After the teenagers finished fourth in their respective Semi Final races, Hindman, 16, from Wayside, N.J.,  placed a strong sixth in the Grand Final with his Cliff Dempsey Racing-prepared Ray GR08, while Alberico, 18, from Los Gatos, Calif., was unable to finish after being involved in an early incident.
The fickle English weather was more inviting on Sunday, with sunny skies replacing the rain and heavy overcast that had prevailed

earlier in the week. Following a pair of last-chance qualifier races, the meat of the day’s action began with two Semi Final races. Hindman lined up third on the grid for his race and immediately jumped to second on the opening lap before slipping back to fourth behind Josh Fisher, Adrian Campfield and Jonny McMullan.

“Unfortunately, it was the first time on a dry track, so that was a bit difficult, but I had to learn fast,” said Hindman. “Cliff was great on teaching me about the track when it’s dry. It was definitely a lot different to what it had been! After finishing P4, I knew we had a very good chance of making something happen in the Final.”

Alberico, meanwhile, was cursing his luck after also finishing fourth in Semi Final 2 behind Northern Irishman Wayne Boyd (a front-runner in this year’s USF2000 National Championship), Robert Hall and Felix Fisher.

“I lined up third, got a great start and found myself in the lead after the first two drivers put each other off,” he related. “It was looking good at that point with open track ahead of me and a massive gap behind. Unfortunately, there was a red-flag situation resulting in a full grid restart. After the restart I was second off the line looking for a way past Wayne Boyd. As I sat behind him nearly half the race he was given several driving standard warning flags for excessive blocking. It was super-frustrating to end up fourth, because I had the pace for a much better result.”

The Team USA Scholarship pair lined up alongside each other on Row Four of the grid for the 15-lap Grand Final. Alberico maintained seventh at the start and moved up a couple of places during the early skirmishes, before being hit from behind, causing suspension damage which forced him out of the race.

“I got off the line with a good clean start and diced my way up to fifth at one stage,” he said. “After only a few laps, Abdul Ahmed drove straight over the back of my left rear going into Luffield (corner), bending the track rod and ultimately ending my race. Between the chaos of Semi Final and Final, it's fair to say those were unfortunate circumstances that were out of our control. And that's where the famous cliché comes from – that's racing."

Hindman also made a good initial getaway. After a roller-coaster ride during the early stages, he became embroiled in a thrilling seven-car battle for the lead that raged for much of the race, and ultimately had to settle for sixth as Campfield scored a surprise victory, finishing narrowly ahead of the heavily favored Boyd.

“I am very happy with P6,” said Hindman. “It was so difficult running with those guys. It was incredible!

“Overall my UK experience was awesome,” he continued. “I learned so much. Cliff and Michelle [Dempsey] were my parents away from home and the whole team was great! I really have to thank them for all of their hard work and patience. Now, though, it’s off back to the U.S. for school and some more USF2000 testing.”

“Thanks a million to all the supporters of the Team USA Scholarship for making such an incredible opportunity possible,” added Alberico. “This may be the end of our British adventure but I'm really looking forward to what we have next in store.”

They have some big shoes to fill, but both teenagers are confident they can challenge for victory in this weekend’s Walter Hayes Trophy Formula Ford meet at Silverstone and follow in the footsteps of Conor Daly, who took top honors for Team USA and Cliff Dempsey Racing in 2008, and Connor De Phillippi, who took the checkered flag in 2009.

Alberico, 19, from Los Gatos, Calif., spent some time in Ireland, attending the wedding of Cliff and Michelle Dempsey’s oldest son, Keith, during the two-week break since the Formula Ford Festival, while 16-year-old Hindman traveled home to Wayside, N.J., to  catch up with his school work. Since Hindman returned to the UK on Monday, the pair have enjoyed visits to the Jaguar Cars road car factory in Birmingham, the McLaren Technology Center, home of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 team, and Lola Cars, one of the world’s leading race car manufacturers, as well as Superleague Formula championship team Alan Docking Racing.

“My week has been absolutely incredible,” exclaims Hindman. “After visiting Jaguar, McLaren and then Lola I was absolutely stunned at what people will do to produce the best product/results. These tours will definitely be things I will never forget. To top it all off, Silverstone is an incredible track, too! I love coming to these Grand Prix tracks; they are just great courses to drive on.”

Alberico and Hindman have tested their Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GR07/08 chassis on the Silverstone National circuit the past two days, and although inclement weather has interrupted their plans, both youngsters feel good about their prospects going into the weekend.

“The weather this weekend is mad,” says Hindman. “It’s all over the place, but that’s something that we just have to deal with. I had a bit of trouble in this morning's wet practice session, but other than that it’s been great!”

“Weather is not an issue at all,” asserts Alberico. “At the end of the day everyone will be racing with the same conditions. I’m comfortable in both wet and dry conditions, to be honest. We have been testing both Thursday and Friday in wet/damp conditions, and if I were to choose I would prefer the wet!”

Needless to say, neither of the Americans is under any illusions as to the challenges that lie ahead.

“The quick guys from the (Formula Ford) Festival (two weeks ago at Brands Hatch) are the same quick guys here at the WHT,” says Alberico. “The only difference is that there are 95 entries here at Silverstone! As long as we keep our heads down and work hard we should have a good shot at top honors for the weekend.”

“Going into the weekend, my goal is to improve on my results from the Festival while still learning as much as possible,” adds Hindman. “I learned at Brands that making it through your heat races is absolutely the key if you want a chance of winning, so my goal is to just finish in the top three in each heat race.”

The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.
 

In the Duratec Festival, Spencer Pigot overcame an accident in the morning’s Quarter Final race and also showed tremendous fighting spirit as he rose from 26th on the grid to 16th at the checkered flag.

“Well, we were fast enough to qualify on pole, fast enough to win the heat race, fast enough to win the Semi Final and unfortunately we didn’t win the one that counted,” said Alberico. “The guys at Cliff Dempsey Racing did a really good job and I’m so proud to be representing the Team USA Scholarship.  I’m happy for everyone. This is a good result for Team USA. I’m glad to be on the podium but I can’t help feeling I should have won the main event.”

Perfect weather conditions once again prevailed today at Brands Hatch, and they clearly proved to Alberico’s liking as he stormed into the lead after starting from pole and never looked back. He took the checkered flag 1.019s clear of Ireland’s Cormac O’Neill after 15 laps to secure a front row starting position for the final.

Hindman didn’t make quite as good a start in the second Kent Semi Final and lost a place immediately to Team Canada’s Xavier Coupal. He then came under pressure from 2010 winner Neville Smyth, who unfortunately made contact with Hindman at Druid’s hairpin on Lap 2, causing the American to spin to the back of the field. He then mounted a furious charge, rising from 21st to 11th, posting a best lap merely 0.024s adrift of Northern Irishman Ivor McCullough, who rose from eighth on the grid to finish second behind the impressive Coupal.

Coupal took pole for the Final by virtue of a slightly faster Semi Final pace and led away from the veteran McCullough, who snuck past Alberico on the run toward Paddock Hill Bend. McCullough passed Coupal for the lead at Druid’s on Lap 2 and led the remainder of the distance to score a well-deserved victory.

Coupal and Alberico fought a hard battle for second, which, unfortunately, ended in contact after Coupal made a slight mistake at Paddock Hill and then attempted to defend his position when Alberico made a move to the inside as they raced up the hill toward Druid’s. Coupal’s race ended in the gravel, but he sportingly shook hands with Alberico afterward. Alberico rejoined in third, a couple of seconds behind Scotsman Kenneth Thirlwall and closed to within just 0.063s at the checkered flag.

“The Formula Ford Festival was a super-fun event,” said Alberico. “Everyone just wants to win. I enjoyed racing with Ivor, Xavier, Trent and all the other guys and want to thank everybody in the Cliff Dempsey Racing camp. It’s been a great weekend and hopefully I can redeem myself at the Walter Hayes Trophy.”

Hindman drove a smart, calculated race, picking his way steadily through the field until he ran up behind veteran Irishman John Ferguson, who steadfastly refused to cede a single inch, let alone his eighth position, and soon had a snarling pack of cars in his wake. Hindman was forced to cede a place to Rob Hall, so had to be content with ninth at the finish after Ferguson went off on the final lap.

“The race was good,” said Hindman. “I really learned a lot, how racing is over here. It was definitely an eye-opener, a bit of a culture shock. It wasn’t necessarily tough to adapt, it was a lot different to what I’m used to, but the overall experience has been fantastic. Everybody’s been great in helping me out and getting adjusted, and I just learned so much, so I’m really looking forward to the Walter Hayes Trophy (at Silverstone on November 5/6).”

Pigot also endured a difficult day with tire problems and an accident in this morning’s Quarter Final race. The Cliff Dempsey Racing crew performed miracles to repair the damaged left-rear suspension  in time for the second Semi Final race in which he rose from 14th to seventh. Unfortunately, because he was originally slated to contest the first Semi Final race, he was sent to the back of the grid for the Final. Again, Pigot rose to the challenge.

“We had a lot of issues with the tires and the incidents that happened, but overall we kept working at it and it was a great experience to come back to the Festival so a big thanks to all the Team USA Scholarship supporters,” said Pigot. “It’s been a good trip. I’ve learned a lot but I’m just a little disappointed that we couldn’t get the results.”

Full results are available at http://tsl-timing.com/?loc=club&season=2011&series=BRSCC&event=club&source=brscc2006&eventid=114133.

The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.
 

Alberico set the ball rolling in the opening practice session of the day by snaring pole position in his #21 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GR08. The recently turned 19-year-old from Los Gatos, Calif., took full advantage by storming into the lead at the start, chased by pre-event favorite Ivor McCullough and a frantically battling pack of cars which included Team Canada representative Xavier Coupal.

On Lap 5, McCullough made a move to the inside of Alberico on the entrance to Paddock Hill Bend, but it was the Irishman who came off worst. McCullough spun and was fortunate to be able to resume in mid-pack. Alberico emerged unscathed but had no respite as Englishman Kenneth Thirlwall, Coupal and Matthew White immediately filled his mirrors, with Adam Quartermaine, Noel Robinson and Noel Dunne also in close attendance to ensure a thrilling seven-car battle for the lead.

Coupal passed Thirlwall for second place on Lap 9, but Alberico narrowly maintained his lead to take the checkered flag a scant 0.334s ahead of the Canadian.

“The main goal was to get to the semi-finals,” said Alberico. “We did that. Ivor was pressuring me from the get-go and ended up going for a couple of passes and didn’t make it work. On his third try he went up the inside and I was already committed to turning in and, unfortunately, we made contact. He spun and I was able to get away with it. I guess that’s racing. He’s a really good driver and I respect him a lot. Overall a great day, a perfect start to the weekend. It wasn’t easy but it’s great for Team USA and Cliff Dempsey Racing.”

Heat Two for the Kent contingent took place an hour or so later and proved to be rather less fraught.

Hindman had secured the pole during a qualifying session interrupted by a red flag after oil from a blown engine was dumped all the way around the 1.2-mile track.  Fortunately, the 16-year-old from Wayside, N.J., already had set a fast time which no one was able to approach once the session was restarted.

Hindman made an excellent getaway – his first-ever from a standing start – to lead into the daunting Paddock Hill Bend, and was never seriously challenged during the 12-lap race.

“I was a little bit nervous about the standing start – just having never done it before,” admitted Hindman. “I was just hoping I could get a good run and not stall or do anything catastrophic like that. Luckily, I was able to get a good start and pull out a strong gap. The Safety Car was a little unexpected, because all the procedures are a little different over here, but I was happy that it all happened. It was a great learning experience for sure. I am really happy, really thankful for everybody involved in the scholarship. I can’t ask for anything more right now.”

Spencer Pigot endured a frustrating day in his #20 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GR11. After posting extremely competitive times yesterday during testing, Pigot today struggled with excessive understeer which restricted him to 12th on the grid for his heat race. He battled hard in the race, spending much of it embroiled in a heated battle for fifth place before eventually taking the flag in tenth.

“I moved up a few positions from qualifying, so that was good,” said Pigot, “but I am still looking for a bit more time in the car. It was really close and I was battling with a pack of six or seven cars. If we can pick up a few tenths, I think we will gain quite a few positions, so we’ll just see what happens tomorrow.”

Full results are available at http://tsl-timing.com/?loc=club&season=2011&series=BRSCC&event=club&source=brscc2006&eventid=114133.

The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

Jeff Bloxham photo

The Festival has been a popular, end-of-season staple at Brands Hatch since 1976, having switched from its original home at Snetterton. Former winners of the event have included current Formula One stars Jenson Button and Mark Webber. Formula Ford , too, has evolved since originating at the Kentish circuit in 1967. These days there are three Formula Ford varietals, each with its own Festival crown up for grabs. The most popular remains the traditional 1600cc “Kent” engine, derived from the Ford Cortina road car, which has attracted over 45 entries this weekend from a variety of nations. The 1800cc Zetec engine, which was intended to replace the aging Kent motor in 1993, also has its own division, as does the premier, modern-day FF class, featuring the fuel-injected 1600cc Duratec motor.

Pigot, 18, from Orlando, Fla., will contest the Duratec event and is seeking to build upon the platform he developed last week at Silverstone, when he piloted a Ray GR10 entered by Cliff Dempsey Racing. This time he will be in the newer GR11 chassis.

“Our testing has been good,” said Pigot, who last year set fastest race lap in the Kent class at the festival. “We struggled a bit at Silverstone but we’ve been making a lot of progress these last few days and I think we’re pretty close to the leaders.”

“Spencer’s done a really good job,” said team owner Cliff Dempsey. “He’s worked really hard. He’s chipped away and chipped away. He didn’t go changing the car; he just concentrated on getting the most out of the car and getting on with it. We’ve done our homework, we’ve finalized our tire strategy, so we’ll see what we can do at the weekend.”

Dempsey has been equally impressed with Alberico and Hindman, who will be driving in the Kent division this weekend in the distinctive red, white and blue Team USA Scholarship colors.

“They’ve been on the pace since we started testing on Wednesday,” said Dempsey, who guided newly crowned Firestone Indy Lights Champion Josef  Newgarden to the Kent Festival title in 2008. (Newgarden remains the only American to have won a Festival crown.) “They’re both fast and they have great attitudes.

“It feels good getting back into a Kent car,” said Alberico, 19, from Los Gatos, Calif., who has spent most of the 2011 season driving in a Duratec car for Dempsey in the British championship. “The car is a bit easier to drive than the Duratec and it’s a lot of fun. It’s a very competitive class but I hope we should be up toward the front.”

Hindman, at 16 years of age, is the youngest of the three Team USA Scholarship winners, but has ample experience of the Kent cars having won this year’s Ontario Formula Ford series in Canada.

“The main difference is the tires,” said Hindman, from Wayside, N.J. “The Ray chassis feels quite similar to the Van Diemen we ran in Canada but the tires we used in Canada are harder and smaller than the ones we are using over here. The Avon tires have a lot more grip and it feels like you have more control over what the car does.”

Action on Saturday will comprise a qualifying session and one heat race for each of the three drivers. Finishing positions from the heat races will then determine starting positions for the next round of competition on Sunday morning. Alberico and Hindman have been drawn in separate Kent heat races, with Alberico due out on track at 9:00 for qualifying and Hindman at 9:50. Qualifying for Pigot’s Duratec heat race is slated for 11:50. Live timing is available via www.tsl-timing.com.

The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.
 

Pigot, who celebrated his 18th birthday last week, will be carrying the distinctive red, white and blue colors of the Team USA Scholarship for the second year in succession. Last year he qualified on pole and set fastest lap for the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in the Kent-engined class. This time around he will drive one of the faster, slick-tired Duratec cars for Cliff Dempsey Racing and will use this weekend’s final round of the British championship as a warm-up for next week’s Formula Ford Festival. He will join CDR regular Neil Alberico, from Los Gatos, Calif., who turned 19 today and next week will step back into a Kent car as a first-year Team USA Scholarship winner.

“The main focus at Silverstone will be to get used to the car and learn as much as I can for the Festival,” said Pigot, who finished second in this year’s Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, driving for Andretti Autosport. “It will be good to have Neil there since he has been driving them all year. However, I'm still expecting to be pretty competitive. The team has a lot of experience with Formula Fords so I know they will give me a great car.”

“I think what I learned last year will be a big help. I know what to expect in terms of the style of racing which is a lot different to that in America. We did get to test the Duratec last year for a few sessions [at Brands Hatch] so I have a small understanding of the characteristics of the car. I have a bit of experience at Silverstone but it will only help me on a few corners because we didn't run the full GP track last year.”

“The USF2000 and Duratec cars don't have many similarities, but a big one is the gearbox,” he continued. “I didn't have any experience with the H-pattern gearbox last year but the USF2000 has the same, so that's one thing I won't have to get used to. With all the aerodynamics on the USF2000 car it has a big effect on the way the car handles and brakes, so the Formula Ford will be much different.

