Oka (Québec, Canada) - It's a long-awaited return for Thomas Nepveu at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama. It has been a two-month hiatus since the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship's season-opener last February in the streets of St. Petersburg.
Nepveu will finally be on track this weekend, April 29 to May 1, in his #10 Cromwell | Pétrole Bélanger | Home Hardware | Karting Excellence DEForce Racing machine.
After a successful first event, in which Thomas claimed pole position for the first race and then led 19 laps before being taken out by a competitor trying a daring pass, he is looking forward to this weekend.
"My goal is not only to win but also to finish both races," explained the young Oka native. "I can't afford any more accidents like what happened in St. Petersburg.” It's a two-way strategy for Thomas; on the one hand, he wants to grab the win, but on the other hand, he wants to be crowned Champion.
"The goal of the season is to win the championship, so I'll have to settle for third or second place if it's too risky to fight at the front."
Barber Motorsports Park is a 3.8-kilometre track that he is very familiar with, having competed in last season's events at the Alabama venue and having tested there this year. "It's a beautiful track with a lot of elevation changes. The surface is nice; there are no bumps. However, it is a challenge to overtake; the qualifying session will be very important."
"I"m looking forward to getting back into the USF2000 program at Barber Motorsports Park," added Coy Arbour, Thomas' coach. "Barber is a difficult track, but Thomas is getting comfortable there and he has proven his pace. Look for the DEForce #10 car near the front! "
About Barber Motorsports Park
Barber Motorsports Park is a challenging track with an incredible view. Not far from Birmingham, Alabama, it is a popular destination for fans and USF2000 and IndyCar teams. The 2.3-mile road course features 17 turns and 80 feet of elevation changes in a single lap. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES lap record is held by Pato O'Ward, who posted a time of 1:06.81 in 2021.