Thomas Nepveu in ROK Cup USA at Ocala Gran Prix track and in SKUSA at NOLA Motorsports Park in Louisiana

Thomas Nepveu will be racing this weekend on a track he knows inside out, the Ocala Gran Prix (Florida Winter Tour - in the Senior ROK class), a technical layout where he feels comfortable on the mix of 10 slow and fast corners. Then, from March 26-28, Thomas Nepveu and his PSL Karting team will compete in the first two rounds of the SKUSA Winternationals in the X30 Senior class at NOLA Motorsports Park (Louisiana), with its 17 corners on a 0.95-mile track.

The mix of tight hairpin turns and relatively long straights on both tracks poses a challenge for the team in determining the optimal settings and best compromise for the fixed gearing of the Birel Art karts used in both series.

Previous Results At These Tracks

ROK Cup USA - Florida Winter Tour - Ocala Gran Prix

At his last visit to Ocala in February 2021, Thomas managed to compensate for a slight lack of speed from his kart and qualified tenth for the ROK Cup USA final of the Florida Winter Tour. A perfect start allowed him to move up to 5th and then 4th place in the first laps before the kart lost some of its efficiency. Thomas Nepveu crossed the finish line 6th in the end.

"Since the last race, we have worked to improve the kart in the PSL Karting workshop, and our engine supplier has announced some improvements for the coming weekends. I am confident that all these actions will allow us to return to the front, "said the more and more confident driver. 

SuperKarts! USA Winternationals - NOLA Motorsports Park

Thomas Nepveu returns to NOLA for a 5th visit to this technical track where he has raced in various classes over the years. In 2018, Thomas Nepveu started last for the final in the X30 Junior class after an engine failure in the Pre-Final. He then reeled in the field of 40 drivers and finished in the lead group after a spectacular race.

"The smooth surface and a long straightaway make it somewhat easy to drive at NOLA. However, the length of the track (0.95 miles) and the chicanes with speed bumps that you must drive over in order to maximize your speed in the corners, make the races very difficult from a physical point of view. Breathing can be difficult when driving depending on the track. At Homestead, for example, the rough track surface is very hard on our ribs, even with the rib protection we use. Things are not as rough on NOLA's smooth surface. On the technical side, tire pressures and temperatures are critical to keep them performing well throughout the race and especially for the last 5 or 6 laps," according to Thomas Nepveu, who spoke to us after a school session on the computer, a one-hour workout in the morning and a few holes at the golf course in the early afternoon, a nice mix of work and relaxation in preparation for two intense weekends.

ON-TRACK SCHEDULE

All lap times and results from Thomas Nepveu on-track activities are available live from each series' application.

ROK Cup USA - Florida Winter Tour - Senior ROK class (March 19 to 21 - ROK)

• March 19: Practice: 9:50 am - 11:30 am | Qualifying: 2:22 pm - 4:18 pm
• March 20: Warmup: 9:35 am | Qualifying heats: 11:14 am - 2:14 pm | Pre Final: 4:38 pm
• March 21: Warmup: 8:40 am | Final: 10:46 am
• Live Timing: ROK Cup USA application

SKUSA Winternationals - X30 Senior class (March 26 to 28 - SKUSA)

• March 26: Practice: 9:10 am - 10:30 am - 11:50 am - 2:45 pm - 4:45 pm
• March 27: Warmup: 8:56 am | Qualifying: 10:15 am| Pre Final: 12:10 pm| Final: 4:50 pm
• March 28: Warmup 8:56 am | Qualifying: 10:15 am | Pre Final: 12:10 pm | Final: 4:50 pm
• Live Timing: SKUSA application

Karting Championships

Participating in three championships over the summer adds up to 23 professional events over the season (13 in karts and 10 in USF2000 cars). Each weekend is composed of multiple practice/qualifying sessions, Pre-final and Final races depending on each series' rules. The considerable amount of racing time, plus the hours spent on simulators, will certainly accelerate Thomas Nepveu's learning process given the high level of competition in every series.

Driving Instructor

Thomas Nepveu's personality and technical knowledge also make him an ideal driving instructor, capable of transmitting his knowledge while making the student and the family comfortable during these important and often emotionally charged moments. Thomas Nepveu began working with novices in the spring of 2019, when he was only 14 years old, and continues to do so for the BCR (Ben Cooper Racing) race team. Last winter, with he even helped some PSL Karting drivers at a track in addition to taking care of his own machine (track walks, debrief meetings after each track session).

