OKA, Que. - It's finally the long-awaited moment of the season, the only Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship event on Canadian grounds! The streets of Toronto will host the penultimate event of 2022.

"I'm thrilled to be racing in my home country," said Thomas Nepveu, driver of the #10 Cromwell | Pétrole Bélanger | Home Hardware | Karting Excellence car prepared by DEForce Racing. "Many partners will be at the track this weekend; it will be a good opportunity to get together and showcase the local brands!"

It will also be a new track to discover since the series did not venture north of the border last year due to the pandemic. "I'm studying the videos from the previous years and reading the pre-event notes. It will be one of the season's most important track walks."

Indeed, before each event, drivers walk around the tracks with their race engineers to learn more about the layout. "I will have to take many notes and analyze the track before the first practice session."

Since this is an urban track, it is not possible to test before the event, and the limited track time can be a challenge. "Although the streets of Toronto are still unfamiliar, I did well on the streets of St. Petersburg when I claimed the pole position and led most of the laps in the race. I hope my experience in St. Pete will translate to this weekend."

The drivers will take on the streets of Toronto as equals, as no one knows the track, "that's where we'll be able to make a difference," said Nepveu.

"I can't wait to see the atmosphere around Exhibition Place. I've heard the fans are exceptional, which doesn't surprise me considering the support the spectators give the Canadian drivers." Thomas will be the only Canadian-born driver on track in the Road to Indy series.

About Honda Toronto Indy
Known as the Molson Indy Toronto, the event has been held on the streets of Toronto around Exhibition Place and Lakeshore Boulevard since 1986. The IndyCar had a one-year hiatus in 2008, but in 2009, the event was back on the calendar. The Honda Indy Toronto is the third oldest race on the current schedule (tied with Mid-Ohio). Paul Tracy is the only Canadian driver to have won the event, first in 1993 and then in 2003.