“I'm really looking forward to driving on the full GP track at Silverstone. I've talked to some of my friends that have raced there and they all love it. I've been driving it a lot on iRacing and the new F1 video game so I can't wait to actually try it out myself!”

Well, today, Pigot did exactly that, turning his first laps on the challenging 3.66-mile circuit in the Ray GR10 chassis. He posted some competitive times in the dry this morning, and was sixth fastest in damp, drying conditions this afternoon. His best time of 2:21.922 was less than 0.6s adrift of pace-setting Dutchman Jeroen Slaghekke.

“It was really good,” he said. “This car slides around a lot more than my USF2000 car and the track is a bit different to what I expected in several places, but it’s been a good day. Hopefully, we can pick up a bit more time tomorrow.”

Qualifying will take place on Saturday morning at 9:00, while the first of the weekend’s three races will start at 1:55.

The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

“We at the Road Racing Drivers Club are extremely proud to be continuing our involvement in the highly successful Team USA Scholarship in 2011,” said Bobby Rahal, president of the RRDC. “We have watched this program grow in stature since the RRDC first came on board in 1997. It is no doubt one of the best programs to assist young American race-car drivers early on in their careers and we are privileged to be able to extend our support.”

As in the past three seasons, the Team USA Scholarship will enter two young drivers – teenagers Neil Alberico, from Los Gatos, Calif., and Trent Hindman, from Wayside, N.J. – in the Formula Ford “Kent” Festival at Brands Hatch on October 15/16 and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone on November 5/6. Each weekend will comprise three races. This year the program has been expanded to include another slightly more experienced driver – Spencer Pigot, from Windermere, Fla. – who will contest both the premier Formula Ford “Duratec” Festival at Brands Hatch and the previous weekend’s final round of the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain on the “Arena” circuit at Silverstone – the same track which hosts the Formula One British Grand Prix.

“This is tremendous news for young American race car drivers,” said auto racing writer and broadcaster Jeremy Shaw, founder of the Team USA Scholarship. “The RRDC is a prestigious organization, and to have its membership be so supportive of the young talent in this country bodes extremely well for the future.”

The Road Racing Drivers Club, founded in 1952 and with its mission defined by Mark Donohue, its spiritual leader and an early president, has played a substantial role in improving insurance and safety standards for drivers, crews, workers and fans. Members are elected by their peers and include Formula One World Champions, Indy 500 winners, champion sports car drivers and top American amateur road racers, as well as leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists who have made significant contributions to the sport. New members eligible to display the distinctive steering wheel logo this year include Helio Castroneves, Scott Goodyear, J.R. Hildebrand, Stefan Johansson, Johnny O’Connell, Johnny Rutherford and Guy Smith.

The RRDC hosts annual dinners during the Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona and the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach when the Mark Donohue, Phil Hill and Bob Akin Awards are presented to recognize outstanding achievements in the sport. In recent years as part of its commitment to mentoring young drivers and in conjunction with the FIA Institute for Motor Sport Safety, the RRDC has hosted several highly acclaimed “Safe is Fast” workshops. The wealth of information is now available to drivers via a new website, www.SafeisFast.com, which includes a variety of tutorials highlighting driver safety, fitness, mental preparation, sponsorship and race car dynamics.

The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

The trio will follow in the footsteps of a long line of successful Team USA alumni including Jimmy Vasser, who won the inaugural scholarship way back in 1990, as well as Bryan Herta, Buddy Rice, Memo Gidley, Joey Hand, Bryan Sellers, A.J. Allmendinger, Charlie Kimball, J.R. Hildebrand, Conor Daly and Josef Newgarden.

The final winners were chosen from a group of 14 candidates who were selected as a result of their performances in a variety of junior categories this year.

Alberico, who also earned a nomination last year, and Hindman secured their opportunities following a shootout held last month in a de-winged USF2000 Van Diemen-Mazda run by the Cape Motorsports by Wayne Taylor Racing team at Andersen RacePark in Palmetto, Fla. The pair will drive in both the 40^th annual Formula Ford "Kent" Festival at Brands Hatch on October 15/16 and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone on November 5/6.

"It's an absolute privilege to be nominated for a second year in a row as a Team USA Scholarship candidate," said Alberico, who won the 2010 Bondurant Racing Series in the U.S. and has been racing in the ultra-competitive British Formula Ford series this year. "The fact that I did not win a Scholarship last year was my true motivation to work harder than ever to make it through the elimination process for this year's team. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity and I expect to gain priceless knowledge that will surely stick with me for the rest of my career."

Added Hindman, who has impressed this year both in the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National Championship Powered by Mazda and the Ontario F1600 Challenge series in Canada: "Being selected to represent the United States and the Team USA Scholarship is quite an honor. I am extremely excited and proud to be given this wonderful opportunity to race in the UK. I know I will learn a lot from this experience both on and off the track. I am really looking forward to getting in the car and challenging myself against the European drivers."

Pigot also was awarded a scholarship in 2010 after winning the Skip Barber National title. He made an impressive showing in last year's Formula Ford "Kent" Festival at Brands Hatch, snaring the pole for his heat race and posting the fastest race lap in the final en route to a charging drive to fourth place after an earlier incident.

Pigot this year will drive in the premier "Duratec" class at the Formula Ford Festival, which features slightly more powerful engines and slick tires. He will also contest the previous weekend's final round of the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain.

"The goal always has been to offer a ladder of opportunity," said auto racing writer and broadcaster Jeremy Shaw, founder of the Team USA Scholarship. "There have been several instances in the past where we have been able to provide drivers with multiple opportunities, so I am delighted to be able to do so again. I am extremely grateful to all of the program's contributors who have made this possible."

Pigot earned his bid with some impressive drives, including two race wins, during his rookie campaign in the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda. He was selected following an interview session held during the recent IZOD IndyCar Series/American Le Mans Series double-header at Mid-Ohio.

"Being selected for Team USA for a second year is a great honor and I'm really looking forward to going back to England," said Pigot. "I learned a lot with my time there last year and it has helped me this season in USF2000. I'm certain I will learn even more this year and with the experience I gained in 2010 I know what to expect. I have to thank everyone that is involved in the Team USA Scholarship for giving me this opportunity."

The Team USA Scholarship program also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR's Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, Parathyroid, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

The candidates will vie for opportunities to contest two prestigious events in England – the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone – in October and November. All will be looking to follow in the footsteps of an accomplished list of former winners that includes Jimmy Vasser, who won the first Team USA Scholarship in 1990, Bryan Herta, Buddy Rice, A.J. Allmendinger, Joey Hand, Andy Lally, Bryan Sellers, Charlie Kimball, J.R. Hildebrand, Conor Daly and Josef Newgarden

This year’s contenders are:
Neil Alberico, 18, Los Gatos, Calif. – MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain
Scott Anderson, 22, Fort Collins, Colo. – BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda series leader
Sam Beasley, 17, Cleveland, Ohio – F1600 Championship Series/SCCA Formula E
Kyle Connery, 20, Vero Beach, Fla. – F2000 Championship Series (four wins and top rookie)
Wyatt Gooden, 22, Gates Mills, Ohio – F1600 Championship Series (double victory at Mid-Ohio)
Trent Hindman, 15, Wayside, N.J. – BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda/Ontario Formula Ford 1600
Michael Johnson, 18, Flint, Mich. – Skip Barber Summer Series points leader
Brandon Newey, 18, Indianapolis, Ind. – BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda (2 wins)
Austin Newmark, 16, Mesa, Ariz. – Bondurant Championship Race Series champion (12 wins)
Sebastian Ordonez, 16, Deerfield Beach, Fla. – BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda
Spencer Pigot, 17, Windermere, Fla. – Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda (1 win)
Colin Thompson, 17, Perkasie, Pa. – F1600 Championship Series
Dennis Trebing, 19, Cape Coral, Fla. – European Volkswagen Scirocco R-Cup
Zach Veach, 16, Stockdale, Ohio – Cooper Tires USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda (1 win)

The adjudicating panel is scheduled to include past scholarship winners Vasser, Hand, Sellers and Hildebrand, plus ALMS drivers Jon Bennett, Darren Law, Patrick Long and Chris McMurry, IZOD IndyCar Series President Randy Bernard, American Le Mans Series President Scott Atherton and Mazda Motorsports Director John Doonan.

“There is a tremendous depth of talent at the grassroots of American auto racing these days and I am delighted to be able to offer these gifted youngsters an opportunity to develop their skills,” said Team USA Scholarship founder Jeremy Shaw. “I am so grateful to all the industry insiders who make this program possible and especially to those who are giving up their time this weekend to meet with the latest crop of candidates.”

The Team USA Scholarship has been helping young American drivers since 1990 and is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, INDYCAR’s Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, NameSilo, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

Both Jimmy Vasser, who secured the inaugural Scholarship in 1990, and Bryan Herta, the 1991 winner, are now successful car owners in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Other notable alumni include Buddy Rice, Paul Edwards, Andy Lally, Joey Hand, A.J. Allmendinger, Bryan Sellers, Charlie Kimball, J.R. Hildebrand, Dane Cameron, Josef Newgarden and Conor Daly who continue to display their talents in a variety of top-tier championships.

As usual, a list of candidates will be identified, from which two or more winners will be selected.

Eligible drivers will be drawn from a variety of disciplines, including the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Powered by Mazda, the Bondurant Racing Series, SCCA, the F1600 Formula F Championship Series, the Pacific Formula F Super Series, Corsa Car Care Presents Pacific F2000, the F2000 Championship Series and the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda.

"For the first time in many years, there is now a natural progression of championships that will take youngsters from karting to the top levels of racing in North America - be that the IZOD IndyCar Series, American Le Mans Series, Rolex Grand-Am or NASCAR Sprint Cup," says Team USA Scholarship founder and long-term auto racing writer and broadcaster Jeremy Shaw. "In particular, the Mazda Road to Indy offers funded opportunities for gifted drivers to progress through the Skip Barber program or the Bondurant Racing Series into USF2000, Star Mazda, Firestone Indy Lights and then the IZOD IndyCar Series. The overall prospects for young drivers have never been better.

"The Team USA Scholarship adds an extra dimension to that ladder of progression and is proud to have support from a wide variety of partners from within the North American racing community."

The method by which this year's Scholarship winners are determined will be announced in the near future, but the candidates will be selected over the course of the next six weeks.

"There is a rich vein of talented young drivers in North America," says Shaw. "Our intention this year is to field cars in both the Formula Ford Kent Festival at Brands Hatch, England, and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, as has become the norm in recent seasons, as well as an additional entry in the premier Duratec division of the Formula Ford Festival. We will be taking into account the candidates' level of experience before deciding what is the most appropriate arena for them to be competing, in order to give them the best chance to shine."

The Team USA Scholarship has been helping young American drivers since 1990 and is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, INDYCAR's Mazda Road to Indy, Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

The primary focus of Memorial Day weekend, of course, was on the Centennial Indianapolis 500. One of the most dramatic and exciting races in the history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reached a sensational climax when 2005 Team USA Scholarship winner J.R. Hildebrand crashed in Turn Four on the final lap while leading in Panther Racing’s #4 National Guard Dallara-Honda.

Hildebrand, 23, had qualified as the fastest rookie in 12th and ran among the top 10 for much of the afternoon. A canny strategy by his team saw Hildebrand make a pit stop for fuel on Lap 164 – the last possible opportunity prior to the restart of what proved to be the final full-course caution of the day. Target/Chip Ganassi Racing’s Dario Franchitti, the defending race champion and one of the race’s hot favorites, followed an identical strategy.

The pair took the restart in 11th (Franchitti) and 12th positions, and ran toward the back of the leading pack until, one by one, other contenders in front of them needed to make pit stops for fuel in order to reach the finish.

Franchitti began to run low on fuel with seven laps to go and was instructed by his engineers to reduce his pace drastically. Hildebrand, meanwhile, had managed to eke out his 22 gallons of ethanol more effectively, and after passing Franchitti on Lap 196 out of 200, the young Californian found himself leading two laps later when Bertrand Baguette peeled off into the pit lane. (Hildebrand’s thrifty fuel consumption also had enabled him to lead Laps 100-103.)

On the final lap, just as Hildebrand seemed set for victory, he was suddenly confronted by a slowing Charlie Kimball as he sped into Turn Four at over 220mph. Just one corner remained. Hildebrand had to make split-second decision. The speed differential to Kimball was immense but Hildebrand committed himself to the outside line, knowing that he, too, was low on fuel and Dan Wheldon was closing fast after making his final pit stop for fuel on Lap 177.

An instant later, as he sped past Kimball (who, ironically, also won a Team USA Scholarship in 2003), Hildebrand’s car drifted fractionally high, into the “marbles”...then arced agonizingly and inevitably toward the outside retaining wall. The unavoidable impact wiped off the right-hand side of Hildebrand’s car. He kept his foot in the throttle and scrabbled his stricken machine to the finish line, but not before Wheldon had swept past to victory.

Hildebrand had to be content with second place and was a universally popular choice for the Chase Rookie of the Year honors.

Instead it was Wheldon who celebrated in Victory Lane....along with team co-owner Bryan Herta, who himself had won a Team USA Scholarship in 1991.

Also at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, on Carb Day, 2008 Team USA Scholarship winner Josef Newgarden triumphed in the Firestone Freedom 100, Round Four of the Firestone Indy Lights Championship, which he now leads.

2009 Team USA grad Connor De Phillippi claimed a dominant victory from the pole in the Star Mazda Championship qualifier as part of the traditional “Night Before the 500" fiesta at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis (formerly known as IRP/ORP), while 2001 alumnus A.J. Allmendinger qualified his Richard Petty Motorsports Ford on the front row for the Coca-Cola 600 Sprint Cup Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway and finished a strong fifth.

The Team USA Scholarship has been helping young American drivers since 1990 and is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, “The Road to Indy,” Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Robertson Racing, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group as well as numerous past Scholarship winners.

The Davidson Library, located in the same bucolic town where his management company (Walldinger Racing, Inc.) is based, was facing a significant budget shortfall. But a focused task force and a town that banded together to make it happen -- as well as some gifts from donors like Allmendinger -- helped to ensure that the library will continue to enrich the community for years to come. 
 
"I'm glad that my NASCAR career has put me in a position where we could help Davidson Library reach their fundraising goal," said Allmendinger, who won a Team USA Scholarship in 2001 and remains a staunch support of the program. "My company, Walldinger Racing, is based here and some of our employees and their families call Davidson home as well. So Davidson and the community here are obviously important to us. Not only is the library an important resource, it's really like the heart of Davidson. I think the people here really showed that by how they rallied around the Pave the Way campaign."
 
A total of over 1,100 donors purchased nearly 1,000 commemorative bricks during the campaign for the library, located on Davidson's historic Main Street. 

The approximately $36,000 raised in excess of the $175,000 goal will be used in part to help fund the cost of constructing the commemorative brick patio in front of the library, made up of bricks purchased by donors. Any additional funds will be donated to the library endowment fund. 


For more information on the Town of Davidson, visit www.ci.davidson.nc.us.

About Walldinger Racing, Inc.: Walldinger Racing was formed in 2006 to support AJ Allmendinger’s motorsports career by developing commercial opportunities and partnership programs.  

www.ajallmendinger.com

Joey Hand, from Sacramento, Calif., an alumni from 2000, drove a sensational stint this morning to pave the way toward Victory Lane for the #01 Telmex/Chip Ganassi Racing Riley-BMW he shared with veteran Scott Pruett, regular co-driver Memo Rojas and Daytona debutant Graham Rahal. The quartet triumphed in a star-studded Daytona Prototype field which saw the top four cars finish within a few seconds of each other.

Meanwhile, the equally hotly contested GT category saw 1999 Team USA Scholarship winner Andy Lally, from Dacula, Ga., share the winning TRG Porsche GT3 Cup with close friend Spencer Pumpelly, factory Porsche driver Wolf Henzler, NASCAR regular Brendan Gaughan and car owner Steven Bertheau.

Bryan Sellers, from Auburn, Ga., winner of a Team USA Scholarship in 2001, joined countryman Bryce Miller and Englishmen Rob Bell and Tim Sugden aboard the second-placed Paul Miller Racing Porsche GT3 Cup after leading for several hours on Saturday evening.

The season-opening event in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16 never fails to serve up excitement, and this year’s 49th running of the endurance classic lived up to all expectations. Seven cars remained on the lead lap at mid-morning on Sunday, and after fortunes had ebbed and flowed since the start at 3:30 pm the previous afternoon, misfortune struck Hand when he incurred a 30-second stop-go penalty for inadvertently clipping one of his discarded wheels after being signaled out of the pits following routine service. Undeterred, Hand fought back from a deficit of almost a minute to trail the race leading sister Target/Ganassi car by less than 15 seconds when he handed the car back to team leader Pruett a little under one hour later.

Excellent pit strategy enabled Pruett to take the lead for good on Lap 694, with less than an hour remaining, whereupon the defending series champion secured his sixth Rolex 24 victory and the first for Hand.

