Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing rookie captured two top-fives in four-race 'off-season' series
 
LOS GATOS, CALIF. – Junior formula car up-and-comer Neil Alberico commenced his 2014 campaign in fine fashion this past week (February 21-22 & 25-26) with a strong inaugural Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires outing. Partnering with fellow series newcomers Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing, the highly-regarded Californian gained valuable experience and information during the four-race Cooper Tires Winterfest for the Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires, ultimately capturing a top-10 finish at NOLA Motorsports Park and a pair of top-five results at Barber Motorsports Park. Alberico is now ready to build on this performance and challenge for race wins and the series title when the full season gets underway in Florida in late-March.
 
With the ultimate goal of one day vying for IndyCar Series supremacy, Los Gatos' Alberico commenced his latest journey up the motorsports ladder by taking part in the inaugural Pro Mazda Winterfest series. Reuniting with Cape Motorsports - having scored 11 wins with the squad in 2013 en route to the second in the USF2000 Championship title chase and the USF2000 Championship Winterfest crown - the primary objective during the four-race series was car and driver development, given neither Alberico or Cape Motorsports had previous Pro Mazda Championship race experience. That being said, both the 21 year-old and the multiple junior formula car championship-winning team always strive to challenge for top honors.
 
Taking to the 2.75-mile NOLA road course outside of New Orleans for the opening two races, Alberico became increasingly more acclimated to his new racing steed, overcoming some mechanical issues to exit the twin bill with a solid ninth place finish in race two.
 
Returning to the cockpit of the No. 2 Rising Star Racing/Arai/OMP Racing/J&M Trophies/Oakley/Bondurant School of High Performance Driving/SafeisFast/eFormulaCarNews.com entry a mere three days later in Alabama, Alberico continued to find more speed. The Californian further highlighted his and the team's talents around the undulating 2.38-mile Barber Motorsports Park road course, securing two fifth place finishes during the doubleheader.
 
"The Winterfest series was a successful week overall," commented Alberico. "As a team we overcame some mechanical frustrations to make some great progress in developing this entirely new Pro Mazda car. With two top-five finishes at such an early stage in the development process, the car seems promising. Big thanks to all the guys at Rising Star Racing for all their support and hard work to make this possible.
 
"Next up is St. Pete, the home race for the Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor racing guys, so I like to think we have some home field advantage going into the first race. As a team we will approach every race with the same mind-set, and work together to perform at the best of our abilities. We just have to continue to make progress, and we should be looking forward to a really exciting season!"
 
Alberico now turns his focus to the full Pro Mazda Championship Presented by Cooper Tires season. The chase for race wins and potentially another series title commences on March 29-30, when Rounds One and Two take place on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla., as part of the IZOD IndyCar Series Grand Prix of St. Petersburg opener.
 
Those interested in supporting this rising American racer are encouraged to contact Neil Alberico directly @ neil@neilalberico.com to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
 
Learn more about Neil Alberico at NeilAlberico.com and keep up to date via Twitter @ Neil Alberico and Facebook @ Neil Alberico Motorsports
 
Learn more about Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing at CapeMotorsports.com and keep up to date via Twitter @ CMwithWTR
 
###
 
About Neil Alberico:
A native of Los Gatos, Calif., Alberico first started racing karts at the age of 10, competing in IKF region 11 action. Over the course of four seasons (2004-07), the young talent captured the Junior Sportsman, Junior Super Sportsman, and Junior Puma championship titles. Continuing to race in the karting ranks while raising funds to pursue a career in motorsports, Alberico won the Snap-On Stars of Karting Series National finale in Las Vegas in 2009, before finishing third in the CKI National TAG Senior championship, and winning the 2010 TaG Senior class in the WSK North American Series. That same year, Alberico won the Bondurant Championship Race Series, winning 10 races as a junior formula car rookie. In 2011, Alberico made his European racing debut, competing in the world-renowned Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain with Irish-based Cliff Dempsey Racing. Finishing ninth in his maiden FF season, the Californian earned a Team USA Scholarship, subsequently capturing a Semi-Final win and third place finish in the historic 40th Formula Ford Festival. Alberico joined the Mazda Road to Indy program in 2012, earning a podium finish and nine top-fives in his rookie season of the Cooper Tires USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda. The California standout followed that up with 11 wins in 2013, en route to the Cooper Tires Winterfest title and second in the USF2000 Championship with multiple champion Cape Motorsports with Wayne Taylor Racing. Alberico also won a second Team USA Scholarship which took him to New Zealand to contest the Toyota Racing Series in January/February 2014.