Thomas Nepveu and the TNM Team present their 2021 partners for the Cooper Tires USF2000 Series
The Young Quebecer Is Now a Breakfast Club of Canada Ambassador
Thomas Nepveu is thrilled to announce both his Partners for the 2021 Cooper Tires USF2000 season, as well as his affiliation with the important cause of the Breakfast Club of Canada by becoming one of the youngest ambassadors in the organization's history.
This first season in a single-seater represents an important step for the 16-year-old driver in his evolution towards a professional racing career. Thomas Nepveu will compete in all 18 races of the USF2000 season in the #2 Cromwell| Karting Excellence | Home Hardware car prepared by the leading Cape Motorsports team, which enjoys a record of nine championships over 13 seasons in this category.
After a brilliant nine (9) year career in karts with PSL Karting and Birel ART, relationships that will continue in 2021, the young Quebecer has taken part in over 300 kart races, winning countless victories, eight (8) championships and twenty-two (22) top-10 finishes in high-level international events and championships (Canada, the USA, Italy, Sweden, Brazil, Finland). This extra seat time will accelerate his professional development,
Thomas Nepveu's team has put together a season combining high level kart racing where he is a potential winner at every outing, with the eight events (18 races) scheduled for the Cooper Tires USF2000 series. The first two-round event will take place on April 15-18 at Barber Motorsports Park near Birmingham (Alabama, USA).
The Partners
The partners' contribution to a multi-year racing program is essential. Thomas Nepveu Motorsport has developed a business relationship with companies who are leaders in their field and who wish to support the career and passion of this talented young man.
"We are proud to present the partners for the 2021 season. The participation of these companies is an essential part for the success of the project. We are working with them to ensure a win-win relationship. I would like to thank them for their invaluable support. We will give our best efforts both on and off the track to offer them the highest possible level and quality of visibility," says Thomas Nepveu.
Breakfast Club of Canada
Thomas Nepveu is honoured to join to the Breakfast Club Canada cause. He will add his name to a list of ambassadors dedicated to highlighting food insecurity among Canadian children and will participate in various fundraising events.
"The Club is very fortunate to be able to count on the support of a young athlete like Thomas. We applaud his desire to make a difference for children and youth across the country. He is a role model for an entire generation, and we are grateful to have him as an ambassador," said Tommy Kulczyk, General Manager, Breakfast Club of Canada.
Breakfast Club of Canada was founded in 1994 and reaches over 257,000 children every day in over 1,880 breakfast programs across Canada. With more than 2 million children going to school hungry each morning, the organization is working with its partners to implement a national school food program.
"This cause is particularly important to me as a student-athlete because proper nutrition is essential to reaching our full potential. When volunteering at a breakfast club in my hometown, I saw the need and the benefits of the cause firsthand, and it motivated me to get involved. I am in a privileged position and I want to do my part to give back to as many young children as possible," explained Thomas Nepveu, who is proud to help to those who came after him.
Partners - Brief Outlines
(Click on links for additional information)
Cromwell is a private real-estate company active since 1986 in the multi-residential, office and commercial / shopping centre segments.
A major reseller of sophisticated, up-to-date kart simulators, as well as offering driving courses for simulated racing.
Richelieu Hardware is the leading distributor of hardware products in North America, with over 80 points-of-sale across the continent.
Transport, maintenance and delivery of petroleum and propane gas products to residential, commercial, and agriculture customers in the major Quebec regions for more than 65 years!
With more than 1,000 independently owned outlets, Home Hardware is the most important distributor of renovation products in Canada.
The largest Canadian-owned distributor of office products, which includes the Novexco commercial division.
PL-100 with anti-friction treatment is the best all-purpose penetrating lubricant on the market. Its action is faster, longer lasting and more efficient than that of its competitors. PL-100 is a product from Prolab, a family-owned Quebec company established in 1985.
This Quebec-based maker of sports-oriented clothing places a special emphasis on respect for the environment.
Centre de Médecine sportive de Laval
The Centre Médecine sportive de Laval uses over 100 health professionals to deliver personalized medical services of the highest order to athletes of all levels.
Canada's leading distributor of woodworking, metalworking, automotive and material handling machinery, tools, equipment and accessories.