Lally, too, had his share of drama. The three-time Rolex series champion and 2009 Rolex 24 winner posted the fastest lap in qualifying, only for his time to be disallowed following technical inspection. Lally started the car at the back of the field but quickly worked his way into contention. The #67 TRG Porsche survived various dramas, including a broken clutch in the closing stages, to claim the victory.

Several other Team USA Scholarship alumni also played starring roles in the traditional twice-around-the-clock classic. Paul Edwards (1998), from Santa Maria, Calif., Buddy Rice (1997), from Phoenix, Ariz., and A.J. Allmendinger (2001), from Hollister, Calif., all led the race overall at various stages, while Dane Cameron (2006), from Sonoma, Calif., ran up front in the GT class before his Dempsey Racing Mazda RX-8 suffered some mechanical difficulties. Memo Gidley (1995), from Novato, Calif., unfortunately hit trouble in the early stages, while 2010 winners Spencer Pigot, from Windermere, Fla., and Felix Serralles, from Haines City, Fla., were on hand as spectators.

Photo courtesy of www.grand-am.com

Kimball, 25, from Camarillo, Calif., won the2003/2004 Talley's New Zealand International Formula Ford Championship carrying the colors of the Team USA Scholarship and has since competed in British Formula Ford, European Formula 3 and Firestone Indy Lights before earning his opportunity to join the pinnacle of open-wheel racing in the United States.

The full text of the press release issued by Chip Ganassi Racing can be found at www.chipganassiracing.com.

The 2009 Firestone Indy Lights champion will replace Dan Wheldon and take over the reins of the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing entry for the 2011 IndyCar Series season.

Hildebrand, of Sausalito, California, won the Firestone Indy Lights championship in 2009 after capturing a total of four victories, six poles, 11 Top Five and 12 Top Ten finishes in 15 starts in the series. Last year, he made his IZOD IndyCar Series debut with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and also started at Infineon Raceway, where he ran as high as fourth position and posted the fastest lap of the race. The 22-year-old has tested an IndyCar Series machine at Kansas Speedway in 2009 with the team formerly known as Andretti-Green Racing and also tested a Formula One car with Force India F-1 at Jerez in December of last year.

“I couldn’t be more excited to be at Panther Racing and a part of the National Guard,” Hildebrand said. “This is my first full-time IndyCar ride and the Panther No. 4 car is one of the best seats in the IZOD IndyCar Series, so to be able to start my career with a team with this kind of pedigree is just huge. I already feel with the small amount of experiences I’ve had here, and just being around the shop, that it’s going to be a great fit for all of us. I’m more than honored to be in a position to represent the National Guard, and I’ve already got a small taste of all the programs I’ll be a part of through this sponsorship, and I just couldn’t be more excited to get more involved in everything that goes along with this partnership. I’m certainly excited about this opportunity and I’m definitely looking forward to every piece of this program moving forward.”

Panther Racing CEO & Managing Partner John Barnes had Hildebrand on his short list of candidates throughout the offseason, but after a two-day test last week at Phoenix International Raceway, there was no doubt he had found his driver. Hildebrand now becomes the sixth driver to pilot Panther’s No. 4 entry, joining Scott Goodyear (1998-2000), Sam Hornish Jr. (2001-2003), Tomas Scheckter (2004-2005), Vitor Meira (2006-2008) and Wheldon (2009-2010).

“JR is an extremely impressive young man, and he’s going to be a great fit for the National Guard and Panther Racing,” Barnes said. “We took a very calculated and methodical approach to making this decision because anybody who represents the 350,000 Soldiers in the National Guard has a tremendous responsibility both inside and outside the racecar. We feel like JR is going to be a tremendous asset to the IZOD IndyCar Series, and what really set him apart is his ambition and his intelligence – this is a kid who was a National Merit Scholar, and accepted to M.I.T. (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). We tested him at Phoenix last week and brought along my friend Al Unser Jr. to help us with the evaluation, and all of us knew by lunchtime of the first day that we’d found the next driver of the No. 4 car. We know we all have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but our expectations are very high for the 2011 season.”

Unser Jr., the two-time Indianapolis 500 champion, was immediately impressed with Hildebrand during the team’s two-day test at Phoenix International Raceway.

“He’s extremely talented,” Unser Jr. said. “He’s got a great team at Panther Racing, and he’s going to come across a lot of different challenges, and he’s very calm, very collected and mature. What I like about him is that he’s come out of Firestone Indy Lights, and he’s shown that series has been very good for him and all of that is very positive as he moves into the next phase of his career.”

This season will mark the fourth year the National Guard has been primary sponsor of the No. 4 car, and Panther has finished runner-up in three consecutive Indianapolis 500s with National Guard backing; with Vitor Meira in 2008 and 2009-10 with Wheldon. Last season the team finished ninth in the IZOD IndyCar Series points championship. Hildebrand becomes the first American driver to race full-time for Panther since Hornish Jr. in 2003.

“The National Guard is very pleased to welcome JR Hildebrand to our team,” LTC Bill Dones, Chief of the National Guard Advertising Branch, said. “For such a young guy, he’s had many impressive achievements during his career. That said, we think his best races are ahead of him. JR’s youth, along with his accomplishments, make him a driver whom the men and women of the National Guard will be proud to have representing them in the National Guard No.4 car. We look forward to our partnership and to joining him on Victory Lane in the 2011 season.”

Panther Racing has captured a total of 28 race victories in its history (15 IndyCar, 13 Indy Lights) and won back-to-back IZOD IndyCar Series championships in 2001 and 2002 and also collected the 2003 Firestone Indy Lights crown. This year will be the team’s 14th season of competition in open-wheel racing.

www.JRHildebrandRacing.com - www.pantherracing.com – www.NationalGuard.com

###

Pigot, a 17-year-old born in Pasadena, Calif. and currently residing in Windermere, Fla., captured the 2010 BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda title with three wins, five poles and 11 podium finishes.

Pigot won his first karting championship title at age 10 and took his first national title just one year later. His success continued with several prestigious series and race wins, eventually leading to an entry into the Skip Barber National series as a MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development Driver. Pigot was also named a Team USA Scholarship winner in 2010 and recently competed in the Formula Ford Festival, qualifying on pole for his heat, finishing fourth in the final, and setting fastest race lap.

Sanctioned by INDYCAR, Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda is one of two series part of both INDYCAR's Mazda Road to Indy ladder system and the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development driver program. The 2011 USF2000 season will begin March 17 at Sebring International Raceway in Sebring, Fla.

For more information, please visit www.AndrettiAutosport.com or www.USF2000.com.

MICHAEL ANDRETTI, CHAIRMAN, PRESIDENT AND
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT:
"We're really excited to have Spencer join us. It's always great to have a champion from another formula come in to our family, so he's definitely a proven winner. Now our goal is to get him another championship. Hopefully he'll be able to get through the ladder system, and hopefully he'll be doing that with us here at Andretti Autosport."

J-F THORMANN, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, ANDRETTI AUTOSPORT:
"We're thrilled that we were able to make a deal with Spencer. I think we have a fantastic USF2000 driver lineup with Spencer being a champion of the Skip Barber National Series and Zach Veach returning to the team. To have Spencer joining with his successes in go-karting and with how well he did at the Formula Ford Festival, we're definitely looking forward to a good year."

JOHN DOONAN, MAZDASPEED TEAM DEVELOPMENT MANAGER,
MAZDA NORTH AMERICAN OPERATIONS:
"Spencer is an impressive young man, both on and off the track. We were impressed with him when he won the Mazda-Skip Barber karting shootout last year and our appreciation has grown throughout the year. We're proud to have Spencer as a part of the MAZDASPEED Ladder and Mazda Road to Indy."

SPENCER PIGOT, DRIVER:
"The opportunity to drive for Michael Andretti is something I didn't think could happen until much later in my career. It's an honor to be associated with Andretti Autosport, and I'm really looking forward to driving for the team next year in the USF2000 series. My main goal is to become an IZOD IndyCar driver, so there is no better place for me than with this team. With all of the knowledge and experience of Andretti Autosport, I'm very excited to be a part of the family. I learned a lot last year in the Skip Barber National Championship that prepared me very well for the upcoming season. I have to thank everyone at MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development, Skip Barber and Andretti Autosport for giving me the opportunity to move up to the first step in the Mazda Road to Indy program."

-END-

About Spencer Pigot
Spencer Pigot, winner of the 2010 Skip Barber National title and Team USA Scholarship, is widely regarded as one of the rising stars in American formula car racing. The Windermere, Fla. native first came to the forefront in 2003, capturing his first karting state championship title at the age of 10. Earning his first national title one year later, Pigot rapidly became a presence in the national karting scene. Over the next four years, he added five more series titles and several prestigious race wins to his resume. In 2009, Pigot first got behind the wheel of a race car with an entry into selected races of the Skip Barber Regional series. As a 15-year-old rookie, he immediately impressed, scoring a victory at the famed Sebring International Raceway road course in only his second-ever Skip Barber race. Continuing his winning ways, the talented American won four of the six races that he contested in the Skip Barber Summer Series, finished on the podium in his Skip Barber National debut, and won his class in an SCCA Club Racing 13-hour endurance race at Virginia International Raceway. The 2009 season also brought a major win in the "Skip Barber Karting Shoot Out". For more information, please visit www.SpencerPigot.com.

About Andretti Autosport
Based in Indianapolis and led by racing legend Michael Andretti, Andretti Autosport fields multiple entries in the IZOD IndyCar Series. Andretti Autosport also campaigns multiple cars in Firestone Indy Lights, the Star Mazda Championship and in the USF2000 National Championship. The company boasts three IZOD IndyCar Series championships (2004, 2005 and 2007), two Firestone Indy Lights titles (2008 and 2009), one USF2000 championship (2010) and has won the Indianapolis 500 twice (2005 and 2007). For more information, please visit www.AndrettiAutosport.com.

About the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda
Many top drivers in the IZOD IndyCar Series and endurance sports car racing honed their skills in F2000, and the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda is an important training ground for rising stars. Debuting in 2010, it is the revival of the very popular USF2000 series of 1990 through 2006. Sanctioned by INDYCAR, it is the first step on its Mazda Road to Indy ladder system, preceding Star Mazda and Firestone Indy Lights. It is also part of the prestigious MAZDASPEED Motorsports driver development program. The top driver in the series' Championship class earns a scholarship package from Mazda valued at $350,000 to help him or her advance to Star Mazda the following season. USF2000 races are contested on road courses, street courses and ovals in order to give the series' drivers experience on all the different types of tracks they will face as they proceed up the ladder. For more information visit www.USF2000.com.

About Mazda Road to Indy
The Mazda Road to Indy is INDYCAR's official developmental system consisting of the IZOD IndyCar Series, Firestone Indy Lights, Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear and the Cooper Tires presents the USF2000 National Championship powered by Mazda. Launched in December 2009, it is a defined path for career-minded race drivers who want to compete in the IZOD IndyCar Series and Indianapolis 500.

The award was created to improve the sport by promoting talented, rising young stars by supporting them in their quest to reach their driving pinnacle. The award recognizes and rewards performance and potential. Past winners have included past Team USA Scholarship winners Bryan Herta, Jerry Nadeau, Buddy Rice, Bryan Sellers, J.R. Hildebrand, Dane Cameron, Joel Miller and Josef Newgarden.

Long-time Team USA Schoalrship supporter Doug Mockett joined John Gorsline and Sir Stirling Moss for the presentation. Later, Daly had an opportunity to meet many other auto racing luminaries, including 2009 Formula One World Champion Jenson Button (pictured).

After his record setting season in Star Mazda where he set new marks for pole positions (nine), podium finishes (11), laps led and the largest winning points margin ever, in addition to seven race wins, Daly hopes to announce his plans for the upcoming season before the end of the year.

Daly, 18, is the 2010 Star Mazda champion and the son of professional racing champion Derek Daly. The Gorsline Scholarship recognizes aspiring drivers and presents a program that provides tools that will assist these drivers in developing skills on and off the track to attain their professional goals.

Daly becomes the ninth Team USA Scholarship winner also to be awarded a Gorsline Scholarship, joining Josef Newgarden, Joel Miller, Dane Cameron, J.R, Hildebrand, Bryan Sellers, Buddy Rice, Jerry Nadeau and Bryan Herta.

As the scholarship winner, Daly will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, to create an individually-designed performance-enhancement program, courtesy of The Gorsline Company.

"Conor is a perfect candidate for this scholarship," said John Gorsline, principal of The Gorsline Company, the leader in high-risk motorsports insurance. "In his short career, he has demonstrated an ability to aim high and reach his goals as he continues to pursue his dream to become a world-class racing champion."

Daly began his racing career in 2005 at the age of 10, winning 19 races, two championships and was elected "Junior Driver of the Year" by Kart Racers of America. In 2007 he won the Stars of Karting TaG East Championship. In 2006 he drove a race car for the first time at the Bertil Roos Racing School. He went on to win three Skip Barber Regional races that year, then won the 2008 Skip Barber National Championship and was named the Ontario Formula Ford 600 Rookie of the Year.

In his European debut he won he Walter Hayes Formula Ford 1600 Trophy in Silverstone, England, representing Team USA. In 2009 he finished third in the Star Mazda Championship and in 2010 had a record-setting year as he swept the Formula Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.

"Conor is an excellent choice for the prestigious Gorsline Scholarship," said Jeremy Shaw, Team USA Scholarship founder. "Conor proved to be a fine ambassador for his country when he represented the Team USA Scholarship two years ago in England, becoming the youngest ever winner of the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, and he has grown by leaps and bounds since then. His performances this year in dominating the Star Mazda Championship were a clear reminder that he is a potential star of the future."

Daly was in the running with two other outstanding young drivers for the Gorsline Scholarship, which included Ashley Freiberg, winner of two skip Barber Series championships in 2010, and Anders Krohn, who finished second in the 2010 Formula Star Mazda championship. "It was a tough decision to make," said Gorsline, "as each of these young drivers has done an outstanding job this year."
The Gorsline Scholarship will be presented on Dec. 5 by racing legend Stirling Moss at the Autosport Dinner in London.

The Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., pioneered the business of providing insurance for high-risk professionals. The company specializes in providing racing drivers and owners creative, custom-designed insurance packages and estate planning strategies.

Previous recipients of the Gorsline Scholarship have been:
2010 Josef Newgarden
2009 Joel Miller
2008 Dane Cameron
2007 JR Hildebrand
2006 Katherine Legge
2005 Colin Braun
2004 Ryan Lewis
2003 Rocky Moran Jr.
2002 Danica Patrick
2001 Patrick Long
2000 Bryan Sellers
1999 David Besnard
1998 Buddy Rice
1997 Butch Leitzinger
1996 Jerry Nadeau
1995 Anthony Lazzaro
1994 Bryan Herta

About the Gorsline Company

John Gorsline, founder and Chairman of The Gorsline Company in 1966, has earned an international reputation providing all forms of financial services for his corporate and professional clients.

John helped pioneer motorsports insurance underwriting over 30 years ago when he began working directly with insurance underwriters to favorably rate high-risk professionals. Combined with John's passion for the sport of motor racing, John is considered to be the premier provider of disability income insurance to the world's finest race car drivers. His custom tailored medical plan is unmatched in the industry.

The Gorsline Company includes colleagues throughout the United States to provide local service to our special clientele. These colleagues are experienced professionals and are backed by experienced support personnel who provide the service that is attested by our clientele. The Gorsline Company is proud of their long-standing relationships which are maintained under the strictest of confidences.

After finishing second (Pigot) and third (Serralles) in the early afternoon Semi Final, the pair had to settle for fourth (Serralles) and seventh (Pigot) in the Final which was won by Irishman Peter Dempsey, son of team owner Cliff Dempsey. The victory was Dempsey Jr.’s third in the last five years and the fifth in succession for the elder Dempsey after Team USA Scholarship drivers Conor Daly and Connor De Phillippi claimed the spoils in 2008 and 2009.

Pigot and Serralles lined up in fifth and seventh places on the grid for their Semi Final, which took place in cool but dry conditions. Pole-winner Wayne Boyd, the 2008 British Formula Ford Champion, took off into the lead and was never seriously challenged during the 12-lap race.

Josh Fisher also managed to break clear of the jostling pack, but not for long as he was quickly tracked down by both Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS08s, plus the similar Ray of Formula Ford Festival winner Neville Smyth. A four-car battled ensued, and was only settled on the final lap when Pigot made a speculative move to the inside under braking for Brooklands. Incredibly, Fisher and Smyth tangled, leaving Pigot to break clear in second place, while Serralles narrowly avoided being collected and came home to complete the top three.

“I started the [last] lap in fourth so I knew I needed to pick up a few spot to be sure of a good starting position for the Final,” said Pigot. “When they both went wide I just took the opportunity.”

Dempsey won the other Semi Final race, earning a position on the front row of the grid for the Final alongside Boyd. Pigot shared Row 2 with Ivor McCullough, with Serralles and Adrian Campfield on Row 3. A total 36 cars lined up for the 15-lap final on the 1.6-mile Silverstone National circuit, having been whittled down from the original 120-car entry.

