In his third season with SRO Motorsports America, Cristian Perocarpi is a seasoned professional in the TC America powered by Skip Barber series. The driver of the No. 37 MINI JCW Team Mini JCW Pro TC is known for his approachability as much as his spunk on track.
The MINI JCW Team has had a stand-out season, with its drivers fighting for first and fourth in the Driver Points Championship in the TC Class. Clayton Williams is currently in the lead with 230 points, while Perocapri is hoping to close a 24-point gap to third place.
Perocarpi’s easygoing attitude shapes his outlook on the 2023 season as it draws to a close in Indianapolis, which just so happens to be his hometown. This week he’s balancing math quizzes alongside track time in hopes of finally making peace with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“In years past, I have felt less confident coming into Indianapolis,” Perocarpi said. “There is a lot on the line with us fighting for third and first in the championship. But I feel confident. I’m keeping myself and the team confident. We have a love-hate relationship with this place. It is my home, but it has gone really bad here as much as it has gone really well.”
He's hoping for some hometown luck after a rough season full of well-received lessons.
“Our year has been a little unfortunate,” Perocapri said. “It’s been a good learning year trying to overcome problems in tough situations. It's helped me more than it has hurt me. We’ve had good speed. It’s been nice to be upfront, we have to finish well. I’ve learned a lot about the car. It'll help me further into my career. It will help me in anything I run into in the future. It’s character building you know, you come back stronger.”
In 2022, Perocarpi finished third in the championship. This season, he’s fighting for a repeat. Albeit, he has a bit more to overcome. Perocarpi ultimately ended the 2022 season in fourth place, one point outside of third. This season, the gap is greater, but so is his experience level.
“Last year, I came into the last race tied for third,” Perocarpi said. “It didn’t go our way. We had an issue in Race Two. We lost third by a single point. That one sucked. I’m more relaxed this year and that has helped me not to be anxious. We have a great group of guys, and I think we can get the job done if things go our way.
“I wish there was more competition in the class just for the points buffer. I like a bigger car class. You get more appreciation out of your finishes because of the competition. But also, when you look at points, you get the gap you need if someone has a bad race. A little added pressure to go for the win.”
In his second year with the Mini Cooper brand, Perocarpi has realized a dream of his own.
“All I ever dreamed about was running Mini Cooper,” Perocarpi said. “To tell people I’m a Factory Mini Cooper driver and to work with them so close is amazing. I think about where I wanted to be five years ago, I’m exactly where I wanted to be. They believe in me, and it has been awesome to go to the Mini Cooper events and be a part of their world.”
Perocarpi’s season comes to a close at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 8, at 9:35 a.m. for the final TC America powered by Skip Barber race of the season. His race is prefaced with the fourth running of the Indianapolis 8 Hour presented by AWS on Saturday, Oct. 7. The endurance race has drivers running into the night with the green flag at 12:15 p.m. and the checkered flag at 8:15 p.m.