ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Spencer Pigot took the lead in the hotly contested Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda by virtue of two hard-fought victories this weekend on the Streets of St. Petersburg. Pigot, 18, from Orlando, Fla., had to work hard on both days to overcome Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing teammate Matt Brabham and earn the wins in front of huge crowds in attendance for the opening round of the IZOD IndyCar Series.
"It was a really good weekend," noted Pigot, who finished second in last year's USF2000 Championship and trailed Brabham by eight points after last week's opening two races at Sebring. "Another two wins, three wins in the first four races, I couldn't really ask for much more than that, so I'm really excited about the weekend. It was great to be back in St. Pete. The guys at Cape have been doing an awesome job, so hopefully we will be able to continue this streak we've got going."
Pigot's weekend began on Thursday evening when he posted the fastest time in the opening practice session with his bright yellow #2 Team Pelfrey/Doug Mockett & Company/E-merging Technologies/Parathyroid.com /California Scents/Mazda/Cooper Tires Van Diemen. A winner last year on the streets of St. Pete, Pigot maintained his momentum by setting fastest lap in the Friday morning practice session and taking pole position later in the day in qualifying, albeit by a scant 0.002s from Brabham.
Race One on Saturday saw Pigot lead from flag to flag to secure his second win in a row. He had managed to put some daylight between himself and Brabham in the middle portion of the race, only for that advantage to be erased by a full-course caution. Brabham tried all he could do to redress the balance at the restart but Pigot was equal to the challenge and held on to win by just 0.197s.
Sunday's race was perhaps even more exciting. Brabham started from pole after setting fastest lap in Saturday's race but Pigot made a great start, then drove around the outside of his rival to take the lead at Turn One. Brabham again pressed hard, even making contact at one stage with the rear of Pigot's car. The slight impact damaged the nose of Brabham's car and inflicted a cut on one of Pigot's rear tires. Fortunately, the tire maintained its pressure and Pigot pulled clear to secure his third straight victory and take over the points lead.
"I definitely didn't have the fastest car," admitted Pigot. "Matt was really quick. We were quick for the first few sessions and then he gained a little bit of time so it was pretty tough, but being in the lead around here is so important. It was crucial to get the lead on the first corner in both races. I did that, and I think that's what really won the races for me."
Pigot would like to thank Team Pelfrey, Doug Mockett & Company, E-merging Technologies, Paraythyroid.com, California Scents, Mazda, Cooper Tires and the Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing team for their support. The Floridian will race next in the traditional "Night Before the 500" event at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis on Saturday, May 26.
ABOUT SPENCER PIGOT:
Spencer Pigot, 18, won numerous karting championships before graduating to cars in 2009. He won the 2010 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Powered by Mazda, earning a scholarship via the MAZDASPEED Driver Development Program to contest the 2011 Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. Pigot finished second in the title-chase with three wins, four poles and a track record to his name, and won five of six races to claim the 2012 Cooper Tires Winterfest mini-series. He also won prestigious Team USA Scholarships both in 2010 and 2011. His goal is to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis 500. Follow Spencer at www.spencerpigot.com or on Facebook (Spencer Pigot Racing) and Twitter (@spencerpigot).