Dempsey jumped into the lead at the start, narrowly edging Boyd into Copse Corner. He was able to make an all-important break as Boyd and McCullough squabbled over second place along with a long train of cars which also included both Team USA drivers. Pigot completed the first lap in fourth place and Serralles in seventh.

The first real drama occurred on Lap 3, when Smyth attempted a move on Pigot under braking for Brooklands.

“He tried to pass me but he locked up, spun and just hit me. There was nothing I could do,” said Pigot, who fell to sixth place, then was assaulted again at Luffield corner by another Irishman., Noel Dunne.

“He went off the track and then came back on and hit my rear wheel which made me spin and come to a complete stop,” related Pigot. “I fell back to about 11th and worked my way back to seventh at the end of the race. It was a disappointing result because I had the pace to run right with the leaders if it wasn’t for the multiple collisions.”

Serralles profited from Pigot’s first misadventure, then made a nice pass on veteran Dutchman Michael Vergers to take over fourth place, which he held to the end.

“It was a good race,” said Serralles. “It was hard to pass Vergers and unfortunately the leader got away. Once I got past him I closed the gap a little but they were too far ahead. The car was really good. The changes we made after the Semi Final were definitely good. I think I had the pace and could have kept up and battled for a podium, but fourth is good. It was a great weekend and I made it to the final which was the most important thing. Cliff Dempsey and the team did a great job all month and I really enjoyed being here and being a part of the Team USA Scholarship.”

The Team USA Scholarship has been helping young American drivers since 1990. Past winners include Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Tony Ave, Memo Gidley, Buddy Rice, Paul Edwards, Andy Lally, Joey Hand, A.J. Allmendinger, Bryan Sellers, J.R. Hildebrand, Dane Cameron, Josef Newgarden and Conor Daly. The program is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, “The Road to Indy,” Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Honda Performance Development, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, Robertson Racing, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, eFormulaCarNews.com, OnCars.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic, Manifest Group and numerous past Scholarship winners.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloxham

Under dramatically different weather conditions compared to Friday, Pigot secured second on the grid for Heat One on a track which was still extremely slippery after heavy overnight rain. A couple of hours later, by which time the sun was shining and the track was completely dry, Serralles also secured an outside front row starting position.

Temperatures remained cool but the action on the track was typically intense as almost 120 Formula Ford drivers contested a total of six Heat races which will determine the starting positions for tomorrow’s pair of Semi Finals.

The first Heat began in chaotic fashion when the starting lights failed as the 21 starters formed up on the grid.

“It was a bit confusing,” recounted 17-year-old Pigot, from Windermere, Fla. “I was expecting the lights to come on. The officials held up the five-second board and then they were just standing around. Eventually one of the guys pulled out a Union Jack flag and waved it, so I went. I was hoping that was the right thing to do!”

It was. The race was under way and Pigot’s #22 Team USA Scholarship Ray GRS08 made the best of the start to lead pole-sitter James Tucker (Van Diemen RF92) into Copse Corner (Turn One). Fellow Englishmen Matthew Parr (Van Diemen RF01), Felix Fisher (Van Diemen RF00) and Robert Hall (Swift SC10) also were in close attendance.

Positions changing frequently among the leaders before Fisher pulled off with engine woes and Parr established himself in the lead ahead of Pigot, leaving Hall and Tucker to squabble over third position.

“It was really close at the beginning but it took me a few laps to get used to the track in the dry because most of my running had been in the wet,” related Pigot. “Once it settled down I pulled away in second but just didn’t have the pace to catch the leader. We’re making some changes overnight to the setup and changing the engine so that should give me more speed for tomorrow. We’ll be starting fourth on the grid for the Semi Final so I’m sure we will be in good shape.”

Heat Six began with the light fading at 4:00 PM, and unlike his compatriot, 18-year-old Serralles did not make a good start from the front of the grid: “I just didn’t rev the engine high enough and it bogged down,” he said.

Serralles entered Copse Corner in fifth position but soon slipped past Matt Rivett’s Mygale and latched onto the tail of a four-car train that immediately pulled away from the rest.

“The car was OK but not great,” said Serralles, from Haines City, Fla. “There was a lot of understeer on the exit of the corners but the engine was strong and I was able to stay with the other guys. I passed one of the them around the outside going into the Complex [for third place] and was right with the other two at the end.

“Finishing on the podium is a good way to start the weekend,” he concluded. “I’m really looking forward to tomorrow and seeing how the car goes after all the tweaks we’re going to make to it.”

The remaining Heat Race winners were Noel Dunne (Mygale SJ08), recent Formula Ford Festival winner Noel Smyth (Ray GRS07), two-time Walter Hayes Trophy winner Peter Dempsey (Ray GR05), whose father Cliff also looks after both Team USA Scholarship cars, and Ivor McCullough (Van Diemen RF00).

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloxham

Although testing for the past two days at the “Home of the British Grand Prix” has been punctuated by inclement weather and numerous red flags, both American teenagers feel they are well prepared for the weekend, which begins with qualifying tomorrow morning (Saturday).

“We had some initial problems but once we got them sorted we were on pace right away,” said Pigot, 17, from Windermere, Fla., who will be driving the same Andrew Jones-owned, Cliff Dempsey Racing-prepped #22 Team USA Scholarship Ray GRS08 which has been taken to victory in the two most recent editions of the Walter Hayes Trophy by Conor Daly and Connor De Phillippi “I’m feeling really confident for the weekend and looking forward to getting a better result than at Brands Hatch. We’ve had some good wet track time here at Silverstone. I think we have a good setup for difficult conditions and we know the car works well in the dry, so I think we should be in good shape.”

Serralles’ identical #21 Ray has been completely rebuilt following its accident at Brands Hatch, and as with Pigot’s car, has been close to the ultimate pace during testing.

“It’s going to be a pretty amazing weekend,” said Serralles, 18, from Haines City, Fla. “There are 120 cars signed up so we know it’s going to be really competitive. Compared to Brands Hatch, Silverstone has a very smooth surface and it’s a high-speed drafting track. We haven’t gotten as much testing as did at Brands Hatch but I feel pretty comfortable. It’s just a matter of track conditions. We don’t yet know what the weather is going to be like. It’s been wet today but they’re saying it might be dry for the heat race tomorrow. I’m not too worried. I’m pretty comfortable in both conditions.”

Since their test in one of Cliff Dempsey’s Duratec-engined Ray Formula Ford car at Brands Hatch a couple of weeks ago, Pigot and Serralles have had little time to relax. Their packed itinerary has included a tour of the Jaguar XK road car production line at the Castle Vale factory near Birmingham and the Lola Cars race car manufucturing center in Huntingdon, plus visits to iSport International (which runs cars in the GP2 Series), Fortec Motorsport (Renault World Series, Formula 3 and Formula Renault), Status Grand Prix (GP3), Cosworth Racing (where they saw a Formula One engine in build for the Williams Grand Prix team) and the McLaren Technical Center, home of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One team.

“The past couple of weeks have been amazing,” said Serralles. “We’ve been around a lot of different companies. There have been many highlights and I’ve learned a lot, but my favorite one so far has been touring McLaren and seeing some of my hero Ayrton Senna’s cars. That was amazing.”

“We’ve been on a lot of tours during the break and all of them were really interesting,” added Pigot. “Getting to see how a production road car is made and how a Formula One team operates were really great experiences. I’ve learned so much about all areas of the sport.”

The teenaged Americans each ran two sessions in the same Ray GR10 chassis that Englishman Scott Malvern took to second place in this year’s MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, and veteran team owner Dempsey continued to be impressed with their progress.

“We had a great day,” said Dempsey. “They were quick, they were professional, they did a really good job. I’m really happy. To be fair they were probably, give or take, maybe a second off the ultimate pace which is what I would have expected for their first time in a Duratec and without running new tires.”

Both youngsters thoroughly enjoyed the experience of running the more sophisticated and more powerful car, although not surprisingly they both wanted more seat time!

“Driving the Duratec car was incredible,” said Serralles, 18, from Haines City, Fla., who took the first stint this morning in cool, dry, sunny conditions. “The car moves around so much under braking and it’s very challenging in the fast corners like Paddock Hill Bend, although the grip level is not much higher than the Kent car. It felt as if the Kent car could drive better through the corners compared to the Duratec.

“It was a great day today, and perfect conditions to drive the car for the first time. I want to thank Cliff Dempsey, our great mechanic for the day, Peter Dempsey, and Jeremy Shaw for putting this together for us.”

The two Team USA drivers also benefited from the experience of Malvern, who along with Peter Dempsey was on hand to offer advice and help with analyzing the data after their runs.

“Scott and Peter helped a lot and it was a great experience,” said Pigot, 17, From Windermere, Fla. “We were running fairly old tires and I was surprised how much different the car was to drive compared to the Kent. The engine has a lot more power and it needs a completely different driving style. If you try to drive it like the Kent, hard on the throttle as soon as you can, it just understeers. You have to be much more patient with the throttle in this car.”

Pigot and Serralles are staying in England until the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone on November 6/7. Tomorrow Pigot will accompany Cliff Dempsey when he delivers the Kent race motors to Neil Bold Engineering in Manchester for a freshen-up, while Serralles will remain at the shop with Peter Dempsey to begin rebuilding the car which was heavily damaged at the Festival and required some repair work to the chassis.

A variety of other activities also have been arranged, including visits to Lola Cars, the iSport International GP2 team, the Donington Grand Prix Exhibition, Jaguar Cars and the McLaren Technical Centre.

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloxham

Pigot, who celebrated his 17th birthday just a couple of weeks ago, qualified on pole position for his Heat race and ultimately finished a strong fourth in the hotly contested Final, posting fastest lap of the race for good measure.

“It’s a bit different over here, that’s for sure, with the blocking and the contact, but I liked it, I enjoyed it,” said Pigot. “I wish that I could have been a few places higher up, but other than that it was a lot of fun.

Serralles, 18, enjoyed a taste of success by winning the four-lap Last Chance Qualifier before being forced out of the Final after a first-lap incident at Clearways.

The final coup de grace rather summed up Serralles’ weekend, which began to unravel on Saturday when he unfortunately tangled with Pigot in the Heat race while the two Team USA drivers were running in fourth and fifth. Both cars were out, forcing them to start from the back of the grid in this morning’s pair of Semi Final races.

Driving a backup car prepared overnight by Cliff Dempsey Racing, Serralles charged magnificently from 23rd to 10th inside just two laps of the first Semi Final, only for his engine to be stricken by a loose plug wire. He fell to 14th by the finish, consigning him to the Last Chance Qualifier race, which he won convincingly after starting fourth.

Semi Final 2 saw Pigot forge his way from 22nd to 11th on Lap 1, then move up to sixth by half-distance in the 15-lap race. Northern Ireland’s John Ferguson proved a tougher nut to crack. Ferguson defended staunchly until Lap 14, when the battle got more heated and Pigot finally forced his way through. Unfortunately, both protagonists also lost out to two other competitors, although Pigot was able to pass Joshua Barnett on the final lap to claim sixth.

The Final began with Pigot in the 11th grid position and Serralles starting in 25th.

Serralles’ bad luck continued when he made contact with another car on the opening lap.

“It was just unfortunate,” said Serralles, “but at least I got to the Final. That’s what I was looking for, and it was cool to win the race, too. The experience has been great; Cliff and the guys have done a great job and so did Spencer. He could have at least been on the podium if not for the red flag. He was driving really well. Overall, it’s been a great week.”

Pigot, indeed, was the fastest man on the track as he worked his way up to eighth before the Final was red-flagged after eight laps due to a multi-car accident at Paddock Hill Bend.

The youngster from Windermere, Fla., put his head down once more at the restart, charging to fourth by Lap 5 in a race that was checkered after just eight more laps – four short of the scheduled distance.

Irish veteran Neville Smyth took the victory, having regained the advantage from countryman Noel Dunne who had jumped him at the start. Dunne finished second, just ahead of Australian Jordan Skinner and a fast-closing Pigot.

“I’m a bit disappointed,” said Pigot. “I got fastest lap of the race and was the fastest guy and didn’t get on the podium, but I learned a lot and overall it’s been a great experience.”

Photo by courtesy Jeff Bloxham

Both drivers were unhurt in the accident, which occurred on the 11th of 12 laps around the 1.2-mile Brands Hatch “Indy” circuit.

The two teenaged Americans had been posting fast lap times ever since beginning their testing program with veteran team owner Cliff Dempsey on Tuesday. Pigot, 17, from Windermere, Fla., underlined that promise by comfortably snaring pole position for the Heat race this morning in the #22 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS07/08. Pigot’s fastest lap of 54.572 seconds on a damp track was more than a half-second clear of the remainder of the 25-car field which was headed by Irishman Noel Dunne in a Mygale SJ08.

Serralles was fifth quickest with a best lap of 55.332 seconds.

A heavy rain shower at lunchtime resulted in the team hurriedly switching the cars to full wet weather settings. However, the typically unpredictable weather then changed abruptly, and the track rapidly began to dry as the start time approached. Again the team went to work, switching the cars’ configurations one more time.

Both youngsters faced all manner of challenges as they lined up for what would be their first-ever standing start, and sure enough each of them lost one position when the lights turned to green.

Pigot ran second for the first four laps before losing a couple of positions to Irish veteran Neville Smyth and young Australian Jordan Skinner. Serralles, meanwhile, found his car working slightly better than Pigot’s, so by Lap 7 they were running in nose-to-tail formation, fourth and fifth. They remained in that order until Lap 11 when they came up to lap a backmarker entering the notorious Paddock Hill Bend.

“We were both passing a slower car at the same time as we went into the corner,” related Serralles. “When I went to hit the brakes, I realized I was going too fast. I tried to avoid Spencer but the other car was right there and I ended up clipping him and we both went off. It’s unfortunate. It was just a mistake; I wasn’t trying to pass him. I feel so bad.”

Both cars ended up in the gravel trap, with Serralles’ #21 machine suffering severe damage after making heavy contact with the barriers on the outside of the corner.

“It’s just one of those unfortunate things,” said team owner Dempsey. “We’ve all seen it all before. I feel sorry for the boys. They were doing such a good job.”

Pigot’s car sustained damage to the left-side suspension and sidepod but should be repaired easily in time for tomorrow’s Semi Final race, which he will start from the back of the pack. Unfortunately, it appeared the damage to Serralles’ car was much more severe and was likely to curtail his weekend activities – unless a replacement car can be found. Nevertheless, Serralles will stay on to cheer on his teammate, who remained upbeat despite the disappointment.

“Today started off really well,” said Pigot. “I got pole by just over half a second. With the different conditions I was having a very hard time finding grip and the car just wasn’t handling like it had been. I started to fall back a bit but was still in P4. Then Felix and I had an unfortunate incident that took us both out.

“The team is working on the car now and we should be all set for tomorrow. I'll be coming from the back in the Semi Final but I’m confident that we will sort the car out and still have a good chance at a strong finish for the final.”

Photo courtesy of Jeff Bloxham

Both Pigot, 17, from Windermere, Fla., and Serralles, from Haines City, Fla., have shown a promising turn of speed in their pair of Cliff Dempsey Racing-prepared Ray GRS07/8 Formula Ford cars. Nevertheless, ever-realistic team principal Cliff Dempsey remains under no illusions. He knows full well there will be no shortage of tough competition.

“I’m really happy with the way everything is going,” said Dempsey, a former driver himself who along with wife Michelle has established one of the most highly regarded Formula Ford teams. “We’re as quick as anybody but we’ll see what happens [in qualifying] tomorrow. Anything can happen in this game and I’d much rather speak about them after everything is done, but there’s no doubt these two boys are as quick as any we’ve ever had. I’m happy with what I see and the way it’s going; we’re certainly on the pace.”

Pigot has been setting fast times ever since testing started on Tuesday, regularly circulating around the 50-second mark and sometimes a little bit quicker – unofficially as fast as anyone has gone this year in a Formula Ford car – while Serralles has been snapping at his heels. Both youngsters expect to be running up toward the front this weekend and have high hopes of emulating fellow Team USA Scholarship winner Josef Newgarden, who in 2008 because the first American driver ever to win a Formula Ford Festival title.

“Testing the last few days has been great,” said Pigot, winner of this year’s BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda title in the United States. “I’ve had a lot of fun and the guys at Cliff Dempsey Racing have been awesome. We’ve got the car handling beautifully and I’m really looking forward to qualifying tomorrow because I’m very confident of being right at the front.”

“The testing has been very productive and helpful for me,” added Serralles, who is also a product of the MAZDASPEED Driver Development program. “Every time that I have been out in practice, I just keep learning more and more about the car and the track. My favorite corner by far is Paddock Hill. To me it sort of looks like Road Atlanta Turn One, but in the opposite direction!

“I’m feeling very comfortable with the car and I think we can do well.”