2021 Thomas Nepveu Karting Schedule

Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship

Thomas Nepveu's plans for the 2021 season call for him to participate for the first time in the eight (8) weekends of the USF2000 series (for a total of 18 races), the first of the four steps on the Road to Indy Program on the way to a career in IndyCar, the fastest and most prestigious single-seater series in North America.

The USF2000 professional-level series uses technically advanced cars that are all identical, and feature a reinforced carbon fibre central tub, adjustable front and rear spoilers, a sealed 175 hp engine and a six-speed gearbox with paddle shifters on the steering wheel, driver-adjustable front-rear braking distribution, and adjustable suspensions. The complexity of the car's settings and the analysis of driving and track performance data allow young drivers to learn how to refine their driving skills and gain a deeper understanding of the technical aspects of such sophisticated machines.

Photo Credit: Kart on track - On Track Promotions | Portrait - Trever Blue

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Thomas Nepveu Career Path and Results

Born in Oka (Quebec), Thomas Nepveu has always shown a great interest in extreme sports, starting with small motorcycles on dirt tracks. He quickly moved on to karts first in the Montreal area, then on to provincial and national series in Canada, on to the United States, Europe and other continents.

2020

• Single seater debut in the Mexican F4 series at the Autodromo de Querétaro, Mexico
• 1 victory and 2 podiums out of 3 F4 races
• Victory in the ROK Fest East series - Charlotte (NC) (ROK Senior class)
• 6^th out of 52 entries, one pole from 3 races in ROK Cup Florida Winter Tour
• 6^th and 1 podium (3^rd) out of 4 races in the SKUSA Winter Series
• 8^th and 2 poles out of 6 races in the SKUSA Pro Tour

2019

• Transition to Rotax Senior class
• Canadian Karting Champion
• Canadian Shifter Open Champion
• Two top-5 finishes in the SKUSA Pro Tour (Senior class)
• Qualified for the Final in the WSK Euro Series (Sarno, Italy)

2018

• US Open Champion
• 3^rd in the ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour series
• 4^th in the Max Challenge class at the Rotax Grand Final (Brazil)
• 15^th in the CIK-FIA World Championship OKJ (Sweden)
• 5^th in the ROK the Rio (Las Vegas)

2017

• Transition year to the Junior class (12 to 16)
• 1st in the Florida Winter Tour (2^nd round)
• 2^nd in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship  

2016

• Debut with PSL Karting
• Youngest driver (11) on the Canadian Karting Team
• Champion in the Eastern Canadian Karting Championship with 7 victories in 7 races, a first in this event
• Champion at the Mini Swift Super Nationals
• Runner-up in the Mini Max world championship
• Team Canada finishes first of 54 countries in the Rotax World Championships with Thomas Nepveu the top Canadian finisher in the Mini-Max class

2015

• Transition year (11 to 13 age group)
• Quebec Cup runner-up
• 4^th in the Eastern Canada Championship
• 3^rd in the Canadian Championship

2014

• Quebec Cup champion
• Eastern Canada champion
• 3^rd in the Canadian Championship
• 3^rd in the Florida Winter Series (first podium for Thomas Nepveu in the United States)

2013

• Wins all Canadian championships in the 9-year-old class
• Quebec Cup champion
• Western Canada champion
• Eastern Canada champion
• 6^th in the Micro Max class at the Rotax Grand Finals in New Orleans, Louisiana

2012

• First year in racing, in the Micro Max class, in Quebec and Ontario
• 5^th in the Quebec Cup

About PSL Karting

PSL Karting is a company based in Trois-Rivières (Quebec), which specializes in the preparation and support of drivers in kart races, in addition to acting as a North American distributor and managing the official Birel ART racing team in America via a nationally ranked racing team whose objective is to develop young drivers and promote Birel ART products. Founded in 1999, PSL is recognized in the North American karting market with its advanced distribution system for selling chassis, accessories, components and equipment for kart and single-seater drivers.

Over the years, the team has grown from a simple store to a large warehouse/workshop with a full-time professional team. In addition to its distribution activity, the PSL racing team has won numerous national and regional karting championships over the last 10 years and offers preparation and track support services that have helped produce some of the best drivers in the world. In 2015, PSL partnered with Birel ART and All Road Management, a group responsible for the success of Formula 1 drivers such as Felipe Massa, Daniel Ricciardo, Pastor Maladonado and the late Jules Bianchi.

In the medium term, PSL is focused on growing Birel ART and the new Ricciardo Kart line in North America, creating a strong brand presence in all its markets and offering tailored services to customers at all levels of karting and motorsports.