HOMESTEAD, Fla. – A new Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires racing season kicks off this coming week on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.
The event, which will commence with practice and qualifying on Thursday, March 12, will be held on a challenging 1.8-mile downtown street circuit in conjunction with the opening round of the NTT IndyCar Series.
Sunday, a few hundred miles to the south, teams and drivers on the first two of three rungs of the highly acclaimed open-wheel racing development ladder – the Indy Pro 2000 Championship Presented by Cooper Tires and the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship – completed their preparations with the traditional two-day Spring Training test at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The Canadian-owned Exclusive Autosport team laid down a marker as last year’s USF2000 champion Braden Eves, from New Albany, Ohio, emerged fastest of the Indy Pro 2000 Championship contingent, while Prescott Campbell, from Newport Beach, Calif., set the pace in USF2000 testing.
One year ago, Eves was preparing to begin his first season on the Road to Indy. Now, after clinching the USF2000 title and claiming a scholarship of more than $600,000 to facilitate the next step into Indy Pro 2000, he has a much better understanding of what he needs to do to continue his ascent on the auto racing ladder. And even though his track time this weekend was limited by a few mechanical difficulties, Eves didn’t allow that to distract him one iota.
After completing just a handful of laps Saturday, he ended the day fifth on the timing charts. Eves built upon that base superbly this morning, taking advantage of slightly cooler conditions to post the fastest lap of the weekend at 1:18.4405, an average speed of 101.427 mph. Eves’ time was more than three-quarters of a second faster than the unofficial testing record set two years ago by Brazilian Carlos Cunha.
“We’ve done a lot of off-season testing and this test just confirms that we’re quick,” said Eves, who began his career last year by winning both races in St. Petersburg. “We had some mechanical issues this weekend that were out of our control, but better here than St. Pete. This series is super competitive and anything can happen but it’s good to see where we are compared to the rest of the field. The pace is good, and the car feels amazing, so I’m feeling good heading into the first race weekend.
“To be perfectly honest, I didn’t feel as though I was driving very well heading into that first weekend last season and I didn’t feel confident, but this year I have the utmost confidence in my team and in myself. I’ve done it before; I know I can do it again. It is so cool to win in St. Pete and you can get some good momentum right out of the gate.”
Campbell earned his opportunity to graduate onto the first step of the Road to Indy by pocketing a scholarship valued at $75,000 for winning last year’s Lucas Oil School Formula Car Series. Clearly he is intent on putting that to good use.
Campbell posted the fastest time of the two-day test this morning at 1:23.6719, an average speed of 95.086 mph – just over a tenth quicker than the unofficial lap record which was established two years ago by Kyle Kirkwood – and, despite his rookie status, will start as one of the favorites for next weekend’s USF2000 Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Presented by Andersen RacePark and Cooper Tires.
“This is a big confidence booster going into St. Pete,” said Campbell. “Coming into this Spring Training test, I didn’t know what to expect from myself compared to my competitors. It’s the first time we’ve tested against the full grid. I think I surpassed my expectations and some other expectations as well.
“There will be a lot to learn next weekend but, of course, the goal will be to keep the car clean. It’s a great opportunity to perform in front of a crowd and it will be great to be part of such a huge event.”
The third and final step on the ladder, Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires, will be in action Monday on the 2.21-mile road course situated an hour or so south of Miami, Fla.