ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – To say that Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing had a successful Cooper Tires Winterfest Championship is an understatement. The team and its drivers won every race in the six-race championship series, February 6-7 at Sebring International Raceway and February 11-12 at Palm Beach International Raceway.
Spencer Pigot won the Winterfest Driver Championship with his five wins, including all three races at PBIR.
“The Winterfest couldn't have gone much better,” said Pigot. “Winning five races and the championship is a great way to start off the season. I'm really enjoying working with the guys at Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing as well as my teammates.
“We've gotten off to a pretty perfect start, and I think the more time we spend together the stronger we'll become as a team. We've accomplished the first goal of the season and now we have to go out and do it again in the main series. It's going to be a tough year but the goal is to win the championship as a driver and the team championship.”
The team finished 1-2-3 in the standings, as Trent Hindman finished second and Matthew Brabham finished third.
“I think the team as a whole did a great job at Winterfest,“ said Hindman. “We all had really good results and enjoyed ourselves as well. There was definitely some really tough competition. I learned so much about the car and about what I need to do to improve as a driver if I ever want to reach the top step of the podium. I'm extremely happy about how well it went, but I know I have a long way to go. I really owe a huge thank you to Nicholas and Dominic for giving me a great car to drive and to my mechanic Cisco for all of his help. Big congrats to Spencer and Matt on their great runs this week as well. Winterfest has helped to prepare me for Sebring, so I am hoping to begin the official 2012 season with some good results.”
With his win in the second race at Sebring, Brabham was the only other winner in the Winterfest Championship.
“The Winterfest was fantastic for me and the team,” said Brabham. “I gathered a vast amount of experience over the two race weekends, which has been a bonus for my preparation for the main series this year. I was thrilled and a little surprised to be competing for the top spot straight out of the box and felt ecstatic to get my first race win in the USA. I couldn't be happier. My goal from the start of this year as always is to win the USF2000 championship, and the great results from the Winterfest have only motivated me further. I will definitely be looking to win at the opening round of the championship at Sebring.”
With the start of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda only weeks away, the team is hoping to take the momentum of Winterfest with them to the season opener at Sebring, March 15-16.
“We could not have asked for a better Winterfest,” said team owner Dominic Cape. “We are very pleased with the results of all three drivers, and look forward to good results in the USF2000 Championship.”
“It was a great start to the year,” added team owner Nicholas Cape. “Everyone is getting on very well, and there is great atmosphere under the tent between the drivers and the crew. It is particularly satisfying seeing all three at the front very evenly matched, instead of just Petri (Suvanto) like last year. Hats off to the team members Dominic, Will, Cisco, Dan, Ricky and Jordan for all the hard work over the winter preparing for the new year. But we need to keep pushing. It is such a competitive series with all the drivers signed up and the big teams involved, and we are really looking forward to the start of the Championship. Everyone at USF2000 has done a great job providing such an excellent series for young drivers to showcase their talent.”