Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing standout won five of six races in Florida
LOS GATOS, CALIF. – Neil Alberico has started his 2013 race campaign in ideal fashion, capturing the Cooper Tires Winterfest series title in dominating style. The Californian junior formula car standout won two of three races at Palm Beach International Raceway over the weekend (February 9-10), securing the pre-season series championship crown via five wins in six races. The Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing racer is now focused on continuing his run of form in the 2013 edition of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda, entering the Mazda Road to Indy series as the early driver to beat.
After sweeping the opening three rounds of the six-race Winterfest series a few days earlier at Sebring International Raceway, all eyes were on Alberico when the talented USF2000 field gathered at PBIR for the final three races. The former Bondurant Championship Race Series champion and Team USA scholarship winner immediately indicated he was up to the challenge of being the driver to watch, posting the fastest lap in the lone practice session. Alberico's run of perfection - having led the way in every previous Winterfest outing - however came to an end in qualifying, as a Cape Motorsports teammate narrowly posted the best lap in the timed run. With passing opportunities at a premium around the 2.034-mile Florida road course, this ultimately resulted in the end of his three-win streak to start 2013. The 20 year-old though did not go home empty handed at the conclusion of race four, setting the fastest lap en route to his runner-up finish, ensuring the pole for race five one day later.
Given Alberico's performance thus far in the pre-season championship, it didn't come as much of a surprise that he was again the driver leading the way on day two in Palm Beach. In what was a masterful pair of outings in the No. 2 Racelite Protection/Bondurant School of High Performance Driving/eFormulaCarNews.com/J&M Trophies/Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing entry, the second-year USF2000 racer withstood constant pressure from a talented teammate to win both race five and six of the Winterfest series via flag-to-flag runs. Alberico therefore ended the six-race championship with five wins in six races, and the top spot in all but three of the 12 official sessions, securing the series title.
"To win five of six races feels pretty darn good," stated Alberico. "A big thanks goes to Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing, my dad, and Dan Andersen and the series for putting on a really good Winterfest. I look forward to the beginning of the season in a few weeks."
With a series title now on his 2013 racing resume, Alberico begins preparations for the upcoming Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. The 14-race chase for supremacy commences on March 14-15, with the season-opening doubleheader as part of the 61st running of the renowned Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh From Florida event at Sebring International Raceway in central Florida.
Those interested in supporting this rising American racer are encouraged to contact Neil Alberico directly @ neil@neilalberico.com to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
Learn more about Neil Alberico at neilalberico.com and keep up to date via Twitter @ NeilAlberico and Facebook @ Neil-Alberico-Racing.
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About Neil Alberico:
A native of Los Gatos, Calif., Alberico first started racing karts at the age of 10, competing in IKF region 11 action. Over the course of four seasons (2004-07), the young talent captured the Junior Sportsman, Junior Super Sportsman, and Junior Puma championship titles. In 2008, Alberico first got behind the wheel of a race car, graduating from the Skip Barber 2-day Advanced school at Laguna Seca prior to participating in the Formula BMW recruitment day at Miller Motorsports Park. Continuing to race in the karting ranks while raising funds to pursue a career in motorsports, Alberico won the Snap-On Stars of Karting Series National finale in Las Vegas in 2009, before finishing third in CKI National TAG Senior championship. Alberico built on this success in 2010, winning the TaG Senior class in the WSK North American Series, as well as the Bondurant Championship Race Series, capturing 10 wins in first full season of car competition. As part of the prize package for winning the Bondurant Championship, the teenager tested a Pro Formula Mazda with World Speed Motorsports and a Formula Atlantic Swift 016.a with Finlay Motorsports. In 2011, Alberico made his European racing debut, competing in the world-renowned Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain with Irish-based Cliff Dempsey Racing. Finish ninth in his maiden FF season, the Californian earned a Team USA Scholarships. As a Team USA driver, he captured a Semi-Final win and finished third in the historic 40th Formula Ford Festival. Alberico joined the Mazda Road to Indy program in 2012, earning a podium finish and nine top-fives in his rookie season in the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. This season, the California standout returns to USF2000 Championship action, joining two-time defending champion Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing.