Oka, Quebec – The first round of the NASCAR Pinty's season will kick off this Saturday at Sunset Speedway. This event will also be Thomas Nepveu’s first-ever stock car race, competing this season in the #24 Evirum | Home Hardware Nepveu car prepared by Jacombs Racing.

Although this is the first event of the season, the Oka native is ready to face the rest of the field; "I tested with Jacombs last fall and in the spring," he explained. "I have experience on oval tracks from my years in USF2000, but it's still an adjustment because both the single-seater and the Porsche are very different cars to drive in comparison to stock cars."

This will be a season of learning opportunities for Nepveu, who will be racing on some of Canada's biggest tracks, "I'm looking forward to getting back on track and racing with the best drivers in the country. My hope is to be able to crack into the top 10 in my first race, but I know it's going to be tough, especially at Sunset Speedway, so I'll have to be strategic and patient."

The Ontario track will host the Sunset Speedway 250, a 250-lap event with a 5-minute break on lap 125 at the halfway mark. The 1/3 mile oval track is located 40 minutes north of Toronto and always attracts a large crowd of racing enthusiasts. Although it is a small track, it is very technical and a great challenge for all drivers.

"I think it will be important to stay out of trouble for the first round of the season," he continued. "Just like in the Porsche Carrera Cup, I’m anticipating that I’ll gain experience and confidence quickly."

The qualifying session for the Sunset Speedway 250 will take place at 5:00 pm. Each driver will have the opportunity to run two laps with the goal of setting the fastest time. Afterwards, the green flag will wave at 7:00 pm for the race. The races will be broadcast live on TSN.ca and the TSN app.