The field of almost 50 cars has been divided into two Heat races which will determine the starting positions for another pair of Semi Final races on Sunday morning. Both Team USA drivers have been drawn in the same Heat Two race, which will start tomorrow at 2:25 pm local time.

The top 14 finishers from each Semi Final will qualify for the Grand Final on Sunday afternoon, along with the top-four finishers from the Last Chance Race.
 

Both drivers completed almost 200 laps on the short but challenging 1.2-mile “Indy” circuit during a sparsely attended open session which offered an excellent opportunity to learn about the track and their Ray GRS08 Formula Ford Kent-engined cars. Ideal weather conditions also proved conducive to competitive lap times.

“I’m delighted with them, although to be honest it’s what I expected,” said team owner Cliff Dempsey, who guided Josef Newgarden to Formula Ford (Kent) Festival honors in 2008 and claimed Walter Hayes Trophy honors at Silverstone with fellow Team USA Scholarship drivers Conor Daly and Connor De Phillippi in 2008 and 2009, respectively. “I love running these Team USA Scholarship guys. They’re superb young men, in and out of the car, and it’s truly a pleasure, a privilege, to be running them.

“They were on the pace right away, which didn’t surprise me. They’re very professional, especially for being so young. It’s very easy to get caught up in the lap times, which were good, but there weren’t any other fast guys out there today so we’ll have to wait to see what the opposition’s going to be like.”

A total of 49 Kent-engined Formula Ford cars are entered this weekend, comprising drivers from all around Europe as well as one highly rated youngster from Australia. Testing will continue throughout the week.

After arriving in England early on Sunday and immediately enjoying a taste of European-style racing by attending the final round of the hotly contested British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch, today offered the first chance for Pigot and Serralles to get behind the wheel.

“So far the trip has been fantastic,” said Pigot, 17, from Windermere, Fla., who last weekend clinched the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda championship at Road Atlanta. “We got to see the final rounds of the British Touring Car Championship which was really cool and gave us a chance to see the track up close.

“We started testing today and it went very well, we were both fast. Everyone at Cliff Dempsey Racing has been great. The first few times through Paddock Hill Bend were a bit intimidating but I got used to it after three or four laps. Brands Hatch is a great circuit and is already one of my favorites!”

Serralles was equally upbeat after gaining his first experience of a Formula Ford 1600 car.

“It has always been a dream to come to Europe for racing, and to get the opportunity to do it with the Team USA Scholarship is an even greater honor,” said Serralles, 18, from Haines City, Fla. “My first day testing was a blast! The track is amazing; it is very short and fast. I can’t wait to keep testing in the next couple of days and try to battle for the win on Saturday and Sunday!”

Photo: Felix and Spencer on the start line at Brands Hatch

The latest contingent, Spencer Pigot and Felix Serralles, who were confirmed as the 21st annual scholarship winners last Thursday, maintained their momentum by playing starring roles just one week before they leave for England to commence preparations for the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch on October 16/17.

Pigot, from Windermere, Fla., who celebrated his 17th birthday last Wednesday, set the ball rolling the following morning when he claimed pole for Round 13 of the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda. A few hours after the well-attended Team USA announcement, which was hosted by the Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda, Pigot wrapped up his first championship title since his karting days in style by emerging ahead of a snarling five-car pack that featured a constant shuffling of positions. Pigot timed his final move to perfection, securing his third win of the season and a prize which will enable the MAZDASPEED Development Driver to graduate into the USF2000 National Championship in 2011.

Serralles, 18, from Haines City, Fla., also featured among the lead pack, as did 2010 Team USA nominee Ashley Freiberg. Both led laps during the hectic 14-lap affair before Serralles ultimately crossed the line in third and 18-year-old Freiberg, from Homer Glen, Ill., in sixth.

Friday’s equally frantic race saw all three once again take turns in the lead before being out-foxed on the final lap by first-time winner Nick Andries and having to be content with second (Serralles), third (Freiberg) and fourth (Pigot).

Serralles continued his excellent form into the two USF2000 National Championship races, finishing fifth on Thursday before guiding his Liberty Motorsports Van Diemen-Mazda to a second-place result in Friday’s season finale.

Also on Friday, 2009 Team USA Scholarship winner Connor De Phillippi, from San Clemente, clinched Rookie of the year honors and third place overall in the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear by virtue of a lights-to-flag victory for JDC Motorsports.

2008 Team USA alumni and close friend Conor Daly chased home De Phillippi before a penalty dropped him to third in the final results. It made little difference. The 18-year-old from Noblesville, Ind., already had clinched the championship after a dominant season with Juncos Racing which included a record seven wins and nine poles.

Not to be out-shone, veteran Tony Ave, from Maiden, N.C., won the final SCCA Trans-Am race of the season in his self-built Chevy Corvette – also from the pole – to claim his first major championship title since winning the Oldsmobile Sports 2000 Pro Series crown in 1992 – the same year he earned a Team USA Scholarship.

Fellow alumni Andy Lally (1999) and Joey Hand (2000) also picked up some silverware during the busy Road Atlanta weekend. Lally, from nearby Dacula, Ga., snatched a narrow victory in the GT Challenge class of the Petit Le Mans classic, the final round of this year’s American Le Mans Series, sharing the Freescale/TRG Porsche 911 GT3 Cup with Henri Richard and Duncan Ende, while Hand, from Sacramento, Calif., helped secure both the ALMS GT Manufacturer and Team Championships for BMW/Rahal Letterman Racing.

Above photo, left to right: 2010 MAZDASPEED Driver Development champions Spencer Pigot (BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda), Conor Daly (Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear) and Sage Karam (Cooper Tires Presents the USF2000 National Championship Powered by Mazda). Please credit Eric McCombs.

Both American youngsters will travel to England next weekend to begin preparations for their entries in the Formula Ford Festival, which will be held at Brands Hatch on October 16/17, and the Walter Hayes Trophy event at Silverstone on November 6/7. In addition to an intensive program of testing aboard their pair of patriotically liveried, red-white-and-blue Ray GRS08 cars, which will be prepared for the third successive year by Cliff Dempsey Racing, Pigot and Serralles will undertake a variety of industry visits including the highlight of an insider tour of the majestic McLaren Technical Center, home of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula One team.

The pair earned their selection following a hotly contested shootout held earlier this month at the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Chandler, Ariz.

The other finalists were: Neil Alberico, 17, from Los Gatos, Calif.; Ashley Freiberg, 18, from Homer Glen, Ill.; Patrick Gallagher, 17, from Thornville, Ohio; Miles Maroney, 16, from Topanga Canyon, Calif.; Arie Ouimet, 19, from Plymouth, Mass.; and Jonathan Scarallo, 18, from Hauppauge, N.Y.

“This was an outstanding group,” said Team USA Scholarship founder Jeremy Shaw. “The judges ultimately reached a unanimous decision but everyone was very impressive. The future of American racing is in good hands.”

In addition to coping with over 100-degree temperatures as they competed in a fleet of Chevrolet Corvettes and Formula Mazda open-wheel cars, the eight finalists submitted a pair of essays and filled out a questionnaire aimed at testing their knowledge of the sport. They were also interviewed by an illustrious panel of judges that included school founder and CEO Bob Bondurant; former Team USA Scholarship winner and 2004 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice; 2009 Daytona 24 Hours winner Darren Law; American Le Mans Series driver Chris McMurry; veteran race car design/engineer John Ward; Sparco USA’s Chris Neuer; and Bondurant Race Series Director Alan Rudolph.

“Being chosen for the Team USA Scholarship is the highlight of my career so far,” said Pigot, from Windermere, Fla., who yesterday celebrated his 17th birthday and this week at Road Atlanta is seeking to clinch the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda, in which he currently holds a 20-point advantage.

 “To be on the same list as the previous winners and to represent my country – and all these incredible supporters – is a great honor. Not only is this a unique experience for me to drive new tracks, a new car and a different style of racing, I know I will learn a huge amount which will help me when I return to America to continue my career.”

“To finally have the chance to race in Europe is a dream come true,” added fellow Skip Barber National race winner Serralles, 18, who was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States, and now lives in Haines City, Fla.

“Winning the Team USA Scholarship will open new doors and present more opportunities in the future. I also hope that it gives me the chance to stay and race in Europe, which has been my dream ever since I first started karting.”

The Team USA Scholarship has been helping young American drivers since 1990. Past winners include Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Tony Ave, Buddy Rice, Paul Edwards, Andy Lally, Joey Hand, Phil Giebler, A.J. Allmendinger, Bryan Sellers, J.R. Hildebrand, Dane Cameron, Josef Newgarden and Conor Daly. The program is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, “The Road to Indy,” Mazda, Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, Robertson Racing, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic, Manifest Group and numerous past Scholarship winners.

Photo: Felix Serralles (l.) and Spencer Pigot will fly the Team USA Scholarship colors in England (please credit Eric McCombs)

Photo by courtesy of Michael C. Brown

In 2008, Team USA driver Josef Newgarden became the first American ever to win the prestigious Formula Ford Festival (Kent division) at Brands Hatch, while Conor Daly became the youngest winner of the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone. Last year Brett Smrz finished a sensational third at Brands Hatch, despite starting 27th, and Connor De Phillippi mirrored Daly’s success from the previous year, besting over 100 other drivers to win the Walter Hayes Trophy.

All of the 2010 candidates enjoyed success in the karting ranks before moving into cars within the past two years. The 2010 nominees are:

•    Neil Alberico, 17, from Los Gatos, Calif. – winner of the 2009-2010 Bondurant Championship Race Series
•    Ashley Freiberg, 18, from Homer Glen, Ill. – earlier this year became the first female ever to win a Skip Barber Racing Series title, clinching the Southern Regional crown, and the first to win a round of the Skip Barber National
•    Patrick Gallagher, 17, from Thornville, Ohio – standout in SCCA Formula 5 and Formula E competition
•    Miles Maroney, 16, from Topanga Canyon, Calif. – currently second and top rookie in the Pacific F2000 Series
•    Arie Ouimet, 19, from Plymouth, Mass. – currently second in the VW Jetta TDI Cup with two podium finishes
•    Spencer Pigot, 16, from Windermere, Fla. – MAZDASPEED Development Driver, current leader of the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda Series with two wins, nine podium finishes and four poles from 10 races
•    Jonathan Scarallo, 18, from Hauppauge, N.Y. – recently claimed his first win in the F2000 Championship Series
•    Felix Serralles, 17, from Haines City, Fla. – MAZDASPEED Development Driver, currently third in the Skip Barber National Series point standings

For the first time, the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, based at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz., will host a “shoot-out” to determine which two young Americans will follow in the footsteps of an accomplished list of former Team USA Scholarship including Jimmy Vasser (the first winner in 1990), Bryan Herta, Buddy Rice, Memo Gidley, Paul Edwards, Andy Lally, Joey Hand, Bryan Sellers, A.J. Allmendinger and J.R. Hildebrand.

Bondurant, who shared the GT class-winning Shelby Cobra with Dan Gurney at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1964 and contested nine Formula One World Championship races, including a best result of fourth in the 1966 Monaco Grand Prix, founded the school in California in 1968. It has been based in Arizona since 1989, and this year hosted a 12-race open-wheel championship for the first time, offering an array of prizes and opportunities for the inaugural champion.

“As the new kid on the block, it’s important to expose our race series to as many talented young drivers as possible,” said accomplished kart racer Alan Rudolph, Director of the Bondurant Championship Race Series. “We’re excited to support and host the Team USA Scholarship, both to showcase our championship and to give back to the sport that Bob and I love so much.”

The Team USA Scholarship is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, “The Road to Indy,” American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, Robertson Racing, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, Cruden America, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, iRacing.com, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and several former scholarship winners.

Check out Bob Varsha's report on The SPEED Report which aired August 22.

Photo: top row, l. to r.: Bryan Sellers, Duncan Dayton, Jonathan Scarallo, Felix Serralles, Patrick Gallagher, John Doonan, Connor De Phillippi; bottom row: Ashley Freiberg, Spencer Pigot, Arie Ouimet. Not pictured: Neil Alberico and Miles Maroney. Photo courtesy of Eric McCombs.

“It’s especially satisfying in this challenging economic climate to be able to attract some new partners into the fold,” says Team USA Scholarship Founder and President Jeremy Shaw. “Mazda has led the way over the past few years in establishing a viable career path for ambitious drivers who are looking to carve a career in the sport, while Bob Bondurant was among the vanguard of top-line American racers who blazed a trail to Europe in the 1960s and went on to found an enormously successful driving academy.

“Styled Aesthetic partners Steve Welk and Kyle Werra are at the other end of the experience range, but Steve was an aspiring driver himself a few years ago and is now forging a new path by providing our program with an exciting range of apparel products which we hope can help elevate the profile of, and support for, Team USA.”

Mazda has developed an enviable grassroots racing program which, in addition to including literally thousands of club racers across the country, now has in place a well-defined ladder of opportunity that allows drivers to progress from karts through the Skip Barber Racing School, the US F2000 National Championship and Star Mazda.

“We’ve admired the work of Jeremy Shaw and the Team USA program for many years and are pleased to begin our official participation,” says John Doonan, MAZDASPEED Motorsports Team Development Manager. “We’ve watched past MAZDASPEED drivers such as Dane Cameron, Joel Miller, Conor Daly and Connor De Phillippi graduate through the program and anticipate more of our racers being tapped to join this all-star team in the years to come.”

The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving has provided the springboard for many champions over the years, and since 1989 has offered a variety of different cars and track configurations at its expansive base near Phoenix, Ariz. This year, for the first time, the Bondurant School will host a shoot-out to determine which of the eight nominees will have an opportunity to represent their country at two prestigious race meetings in Europe.

“It is a great honor to host the Team USA Scholarship competition in 2010,” says Bob Bondurant, CEO and Founder of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving (www.bondurant.com). “After providing advanced driver training to champions for 42 years, it is a natural fit for my school to partner with the Team USA Scholarship, which has an equally stellar track record of opening doors for the next generation of racers.”

Also exciting is the new partnership with Wisconsin-based Styled Aesthetic to produce and market a selection of Team USA apparel, which is now available for purchase via http://styledaesthetic.com/dg-teamusa/index.php. The American-manufactured tee-shirts, sweatshirts and fleeces provide an easy and cost-effective way for race fans to lend their own support to the program which has been providing opportunities for young American drivers since 1990.

“We are very excited to be able to partner with the Team USA Scholarship,” says Styled Aesthetic partner Steve Welk. “As a former driver I know how important this program is to America’s up and coming talent. So on a personal level it’s great to help support our country’s top junior drivers. From a business perspective, partnering with Team USA gives Styled Aesthetic an excellent avenue to gain credibility in the motorsports industry and expand our business as well as showcasing our online store, our apparel production and design capabilities. We are extremely excited about the potential of our partnership with Team USA.”

The Team USA Scholarship also is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Walldinger Racing, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, “The Road to Indy,” American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, Robertson Racing, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, Cruden America, Buttonwillow Raceway Park, iRacing.com, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and numerous past Scholarship winners.

Thanks to Heidi Welk for showing off our Team USA Formula Ford tee-shirt!

Jimmy Vasser was selected as the first scholarship recipient in the late summer of 1990. Then a promising youngster who had enjoyed some success in Formula Atlantic but had taken a step backward into F2000 in order to move his career forward, Vasser carried Team USA’s patriotic red, white and blue colors in the prestigious end-of-season Formula Ford Festival & World Cup at Brands Hatch in England. The results were nothing to write home about but Vasser created an excellent impression and, above all, returned to California with a fresh outlook on the sport.

“I couldn’t believe how cut-throat it was over there,” he recalls. “I knew it was going to be competitive but it really opened my eyes.”

Vasser went on to enjoy a successful career in the CART/Champ Car Series, winning the championship for Target/Chip Ganassi Racing in 1996, and is now part-owner of the KV Racing Technology IZOD IndyCar Series team.

Among the many other accomplished Team USA Scholarship alumni are Bryan Herta (1991), who, in addition to winning a Firestone Indy Lights Championship, is among a select few drivers to have won races in CART Champ Car, the IZOD IndyCar Series and the American Le Mans Series, and is now a race-winning Firestone Indy Lights series team owner; 2004 Indianapolis 500 champion Buddy Rice (1997); 2007 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Phil Giebler (2000); Champ Car race winner-turned-NASCAR Sprint Cup contender A.J. Allmendinger (2001); NASCAR race winner Jerry Nadeau (1993); Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series GT Champions Paul Edwards (1998) and Andy Lally (1999); and 2009 Firestone Indy Lights Champion J.R. Hildebrand (2005).

The accolades have continued to accumulate this year: Allmendinger claimed his first Sprint Cup pole at Phoenix International Raceway; Lally already has earned three Rolex GT wins, plus one in the ALMS’ GT Challenge class last weekend at Lime Rock Park; Conor Daly (2008) currently leads the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear by a handy margin by virtue of winning four of the first five races of the season; Joey Hand (1999) has emerged as a front-runner in the ultra-competitive ALMS GT category at the wheel of a BMW-Rahal Letterman Racing M3; and Josef Newgarden (2008) recently claimed his first pole in European GP3 competition, a feeder series for the FIA Formula One World Championship.

