equal on the point’s table after two rounds on 244. Will Brown is the current series leader on 467 points followed by Cam Waters (460), Broc Feeney (418) and Chaz Mostert (333).
Motocross champion’s heart scare: ‘I had no idea what was going on’

2 months ago | nzherald.co.nz | Eric Thompson

Courtney Duncan: "I had no idea what was going on, which was quite tough as it seemed like the world was ending." Photo / Full Spectrum MediaFour-time Women’s World Motocross champion Courtney Duncan has had a health scare that’s ruled her out of the opening round of the 2025 season at Sardinia this weekend. Duncan, who won the title in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023, began experiencing chest pains about eight weeks ago and was eventually taken to hospital.