Under the leadership of Martin D'Anjou, this production and promotion house assist in the development of Canadian drivers' careers, on as well as off the tracks.
Photo Credit: CoForce
Additional Information
Thomas Nepveu and the strategic team
Thomas Nepveu and his strategic team and have developed a two-pronged career plan that focuses on IndyCar (North America's foremost single-seater series), coupled with participation in international Kart championships with PSL Karting and Birel ART when time permits. The learning experience and the communications generated by these activities will always be optimized and promoted through the Road To Indy program as well as additional promotional and communications activities throughout the season.
Accompanied by Coy Arbour, his long-time technical manager and driving coach, Thomas Nepveu drove a single seater for the first time ever at the Querétaro, Mexico round of the NACAM Formula 4 series 2020 season. He won one race and reached two podiums in three races over that weekend while putting in some dominant drives. During post-season testing in Cooper Tires USF2000, Thomas was able to learn the car quickly enough to put in lap times within a half-second of Cooper Tires USF2000 veteran drivers.
Thomas Nepveu understands how important his education is to help build his professional career. He is successfully pursuing his studies using distance learning.
The Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship
Managed and promoted by Andersen Promotions, LCC, the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship is the first step in the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires, and leads on to more advanced stages in quicker, more competitive series: the Indy Pro F2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires and the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, including the Indianapolis 500 and the top level in single-seater car racing in America. The champions of the three lower series earn major scholarships each year to help fund their next season in the Road to Indy program.
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Date |
Circuit |
Road/ Oval |
Race |
Start |
Finish |
Pts./Pos. |
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April 17 |
Barber Motorsports Park |
R |
Race 1 |
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R |
Race 2 |
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April 24 |
Streets of St-Petersburg |
R |
Race 3 |
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R |
Race 4 |
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May 14 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
R |
Race 5 |
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R |
Race 6 |
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May 15 |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway |
R |
Race 7 |
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May 27 |
Lucas Oil Raceway |
O |
Race 8 |
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June 19 |
Road America |
R |
Race 9 |
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R |
Race 10 |
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July 3 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
R |
Race 11 |
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R |
Race 12 |
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July 4 |
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course |
R |
Race 13 |
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July 10 |
Streets of Toronto |
R |
Race 14 |
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R |
Race 15 |
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August 28 |
New Jersey Motorsports Park |
R |
Race 16 |
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R |
Race 17 |
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August 29 |
New Jersey Motorsports Park |
R |
Race 18 |
The Road to Indy Program
The Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires program offers an entry level series into professional racing, the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship. From there, drivers move on to the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, which uses a more refined and quicker version of the USF2000 car. The drivers then move on to the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires Series, using a much more powerful, much quicker and more complex car to set up and drive, in preparation for their move to America's top single-seaters, the super-fast NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
The Cooper Tires USF2000 Car
This series uses a standardized Tatuus USF-17 chassis which delivers an exciting level of performance and is a logical step up from the lower learner series to continue the development of young drivers.
The car features:
- A carbon fibre and aluminum honeycomb safety cell for the driver and the fuel tank, and carbon-fibre bodywork and wings
- A sealed two-litre (175 HP) engine and a six-speed sequential gearbox with steering-mounted paddle shifters
- Adjustable suspensions and front-rear brake bias
- Bespoke Cooper Tires
- A dry weight of 500 kg
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)
- 6th out of 52 entries, one pole from 3 races in ROK Cup Florida Winter Tour
- 6th and 1 podium (3rd) out of 4 races in the SKUSA Winter Series
- 8th 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
- 3rd in the ROK Cup USA Florida Winter Tour series
- 4th in the Max Challenge class at the Rotax Grand Final (Brazil)
- 15th in the CIK-FIA World Championship OKJ (Sweden)
- 5th in the ROK the Rio (Las Vegas)
2017
- Transition year to the Junior class (12 to 16)
- 1st in the Florida Winter Tour (2nd round)
- 2nd 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
- 4th in the Eastern Canada Championship
- 3rd in the Canadian Championship
2014
- Quebec Cup champion
- Eastern Canada champion
- 3rd in the Canadian Championship
- 3rd 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
- 6th 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
- 5th in the Quebec Cup