(Braselton, GA) - The weather in Connecticut may have been full of snow, but Peter Portante did not choose to hibernate during the break between the Cooper Tires 2013 USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda Winterfest and the season opener. 

"My break between Winterfest to this week's USF2000 opener has been very busy," said Portante, who enters the series courtesy of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Ladder after winning the Skip Barber Championship Shootout last December. "I have been at the gym daily and studying my (in car) videos constantly." 

The opener will be held at the legendary Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla., on March 14 and 15. Portante is no stranger to this track having competed in the Skip Barber Winter Series in April of 2012 then again at the USF2000 Cooper Tires Winterfest event in February.

As a rookie to the series, Portante gained huge amounts of knowledge during the Winterfest events that he plans to use for the season. 

"I'm really looking forward to the opener at Sebring and working with my engineer," Portante said fondly of engineer Joe D'Agostino. "Working with Joe at the Winterfest has already helped me identify where I need to improve with my driving." 

Portante will also have his driving coach Lee Carpentier to further help hone his skills on track.

"Sebring will be a fantastic weekend and I am looking forward to a great start for the 2013 season," Portante added. "I know with a great team behind me like Belardi Auto Racing I will have a very successful year." 

To keep up to date during the event on all things Peter Portante, follow us on Twitter at @portante24 and @avastcomm or at www.peterportante.com.