The alumni have been garnering headlines in other arenas, too. For example, in addition to his racing successes, Lally is regarded as one of the leading protagonists in the extreme sport of street luge after winning a world championship last year in Australia, while Memo Gidley (1995), in addition to being a regular contender for Doran Racing in Rolex Grand-Am Series Daytona Prototype competition, has emerged as a front-runner in the hotly contested DJSA Outlaw personal watercraft racing series after winning Rookie of the Year honors in 2009.

Looking forward, Team USA Scholarship officials expect to announce candidates for the 2010 season within the next month. The intention is to select two gifted youngsters and afford them the opportunity to travel to Europe to contest both the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy Formula Ford event (won by Team USA’s Daly and Connor De Phillippi in each of the last two years) at Silverstone.

Photo: Andy Lally and co-driver Henri Richard head toward their first GT Challenge class ALMS victory at Lime Rock Park (courtesy American Le Mans Series)

For nearly 20 years, the Team USA Scholarship has served as a launching pad for young American drivers to immerse themselves in international auto racing.

That proven track record is why the Indy Racing League will lend its support the program through the Road to Indy ladder system.

Drivers such as Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Buddy Rice, Jeff Simmons, Phil Giebler, A.J. Allmendinger and J.R. Hildebrand have used the scholarship to gain notoriety at an early stage in their careers. Team USA Scholarship President Jeremy Shaw hopes that future scholarship winners can follow their path through the Road to Indy.

TONY GEORGE JR. (Manager of Business Development, Firestone Indy Lights): “The Team USA scholarship gives young drivers the opportunity during our offseason to go and gain valuable experience outside the country. Past scholarship winners have been successful at the upper levels of the sport and the more recent ones are coming back to race in the Road to Indy series, so it's a natural fit for us. The winners learn how to handle adversity in a completely new environment, and as we've learned from backing the program in Firestone Indy Lights the last two years, it is a successful program that we should support.”

JEREMY SHAW (President, Team USA Scholarship): “I’m thrilled with what the Indy Racing League is doing with the Road to Indy system. It provides a clear-cut route for drivers to progress from the grassroots level to the top echelon of open-wheel racing, the IZOD IndyCar Series, and it meshes perfectly with what we are trying to achieve with the Team USA Scholarship – offering valuable opportunities for ambitious youngsters. Two of our scholarship winners from the last two years, Conor Daly and Connor De Phillippi, are racing in this year’s Star Mazda Championship, and another one, Charlie Kimball, is a front-runner in Firestone Indy Lights, seeking to emulate the feat of last year’s champion, J.R. Hildebrand.”

For more details, please visit http://www.indycar.com.
 

Photo, clockwise from top left: Barrett, Newgarden, Daly, De Phillippi and Patron Highcroft Racing's Marino Franchitti, David Brabham and Duncan Dayton.

The Celebrity Karting Challenge is hosted by reigning American Le Mans Series LMP1 Champion David Brabham and benefits Malaria No More UK which is committed to ending the suffering and death caused by malaria. Brabham himself is among the world-class drivers taking part, along with fellow Le Mans 24 Hours race winners Allan McNish, Emanuele Pirro, Guy Smith and Alex Wurz, and three-time FIA World Touring Car Champion Andy Priaulx.

The Team USA Young Guns roster will comprise 2007 Team USA Scholarship winner Patrick Barrett, 2008 winners Conor Daly and Josef Newgarden and 2009 alumnus Connor De Phillippi. (Fellow 2009 winner Brett Smrz’s hopes of making the trip were upset by a schedule conflict.)

“I can’t wait to head back over to England to represent Team USA again,” said Daly, 18, from Noblesville, Ind. “It’s good to be a part of the Team USA ‘family.’ I am looking forward to experiencing the Autosport International Show and taking part in the prestigious charity event. I’m also glad I get to take part in the event with my good friends Josef, Connor and Patrick! We’re going to have a strong team.”

“I’m very excited to join the Team USA Scholarship alumni for the upcoming Autosport charity karting event,” added Newgarden, 19, from Hendersonville, Tenn. “I’m always up for racing any chance I get, and competing for such a worthy cause will make this an extra special event. I know we are going to give it our all representing the USA!”

“I am so excited,” exclaimed De Phillippi (pronounced “Dee Phi-LEE-pee”), 16, from San Clemente, Calif. “This is another great opportunity thanks to the Team USA Scholarship. To represent the USA in this race with the caliber of drivers that are competing and to be helping raise to money for the fight against malaria makes me that much more honored to have the pleasure to compete in this fantastic charity event.”

“I’m extremely excited about competing in England again and representing the Team USA Scholarship,” said Barrett, 20, from Los Osos, Calif. “My last visit overseas in 2007 was an unbelievable opportunity, and to go back with a larger Team USA group will make for a memorable experience. It really is an honor to be apart of such a prestigious charitable event.”

The talented quartet’s cross-Atlantic trip has been made possible by long-time Team USA Scholarship supporters and Road Racing Drivers Club members Doug Mockett, proprietor of Mockett & Company, Torrance, Calif.-based  purveyors of “fine architectural hardware for your fine furniture” (www.mockett.com), and Duncan Dayton, principal of Patrón Highcroft Racing – the American Le Mans Series team with which David Brabham took the LMP1 spoils in 2009.

“To be able to attract America’s most promising young drivers is a real indication of how the Celebrity Karting Challenge has grown in stature,” said Brabham, who in addition to his racing career and charitable work, oversees a similar young driver program based in the United Kingdom – the MSA British Race Elite. “It will be fantastic to have Team USA competing alongside the MSA British Race Elite team and see some of the sport’s best young stars in action.”

Once again, Hildebrand shared the team’s lone Force India-Mercedes VJM02 with Scotland’s Paul di Resta. Hildebrand was entrusted with the morning session, during which he recorded 41 laps and encountered a few technical glitches, while di Resta took over for the final afternoon. Di Resta posted the day’s second-fastest time, 1:18.736, during his 53-lap stint which included a brief excursion into the gravel and another stoppage due to an electronic malfunction.

“Today was a little frustrating because we again lost our quickest outings when the engine saving mode switched on,” related Hildebrand, “and then when we tried to re-run the new tire outing the red flag came out when I was six-tenths up on my fastest lap. That would have put us squarely in the thick of the front-runners. Knowing I had the time in me and couldn’t get it is in part frustrating, but I can only be so frustrated as I know how much quicker we really were.”

The fastest time overall was set by Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo. The young Australian, who won this year’s British Formula 3 Championship, completed 77 laps during his third full day behind the wheel of the world championship-contending Red Bull-Renault RB5, recording a best lap of 1:17.418.

Hildebrand, the reigning Firestone Indy Lights Champion and 2005 Team USA Scholarship winner, completed a total of 142 laps during the three-day test.

“Based on how it had gone for me in the morning, the team made some setup changes to try to address the corner entry problems that I was having, since Paul had been troubled by the same issues,” said Hildebrand. “He went out and did his longer runs first with the shorter runs toward the end, and was able to make good use of the tires and changes, posting the second quickest lap of the day. Looking at the data, I wasn’t quite on target to run the same time that he did, but I’m also quite certain that I could have taken full advantage of the changes to the car because he felt they definitely helped. Either way, I felt really good about how well I had been able to get on in some less-than-optimal conditions, and had an incredible time working with the team and driving the car.

“Looking at it from a bit of a different perspective now that it’s over, it’s pretty incredible to have gotten the opportunity to drive a modern Formula One car. I felt like I made the most of my time both in and out of the car over the last week, and am very satisfied with how things turned out. It’s always disappointing to have things end up not reflecting how well they actually went, but when it comes down to it, I now know that I’ve got the tools to do the job – along with a wealth of information to continue to develop with.

“It was an amazing experience to work with the Force India F1 Team, I really can’t thank them enough for giving me the chance to drive the car and also for working together so well with me during the test.”

The 2005 Team USA Scholarship winner and reigning Firestone Indy Lights Champion completed a total of 49 laps in the Mercedes-Benz-powered Force India VJM02 during the morning session before relinquishing the car to Scotland’s Paul di Resta for the afternoon period.

Hildebrand topped the timing charts several times during the morning, and had set the third fastest time when he climbed out of the car shortly after midday. His best lap of 1:20.537 remained good enough for fifth fastest out of the nine drivers who posted laps during the morning. All of the teams who contested this year’s FIA Formula 1 World Championship were present, with the exception of Toyota which has since withdrawn from F1 competition.

“The track was clearly improving throughout the morning, so based on the program we were running, in terms of relative pace we were doing pretty well,” said Hildebrand, 21, from Sausalito, Calif. “After a brief red flag at the beginning of the session, we started into our planned testing program for the day. We ran pretty basic settings on the car to help give me a feel for the various adjustments that the car has, as well as some different tire compounds.

“My first impressions of the car were that it’s just incredibly quick and capable, and it’s definitely different to what I’m used to in its general attitude through the corner as well, so that took a bit of getting used to.

“I felt I was getting there and was starting to get the most out of the car, particularly toward the end of the morning. I think we still had some free time in the car. I lost my best lap by using a bit too much of the road, and on my last run I just flat-spotted the tires straight out of the pits, which made a drastic difference in how good the car was and I really couldn’t get the ultimate lap time from it. It was a little bit frustrating from the standpoint of losing the last two runs, but we were fifth quickest when my day was effectively done so I was pretty happy with my first outing.”

Former Euro F3 Champion di Resta (cousin of 2009 IndyCar Series Champion Dario Franchitti) continued the team’s good work in the afternoon period, when everybody went appreciably faster as the track conditions improved. Di Resta ended the day second-fastest overall with a time of 1:19.369, just two-tenths slower than 2009 Formula 2 Champion Andy Soucek, who posted the day’s best time after a full day’s running with the Williams-Toyota team.

A second American, 18-year-old Alex Rossi, also took part in the test as his prize for winning the 2008 Formula BMW World Finals. Rossi, from Nevada City, Calif., set the day’s seventh fastest time overall, 1:20.227, after completing a total of 82 laps. Hildebrand ended the day ranked 10th overall among the 12 drivers who posted times.

Hildebrand and di Resta will continue to share the car when the three-day test resumes tomorrow (Wednesday), with di Resta driving in the morning and Hildebrand taking the afternoon stint.

“I think I could have probably done a better job of putting a few more full laps together [today], but was definitely pleased to see that it looked like much of the time gained by the other guys through the day was due to the track improving,” said Hildebrand. “The roles are reversed for us tomorrow, so if nothing else, I certainly expect that by the time I get in the car, the grip will be quite a bit higher than when I drove it today and I’ll really see what the car can do! So I’m looking forward to getting back out there.”

The Team USA Scholarship, now in its 20th year, is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, Firestone Indy Lights, American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, Cruden America, iRacing.com, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management and Manifest Group. Past Team USA Scholarship winners include Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Memo Gidley, Buddy Rice, Andy Lally, Paul Edwards and A.J. Allmendinger.

Next week, reigning Firestone Indy Lights Champion and 2005 Team USA Scholarship winner J.R. Hildebrand will join that elite level when he drives a Mercedes-Benz-powered Force India VJM02 Formula One car in a test session December 1-3 at the Circuito de Jerez in southern Spain.

Hildebrand, 21, from Sausalito, Calif., will be joined in the rookies-only test by highly rated Scotsman Paul di Resta, whose cousin, Dario Franchitti, won the 2009 IndyCar Series Championship.

“I’m ecstatic about being given the chance to drive a Formula One car for the Force India F1 Team,” says Hildebrand. “I know it will be a challenge but I’m ready to take it on, and look forward to getting as much as I can out of the whole experience. It’s an incredible way to cap off an already very special year and I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”

Hildebrand’s test-drive follows an impressive showing in Force India’s F1 simulator in England last month.

“We are delighted to have Paul and J.R. join us for the young driver test,” says Dr. Vijay Mallya, chairman and team principal of Force India. “Both of their showings in the simulator were excellent and we had no hesitations in offering them some valuable testing. We will be looking at their performance on track very closely and should they perform well, as we are confident they will, we will look at a permanent role for one within the team in 2010, potentially as a test and reserve driver. As a young team we are looking for drivers who can grow with us. As we’ve always said, nationality isn't the primary selection criteria – it’s talent and dedication to the cause and we have seen enough to know that these two have both.”

Hildebrand, who played varsity baseball while maintaining over a 4.0 GPA in high school – and deferred acceptance to MIT to pursue his racing career – had been introduced to Dr. Mallya several years ago. Earlier in the fall, Hildebrand was invited to try out the team’s F1 test simulator. At that stage he had no inkling the outing would lead to a full-blown F1 test.

“I thought I did quite well,” he says. “I knew there was room to improve but I felt I accomplished my goal, which was to learn and improve throughout the day. It took a while for the team to analyze the data but when I got the call to say I was going to have a chance to drive the car I was ecstatic. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”

In comparison to many drivers in the top echelon these days, Hildebrand started his racing career relatively late, at age 14. Since then he has won the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School Graduate Runoffs; the 2004 Russell Championship Series; Rookie of the Year honors in the 2005 Pacific F2000 Championship; the 2005 Team USA Scholarship; the 2006 Cooper Tires Formula Ford 2000 Championship (winning a record 12 out of 14 races); and the 2009 Firestone Indy Lights Championship (claiming a series-high four wins and six poles while driving for AFS-Andretti Green Racing).

The Team USA Scholarship, now in its 20th year, is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, Firestone Indy Lights, American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, Cruden America, iRacing.com, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management and Manifest Group. Past Team USA Scholarship winners include Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Memo Gidley, Buddy Rice, Andy Lally, Paul Edwards and A.J. Allmendinger.

One year ago, wearing Team USA Scholarship colors, his good friend Conor Daly became the youngest driver ever to win the prestigious Walter Hayes Trophy Formula Ford race at Silverstone. Daly made the return trip to England this year to cheer on the latest pair of Team USA Scholarship winners, and was every bit as happy to see De Phillippi take the checkered flag at the end of a thrilling 15-lap Final this afternoon – driving the very same #22 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS08.

“I can’t even describe how I feel,” said an ecstatic De Phillippi, who at the age of 16 years, 10 months and six days, beat Daly’s record as the youngest ever Walter Hayes Trophy winner by a mere 10 days. “This is by far the biggest race I’ve won. I can’t thank everyone involved in the Team USA Scholarship enough. It’s been a tremendous honor to be here. Hopefully the right people will see this and help us move up to the next step in my career.”

Teammate Brett Smrz finished ninth following an incident early in the race which saw his car riding over the wheel of a rival. 2008 Team USA Scholarship winner Josef Newgarden finished sixth in his National School of Motorsport Van Diemen RF92, while fellow American Doug Prendeville, from Whippany, N.J., finished 30th in the 36-car Final.

Earlier in the day, De Phillippi, from San Clemente, Calif., took advantage of a first-lap tangle between pre-event favorite Rory Butcher and Stuart Gough to take the lead in his 12-lap Semi Final. De Phillippi, who started fourth, narrowly avoided the melee and went on to control the remainder of the race. Smrz, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, was third in the other Semi Final race, which was held on a drying track after heavy rain earlier in the morning.

Newgarden had a busy day, winning the Last Chance Race to earn a place on the back of the grid for the first Semi Final and then charging through to finish fifth. Prendeville finished 18th in the same race.

De Phillippi secured pole for the Final by virtue of winning the faster of the two Semi Finals. He immediately took off into the lead at the start, chased by Irishmen Robert Barrable and Neville Smyth and Englishman Felix Fisher.

De Philippi eked out a small advantage over the first few laps, but then strayed too far onto the curb at the tricky Brooklands corner and went into a n enormous sideways slide which he did extremely well to control. By then he had fallen back to fourth place, but realized he was still very much in contention.

“I just had to take a breath and get my head back in the game,” he recounted. “The car was on rails. I knew I was quick so I just had to focus on getting back up there.”

He made short work of Smyth, then passed Barrable in a brilliant move in the Brooklands/Luffield complex of corners. Fisher did everything he could to hold off the young American’s advances, but to no avail. De Phillippi finally made his move for the lead at the Beckett’s hairpin and romped on to victory by just over a second.

“If he wouldn’t have lifted, he’d have gone for a wild ride,” said De Phillippi, who wowed the fans – as well as an appreciative crowd of motorsports veterans in the British Racing Drivers Club Suite – with his impressive drive.

“I was a bit conservative at Brands [Hatch two weeks earlier in the Formula Ford Festival],” said De Phillippi, “but that was just a warmup. This weekend I was a lot more aggressive and it paid off.”

Full results can be found at: http://www.mstworld.com/msportevent.aspx?eventid=90082&circuitid=58&series=UK&venue=Walter%20Hayes%20Trophy&circuit=Silverstone.

Photo of Connor De Phillippi receiving the winner's trophy from Mrs. Elizabeth Hayes, widow of Formula Ford founding father Walter Hayes (please credit www.jeffbloxham.com)

The two Americans qualified comfortably for tomorrow’s Semi Final round which will comprise a pair of 12-lap races to determine the starting positions for the all-important 15-lap Final on Sunday afternoon.

Smrz was unchallenged in the fourth of today’s six Heat races. He qualified impressively on the pole in wet conditions and made a fine start in the #21 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS08. Smrz was helped when Cliff Dempsey Racing teammate Cormac O’Neill spun at Brooklands on the first lap, collecting Dempsey’s nephew, Morgan Dempsey, and eventually took the checkered flag 4.298 seconds clear of Jordan Skinner’s similar Ray GRS08.

“I was wondering what happened when I came onto the front straight because I had quite a big lead,” related 18-year-old Smrz, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. “Next time through the Complex, I saw Morgan Dempsey’s car in the gravel trap so I figured they must all have taken each other out. After that I took it easy and made sure I didn’t make a mistake.

“I’m happy,” he continued. “It’s good to be up at the front for the Heat race. It puts us up front for the Semi Final. Now I just have to be smart in the Semi Final so I can start up front in the Main.”

De Phillippi had an altogether tougher road to the Semi Final. He, too, reveled in the morning’s wet conditions to qualify on pole, narrowly ahead of Formula Ford Festival winner Rory Butcher. His Scottish rival appeared to jump the start and was level with De Phillippi as they crossed the timing line, despite a staggered grid, but somehow escaped a penalty. The pair then embarked on the most thrilling race of the afternoon, swapping positions on a regular basis before Butcher took the flag a scant 0.283 seconds ahead.

“Extremely fun,” was how De Phillippi described his race. “It was really similar to the Skip Barber races in terms of the drafting. It was a good performance overall.”

Nevertheless, the 16-year-old from San Clemente, Calif., admitted to some frustration at the straight-line speed differential between the top two cars.

“He just drove right around me [on the straightaways],” he said. “It was ridiculous.”

The discrepancy was readily apparent from trackside, especially under acceleration out of the Complex and onto the front straightaway, although to his credit, De Phillippi wasn’t looking for excuses.

“We gotta keep working on [the car] to make it quicker,” he said. “Sitting around complaining isn’t going to fix it. We’ll have a look over the data, go to the Semi Final race and see how it goes.”

2008 Team USA Scholarship winner Josef Newgarden hit trouble during his Heat race, finishing 15th after a spin while challenging Tom Bradshaw for the lead. The incident was caused by a balky gearshift and braking difficulties on Newgarden’s National College for Motorsport Van Diemen RF92. He will have one more opportunity to qualify for one of the Semi Finals via the “Last Chance” race tomorrow morning.

Fellow American Doug Prendeville, from Whippany. N.J., enjoyed his first race in a year, finishing fifth in the same race. Prendeville displayed his intentions by posting the third fastest lap, within a few tenths of Newgarden’s best.

Full results can be found at: http://www.mstworld.com/msportevent.aspx?eventid=90082&circuitid=58&series=UK&venue=Walter%20Hayes%20Trophy&circuit=Silverstone.

Photo courtesy of www.jeffbloxham.com

Both youngsters are ready to take on the very best British Formula Ford racers when the competition begins in earnest with official qualifying tomorrow morning.

“I’m comfortable, happy,” says De Phillippi, 16, from San Clemente, Calif. “The team is doing a fantastic job. We’ve got the people and the equipment to take it to the podium, so it’s just a question of getting the job done.

“The car’s setup is great. Brett and I are turning competitive lap times and we haven’t run new tires yet, so we definitely think we can pick up more time.”

Smrz, too, is confident of another strong run, following his magnificent charge from 27th on the grid to fourth in the Formula Ford Festival two weeks ago at Brands Hatch.

“This time I will try not to make life difficult for myself,” says Smrz, 18, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. “The car is good. Right now [in testing] we’re doing decent [lap] times on very old rubber. The races are much different to qualifying or practice, and the races are my strong point. I am confident that I will get my quick lap in qualifying tomorrow.”

Both youngsters are enjoying their first taste of the Silverstone National circuit which includes several corners from the famed Formula 1 Grand Prix layout.

“The track’s awesome,” says Smrz. “I’m getting more comfortable with it, trying some different things and getting it figured out. It’s a quick track; it’s fun.”

“It’s moving toward the top of my list,” declares De Phillippi. “I love everything about it. There are several high-speed corners and deep braking zones. I think it kind of suits my style. It’s a lot easier to overtake here than at Brands Hatch. I think the racing is going to be good.”

Over 120 drivers have entered the event which honors Walter Hayes, a former Vice President of Ford of Europe who was one of the founding fathers of Formula Ford in 1967. The field has been split into six eight-lap heat races, with Brett Smrz’s #21 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS08 drawn into Heat Four and De Phillippi’s identical #22 car set to contest Heat Five.

The top 11 finishers from each Heat race will progress directly into a pair of 12-lap Semi Final races slated for early afternoon on Sunday. The remaining finishers have two more opportunities to make it into the Semi Final round via a “Progression Race” and a “Last Chance Race” on Sunday morning.

If all goes to plan, the two teenaged Americans should not go head to head until Sunday’s concluding 15-lap Final.

The event was won last year by Team USA Scholarship driver Conor Daly, who at age 16 was the youngest ever winner of this increasingly prestigious trophy.

Daly, who finished third and in this year’s Star Mazda Championship, has been testing a Formula Renault car today at Brands Hatch and is intending to be at Silverstone over the weekend to cheer on his countrymen.

Fellow 2008 Team USA Scholarship driver Josef Newgarden also will be at Silverstone. Indeed he will be competing against De Phillippi and Smrz! Newgarden, who turned many heads during an impressive season in the top-tier MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, will drive an older Van Diemen RF92.
 

The time has passed quickly with a variety of tours and activities to fill the time before they will return to the cockpits of their patriotically liveried Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS08 Formula Ford cars for next weekend's Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone.

The two American teenagers have been staying in the historic City of Oxford, home of one of the world's most storied universities, sharing an apartment with 2008 Team USA Scholarship winner Josef Newgarden and his roommate, F3 racer Philip Major, who hails originally from Canada and is also pursuing his goals of a European-based racing career. Newgarden, who has competed with great success in this year's MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain, has kindly acted as a guide, mentor and chauffeur to the eager youngsters.

"Josef has been great," says Smrz. "Oxford is a very fun place and it has some great architecture. Josef, Philip, Connor and I all get along really well, so that has made our trip even more enjoyable."

"The lifestyle is very different," he continues. "The people act very differently over here and the food is much more healthy than in the USA."

"The main thing I noticed is that everyone walks everywhere," adds De Phillippi. "There are several restaurants within a mile or so, and everyone walks, whereas if you were in the States most people would drive! The other thing that has stood out for me is how much faster everyone drives on the motorways. I also noticed that the drivers are much more aware of what is going on around them, and they move out of the way if they are going slower!"

On Tuesday, Smrz and De Phillippi took part in the Grand Prix Shootout, which offers the winner an opportunity to contest the 2010 Formula BMW series in Europe. Later in the week they made enjoyed eye-opening visits to top GP2 team iSport International and the 2009 Le Mans Series championship-winning Aston Martin Racing/Prodrive organization.

"It's been a busy week, but fun," says Smrz. "The Shootout was a pretty good experience and it was interesting to compete against drivers from many different countries. We drove little Abarth 500 cars at an old airfield, called Bruntingthorpe, which is used quite a lot for testing and developing cars but not for racing. I think both Connor and I did well, so I hope we get invited to the next round where we will be tested in Formula BMW cars."

Both youngsters appreciated their opportunities to take their first-ever close-up looks at a GP2 car, which provides the final step on the open-wheel ladder for Formula 1 aspirants, as well as the stunning Lola-Aston Martin B09/60 Le Mans Prototypes and Aston Martin GT2 and GT4 sports cars.

"Seeing the effort that is put into building specialized GT4 Aston Martins and their Le Mans series cars was amazing," notes De Phillippi. "The development area for their LMP1 and GT2 program was astounding - there was not a speck of dirt anywhere!"

For Smrz, another highlight was the opportunity to take a close look at the Prodrive-prepared Subaru rally cars with which the late, lamented Colin McRae reaped so much success in the World Rally Championship.

After a relaxing weekend, De Phillippi and Smrz are due to make visits to the McLaren Technical Centre, home of the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Formula 1 team, 2009 British Touring Car Championship-winning team WSR, famed constructor Lola Cars and RML, which fields the factory-backed Chevrolet team in the World Touring Car Championship.

Photo: l. to r. Josef Newgarden, Brett Smrz and Connor De Phillippi

Smrz, 18, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, finished a sensational fourth after starting 27th on the 28-car grid, while De Phillippi, 16, from San Clemente, Calif., rose from 15th to fifth before tangling with a rival.

The opening Semi Final this morning did not go to plan. De Phillippi got the better start and was challenging the leader, Rory Butcher, before encountering a gear-shift problem entering the notorious Paddock Hill Bend with five laps remaining. De Phillippi carried too much speed into the corner, ran wide into the gravel at the exit and could only manage an eighth-place finish. He would have to start 15th in the Final but had already established his credentials by posting the fastest race lap.

Smrz fared even worse. He made a poor start, by his own admission, then spun at Turn Two, the Druid's hairpin. He recovered in ninth before tangling with a rival and ultimately retiring from the race.

Smrz had one last opportunity to qualify for the Final, but it was a long shot from 17th on the grid for the “Last Chance” race and with only five laps to move up among the top-four qualifying positions. Smrz takes up the story: “I got a great start and a good first lap, and was in seventh by the end of lap one. I kept working my way forward, eventually getting into fourth place. I held that spot until the last corner, where I did an over-under maneuver and finished up third.”

Incredibly, Smrz finished only 0.207 seconds behind the winner and set the fastest lap for good measure!

The two Americans were in an optimistic mood for the all-important finale, and both immediately began to work their way forward.

De Phillippi was challenging for fifth place when he tangled with Noel Robinson at Surtees.

“I had a great run coming out of Graham Hill Bend and was on his gearbox as were entered the esses,” related De Phillippi. “I made my move to the inside, he blocked me so I popped back to the outside. He got sideways and spun. I tried to go around him but he did not lock up his brakes and he rolled right into me which caused me to go off into the gravel.”

De Phillippi resumed in 12th with six laps remaining and worked his way up to 10th by the finish.

“It was very unfortunate but it was the best I could have done in the situation I was put in,” he said. “It was still a great race, even though it did not turn out as planned.”

Smrz, meanwhile, was continuing his charge. After narrowly avoiding the spinning De Phillippi and profiting shortly afterward from a full-course caution, which erased his 10-second deficit to the leaders, Smrz moved into fourth place with two laps remaining and finished hot on the heels of the top three: Butcher, Scott Malvern and Neville Smyth.

“It was one of the best drives of my career,” said Smrz, “and it was the right race to do it at. I can’t thank the Cliff Dempsey Racing team enough. They kept my head in the right spot the entire weekend and kept my car running quick as well. Dave Hart is the best mechanic I could ask for. He is always smiling and giving me great signals while I am driving. Thanks go out to Jeremy Shaw, the Team USA Scholarship, and all of its sponsors and supporters. I wouldn’t have been able to have the opportunity to race this weekend without their support.”

POSTSCRIPT: Scott Malvern was subsequently disqualified, elevating Brett Smrz to the final podium position.

Photo courtesy of jeffbloxham.com

Bobby Rahal, Indy 500 winner and president of the RRDC, will lead the symposium, along with RRDC members and invited experts, to help young racing drivers, including those graduating from karts to cars, raise their awareness of safety by teaching them to effectively manage their racing vehicles and themselves.

The free "Safe is Fast" workshop - with S.A.F.E. an acronym for Skilled, Assured, Fit, Empowered - will feature a number of racing champions who are RRDC members, plus renowned industry experts such as Jim Leo, president of PitFit Training, Inc., and Jacques Dallaire, Ph.D., of Performance Prime, among others to be announced.

Topics to be covered include safety, physical fitness, setup and driving skills, sponsorship/branding, mental preparation, career management, and more. All workshop materials will be provided.

"The Road Racing Drivers Club's agenda has evolved to helping up-and-coming racing drivers to pursue their dreams by having the right tools as they begin their careers," said Rahal. "The members of the RRDC throughout the years have been invited to join the organization because of their championship skills, their on-track and off-track demeanors, and their professional attitudes, whether in the pro or amateur ranks. It is a privilege for the RRDC members of today, along with the industry experts who are willing to give up their time, and with the support of the FIA Motor Sport Safety Development Fund, to share their experiences and abilities with drivers who are embarking on their new careers."

The symposium is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 11, 8:30 a.m.-noon, in Meeting Room S 330 E and F (third level), at the Performance Racing Industry Trade Show at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. The PRI Trade Show age restriction of 18 years has been waived for The RRDC/FIA Young Drivers Symposium, and each participant will receive a PRI show credential. However, registration is required and space is limited. Participants are asked to register early at www.rrdc.org. Registration on www.rrdc.org opens on Oct. 21, and any questions may be directed to RRDC1@cox.net.

Two additional symposiums are planned: in April, in conjunction with the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, and in May, around the Indianapolis 500.

The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club now has more than 150 active members, including leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names.

President Bobby Rahal is the 1986 Indy 500 winner and is co-owner, with David Letterman, of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winning team. Six-time SCCA National Champion John Fergus is the Club's Vice President/Treasurer, and Formula Super Vee champion Tom Davey is the Secretary. In addition to RRDC members lending their expertise to up-and-coming drivers, the Club presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award for rendering outstanding service to road racing; the Mark Donohue Award for personal spirit and performance at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs; and the Bob Akin Award for speed with style, passion, sportsmanship and contribution to motorsports.

The RRDC also supports the Team USA Scholarship, which has been assisting young Americans in the early stages of their careers since 1990.

Membership in the RRDC is by invitation only.

Smrz, 18, from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, was first to step up to the plate in Heat One, with De Phillippi instead taking a seat in the grandstands at Paddock Hill Bend to watch the early stages. After qualifying a strong second, Smrz was pushed wide at the first corner and lost a position in his #21 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS08. He quickly regrouped and soon began to exert pressure on the second-place Swift of experienced Formula Ford racer Josh Fisher.

"He was taking a defensive line in every corner," related Smrz. "I was much quicker than he was but couldn't find a way around. I finally thought I had a shot at passing him on the outside of Paddock Hill Bend, but he turned to the left at me just when I was entering the corner. I almost drove off the track but held my position and stayed behind him. Next time we crossed start/finish line, Fisher got a black-and-white [warning] flag, and he started calming down after that."

Smrz took full advantage, sweeping past Fisher on the next lap and holding second place to the checkers, just over two seconds behind race winner Scott Malvern, who drove another Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray. Fisher was involved in a dramatic accident at Graham Hill Bend on the final lap with Noel Dunne (Mygale SJ08) and Matt Rivett, whose Ray GRS09 was badly damaged during a series of flips. Thankfully, the Formula Ford veteran was not seriously hurt.

"I am happy with second," said Smrz, "and will be starting my Semi Final in second place tomorrow morning."

Forty-five minutes later, De Phillippi took up his position on the inside of Row Two for the afternoon's second Heat race in the #22 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray. The 16-year-old from San Clemente, Calif., maintained third for most of the race, directly behind Matthew Parr's Van Diemen RF01, as Scottish Formula Ford Champion Rory Butcher cleared off into the lead in his well-sorted Van Diemen RF92.

De Phillippi briefly lost third place to Irish veteran Neville Smyth, in yet another Ray, but regained the position on Lap 14 to secure his podium appearance.

"I was happy to just settle into position and keep any risky moves to the absolute minimum,"said De Phillippi. "Towards the end I was closing on the leader and the second-place driver. Overall, I would've liked to finish higher, of course, but I did finish towards the front and will move onto tomorrow with great confidence."

Butcher's victory in the faster of the two Heat races ensures that he will start from the pole in Semi Final One tomorrow morning. Smrz will start alongside, with De Phillippi right behind him on the inside of Row Two. Malvern will start from the pole in the second 18-lap Semi Final.

The Team USA Scholarship, now in its 20th year, is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and an array of past Scholarship winners.

Photo by courtesy jeffbloxham.com

Photo courtesy of jeffbloxham.com

After an overnight flight from Boston to Dublin, followed by a seat fitting at Cliff Dempsey Racing’s shop in Ashbourne, County Meath, another overnight ferry journey to Holyhead in north Wales and then a lengthy drive to Brands Hatch in south-eastern England, De Phillippi and Smrz were able to take a brief look around the famed Brands Hatch Indy circuit prior to their first taste of their identically prepared Ray GRS07/08 Formula Ford cars.

“My first time out in the car went really well,” said De Phillippi, who clinched this year’s BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda with a pair of solid finishes at Lime Rock Park last Friday and Saturday. “I adapted to the car’s characteristics quite easily, because they are quite similar to the Skip Barber car. It moves around a lot, although it is still very stable in the high-speed turns. Understeer seems to be a common characteristic, so adapting my driving to that will be the next step. Adapting to the H-pattern gearbox was a bit tricky, but for now the car is great. I’m just focusing on perfecting the track.”

According to unofficial timing, 16-year-old De Phillippi, from San Clemente, Calif., was within a few tenths of today’s best lap times. Smrz, 18, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, also was close to the pace despite a brief trip into a gravel trap.

“The car was a bit difficult to get used to,” said Smrz. “It tended to have a lot of understeer, rather than a lot of oversteer. The Skip Barber cars tend to be more on the loose side, so it is something that I had to take some time to overcome.”

Both youngsters thoroughly enjoyed their first taste of the undulating and challenging Brands Hatch circuit.

“Paddock Hill Bend is quite some turn,” exclaimed Smrz. “The first time I went through there, I didn’t expect the drop to be quite as severe as it looked. Once you are in the car, it feels like a roller coaster. There is a compression at the bottom of the hill, and then it immediately starts to climb back up another hill. You definitely have to build your  confidence.”

Veteran Formula Ford driver-turn-team owner Cliff Dempsey was impressed by the two Americans. Dempsey also looked after the pair of 2008 Team USA Scholarship drivers, with Josef Newgarden becoming the first American to win the Formula Ford (Kent) Festival and Conor Daly adding a victory in the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone.

“They’re not going too bad,” he said with characteristic understatement. “My first impressions are good. You keep sending me kids like this and I’ll run them anytime, anywhere. They’re great!”
 

Cooper Tire, based in Findlay, Ohio, has been building its reputation for quality products and customer service for more than three-quarters of a century. Tennessee-based Robo-Pong by Newgy Industries is the world leader in table tennis (ping-pong) robot machines. Robo-Pong is used by professional and Olympic table tennis players as part of their training regime.

The Team USA Scholarship program was founded in 1990, when a promising Formula Ford 2000 driver named Jimmy Vasser was chosen to fly his nation's colors in the prestigious Formula Ford Festival and World Cup at Brands Hatch, England. Vasser went on to a successful career that included winning the 1996 PPG Indy Car World Series title. He is now co-owner of the KV Racing Technology IndyCar Series team. Subsequent scholarship winners include Champ Car and IndyCar Series race winner - and current Firestone Indy Lights team owner - Bryan Herta; 2004 Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice; 2007 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Phil Giebler; American Le Mans Series and Rolex Sports Car Series sports car champions Paul Edwards and Andy Lally; NASCAR race winner Jerry Nadeau; current NASCAR Sprint Cup rising star A.J. Allmendinger; and recently crowned Firestone Indy Lights Champion J.R. Hildebrand.

Connor De Phillippi, 16, from San Clemente, Calif., and Brett Smrz, 18, from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, were named recently as winners of 2009 Team USA Scholarships. The pair will contest both the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone later this month. Incidentally, neither De Phillippi (pronounced "DEE Phi-LEE-pi) and Smrz ("Smerz") was born when Vasser first flew the Team USA Scholarship colors in 1990!

"The history and people associated with the Team USA Scholarship speaks for itself," says Chris Pantani, director of motorsports and event marketing for Cooper Tire & Rubber Company. "Cooper Tire's supporting of the Team USA Scholarship helps unify a motorsport community around a couple of young driver's chances of achieving their dreams."

"Brett Smrz and Connor De Phillippi, 2009's Team USA Scholarship drivers, are both very strong competitors and admirable choices to represent this long standing tradition in American motor sport," adds Robo-Pong's Joey Newgarden. "Robo-Pong is very proud to be associated with and to contribute in any way we can to the program that was so instrumental in launching Josef Newgarden's career in European formula car racing just last year."

De Phillippi and Smrz will fly to Europe on Sunday to commence preparations for their racing activities.

Cooper Tire and Robo-Pong join an illustrious and well-established group of Team USA Scholarship supporters including Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Highcroft Racing, American Honda, Dyson Racing, Metalore, McMurry Inc., The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and an array of past Scholarship winners.

The two teenagers will follow in the footsteps of an array of accomplished American drivers who have earned these awards since Jimmy Vasser became the first Team USA Scholarship winner in 1990.

De Phillippi (pronounced “DEE Phi-LEE-pi) and Smrz (“Smerz”) will have an opportunity to fly their nation’s colors in two world-renowned events in England later this month – the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone. (Team USA Scholarship drivers swept both events in 2008, with Josef Newgarden becoming the first American ever to win the Formula Ford Festival and Conor Daly becoming the youngest ever winner of the Walter Hayes Trophy.)

“I am thrilled to be representing the United States and the Team USA Scholarship,” said 16-year-old De Phillippi, who has taken a commanding lead in this year’s BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda, winning seven of 10 races held thus far. “It is my first big shot to prove myself on the European circuit. I look forward to meeting many new people in the racing community and hopefully posting some excellent results.”

“Winning the Team USA Scholarship feels amazing,” added Smrz, 18, who secured one Skip Barber victory in addition to posting some impressive results in the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Cup. Smrz also leads the Jim Russell Championship Series. “Words can’t even describe how excited I am about this opportunity to race for America in a different atmosphere. I expect to learn a lot from the experience, both on and off the track, which will help lead to my success as a professional racing driver. Hopefully Connor and I can share a couple of wins like Josef and Conor did last year! I want to thank the entire Team USA Scholarship crew for this opportunity.”

De Phillippi and Smrz were chosen from an accomplished list of candidates including VW Jetta TDI Cup series leader Timmy Megenbier, 18, from Melrose Park, Ill.; fellow VW Jetta TDI Cup graduate Liam Kenney, 17, from Sterling, Va.; F2000 Championship Series winner Chris Miller, 20, from Edina, Minn.; F2000 Championship Series Rookie of the Year Ben Searcy, 18, from Tuscaloosa, Ala.; and Skip Barber National race winner Court Vernon, 18, from Key Biscayne, Fla.

After considering the candidates’ racing resumes and other off-track skills, a smaller group was invited to demonstrate their prowess on Cruden America’s high-tech, full-motion, F1-style simulator located in Laguna Niguel, Calif.

“It’s always difficult to tell youngsters they haven’t won a scholarship, but I hope they were able to gain satisfaction from being nominated,” said Team USA Scholarship founder Jeremy Shaw. “Given the caliber of drivers who have won scholarships in the past, I think that is a worthy achievement in itself. I’m sure each of them has a bright future.”

The Team USA Scholarship is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Road Racing Drivers Club, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Robo-Pong, Highcroft Racing, American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, OnCars.com, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and an array of past Scholarship winners including Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, A.J. Allmendinger, Buddy Rice, Andy Lally, Paul Edwards and Memo Gidley.

Photo of Connor De Phillippi (left) and Brett Smrz, courtesy of Michael Levitt, LAT USA

The 2009 nominees are:
•    Connor De Phillippi, 16, from San Clemente, Calif. – current leader of the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National Series with seven wins from 10 races
•    Liam Kenney, 17, from Sterling, Va.. – finished second in the 2008 VW Vetta TDI Cup, with two wins; currently competing in the German-based  ADAC Formula Master series
•    Timmy Megenbier, 18, from Melrose Park, Ill. – current leader of the VW Jetta TDI Cup Series with three wins from six races
•    Chris Miller, 20, from Edina, Minn. – recently clinched the F2000 Championship Series title with four wins and seven poles from 12 races
•    Ben Searcy, 18, from Tuscaloosa, Ala. – finished fourth overall and claimed Rookie of the Year honors in the 2009 F2000 Championship Series with three wins and a pole
•    Brett Smrz, 18, from Coeur d’Alene, Idaho – a race winner in the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National Series and front-runner in the Playboy Mazda MX-5 Series
•    Court Vernon, 17, from Key Biscayne, Fla. – currently second in the BFGoodrich Skip Barber National Series (and top rookie) with one win and a series-high four poles

The intention is to select two drivers to contest a pair of prestigious events to be held in England this fall, the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch (won last year by Team USA Scholarship driver Josef Newgarden) and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone (won last year by teammate Conor Daly).

The Team USA Scholarship was founded in 1990 and is supported by Doug Mockett & Company, Terminal Velocity Processing, Road Racing Drivers Club, Firestone Indy Lights Championship, Highcroft Racing, American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, Andersen Racing Team, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and an array of past Scholarship winners including Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, A.J. Allmendinger, Buddy Rice, Andy Lally, Paul Edwards and Memo Gidley.

A conservative fifth-place finish was enough to ensure the gifted 21-year-old from Sausalito, Calif., cannot by beaten with just one race remaining in the season.

In a happy coincidence, Daniel Herrington’s accomplished victory marked the maiden success for the Bryan Herta Autosport team in its first season of competition. Herta, who was awarded a Team USA Scholarship in 1991, went on to win the 1993 Firestone Indy Lights Championship en route to a successful career in the sport.

"It’s a dream come true," said Hildebrand. "I owe so much of it to the team. Everyone has done a great job all season long, the car has been fast everywhere we go, and we were able to capitalize on the opportunity. I’m so excited for everyone. It will be great to have this long break before the last race and not have to have such a load on all of our shoulders!"

The month of May has been a roller-coaster ride for 18-year-old Newgarden. The 2008 Team USA Scholarship winner returned to his home in Tennessee for a brief break earlier in the month, then learned the shattering news that his UK Formula Ford team owner Joe Tandy had died in a road accident. Tandy was just 26 years old. The pair had forged a close bond since joining forces this year.

Newgarden traveled back to his UK base in Oxford this week with a heavy heart, and was intent on doing his level best to honor Tandy’s memory when the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain reconvened this weekend at the Rockingham road course which is situated close to Joe Tandy Racing’s base in Bedford.

He did just that. After qualifying second fastest, Newgarden moved his No. 21 JTR/Robo-Pong Mygale SJ09 into the lead at the start. The gifted young American lost his advantage moments before a full-course caution but promptly regained the lead at the restart and then pulled away to score his second Formula Ford victory of the season.

“This win was for Joe,” declared Newgarden. “It was a very emotional time for the whole team. First of all, it was nice to get back and be with everyone because it’s a big family team. We’ve still got a long way to go this weekend, with two more races tomorrow, but this was definitely a very positive day.”

Earlier in the week at Lime Rock Park, Hand and Lally, who were awarded Team USA Scholarships in 2000 and 1999 respectively, put on quite a show during Round Five of the Grand-Am Koni Challenge Grand Sports division.

“Andy Lally is a professional and you have to pull every trick in the book to get by him,” noted Hand, who took the lead at Big Bend with 22 minutes remaining before taking the checkered flag to win aboard the No. 97 Turner Motorsports BMW M3 he shared with veteran Chris Gleason.

“Joey was giving me a couple nudges to remind me he was back there,” said Lally after finishing second in the No. 41 TRG/Magnus Racing Porsche GT3 which was started by co-driver John Potter. “I would have done the same thing, only harder! I’ve had a bunch of great races with Joey in the past, and this is another that will go down in the history books.”

Photo: Hand leads Lally in the closing stages at Lime Rock (courtesy of www.grand-am.com)

Sunday on the famed streets of Long Beach, Hildebrand, who won a Team USA Scholarship in 2005, scored a dominant victory in Round 3 of the Firestone Indy Lights Championship. Less than a week earlier over the Easter weekend, 2008 Team USA Scholarship winner Newgarden secured one of the opening rounds of the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain at the picturesque and demanding Oulton Park circuit.

Hildebrand, 21, comfortably snared the pole at Long Beach on Saturday and then led every lap of Sunday’s race to move into third place in the championship standings. The native Californian now lies a mere seven points behind Dutchman Junior Strous, who won both opening events at St. Petersburg two weeks earlier after Hildebrand was hindered by an electrical problem which restricted him to a solitary third-place finish.

Hildebrand’s only concern in Long Beach came when he clipped the inside wall at the hairpin at the end of the opening lap. Fortunately, the #26 ARPRO Andretti Green/AFS Racing car emerged unscathed, after which Hildebrand left his rivals firmly in his rear-view mirrors.

“It was a great weekend for everyone and I’m ecstatic to have had such a great race here in Long Beach,” said Hildebrand. “Obviously I’m a native Californian myself, but we’re also here in the backyard of Gary Peterson, our team owner, and have a lot of friends, family and sponsors here for the event so it’s a great way to end the weekend after clearly having the speed all along. I must admit I was panicking a little after brushing the wall on the first lap – and saw my whole weekend flash before my eyes briefly – but it all ended up great and sets us up pretty well for heading to Kansas next weekend.”

 

Photo: Bryan Herta with his family after winning an IndyCar Series race at Michigan in 2005

Rice, who won a Team USA Scholarship in 1996, teamed with David Donohue, Darren Law and Antonio Garcia to clinch the overall victory aboard the #58 Brumos Racing Porsche-Riley.

Donohue took the lead with 39 minutes remaining and held off a strong challenge from defending race winner Juan Pablo Montoya (#01 Target/Telmex Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Lexus-Riley) to win by just 0.167 seconds. It was the closest margin of victory in the event’s storied history.

1999 Team USA Scholarship winner Lally joined Jorg Bergmeister, Patrick Long, Justin Marks and R.J. Valentine in securing the GT class honors aboard their #67 TRG Porsche 911 GT3.

A variety of other Team USA Scholarship winners also showed strongly in the event. A.J. Allmendinger (2001 Team USA Scholarship winner) was leading the race overall after 153 laps when his #6 Michael Shank Racing Ford-Riley suffered technical problems; Jimmy Vasser (1990) was among the event’s leading contenders in the #99 Gainsco Racing Pontiac-Riley; and Paul Edwards (1998) led the GT class aboard Banner Racing’s #06 Pontiac GXP.R until hitting difficulties which dropped the car to fourth in class at the finish.

Other Team USA Scholarship drivers among the 49-car field  included Memo Gidley (1995), Bryan Sellers (2001), Dane Cameron (2006) and Patrick Barrett (2007).

The Team USA Scholarship was founded in 1990 and is supported by Terminal Velocity Processing, Doug Mockett & Company, Aspin Foundations, Road Racing Drivers Club, Firestone Indy Lights Championship, Highcroft Racing, American Honda, Silicon Salvage, McMurry Inc., Dyson Racing, Metalore, The Gorsline Company, Integrated Performance Technology, Andersen Racing Team, PitFit Training, Sparco USA, eFormulaCarNews.com, Speedstar Management, Manifest Group and an array of past Scholarship winners including Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, A.J. Allmendinger, Buddy Rice, Andy Lally, Paul Edwards and Memo Gidley.

Photo: Buddy Rice (left) and Andy Lally in Victory Circle at Daytona International Speedway (credit Jeremy Shaw)

For the 16th year John Gorsline of The Gorsline Company has sponsored this award to recognize aspiring drivers and provide a program that provides tools for the winner that will assist them in developing skills on and off the track and attain their professional goals.

As the scholarship winner Miller will be working with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, to create an individually designed performance Enhancement program. Dallaire has personally worked with more than 600 drivers from 35 countries from all forms of motorsport.

In his Rookie season, Miller, a native of Hesperia, Calif., was runner up in the 2008 Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear, with one victory, two pole positions and four second-place finishes. All but two of his 12 finishes were top-four. The open-wheel series is the largest spec formula series in the United States.

He began racing karts at the age of 10, winning regional, state and national Championships over the next eight years. In 2004 whilst still racing karts, Miller moved up to cars in the Pacific 2000 Championship. Miller immediately made his mark as a rookie with one victory and five top-five finishes.

That success allowed Miller to be tapped as a finalist for the Red Bull Driver Search where he made it to the semi finals. He was also a Team USA Scholarship finalist.

It is clear Miller has a bright future ahead of him in motorsport. At this time, there are several options available to this talented young driver. However, plans for the 2009 season and beyond are not solidified.

Miller said, “I am honored at being selected to represent the 2009 Gorsline Scholarship and look forward to its opportunities. The list of previous winners is extensive, and adding my name to an already great list of drivers means a lot. I have to thank John Gorsline in selecting me for the program. I cannot wait to get started with all that the scholarship offers.”

The Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., pioneered the business of providing insurance for high-risk professionals. The company specializes in racing drivers and owners, providing custom designed insurance packages and full financial planning services.

Courtesy of The Gorsline Company

Doug Mockett runs a business based in Torrance, Calif., that designs, manufactures and distributes "fine architectural hardware for your fine furniture." In addition to being an avid supporter of the Team USA Scholarship for the past five years or so, Mockett also competes regularly in his collection of vintage Formula 1 and Formula Junior cars. And he makes an annual pilgrimage to the Carrera Panamericana (which he won in 2004). Here is his report from the 2008 edition:

Our annual high-speed joyride, 2300 miles from southern to northern Mexico in seven days, was, again, an adventure with more than a few highlights. Of 108 entries we qualified seventh and finished third overall and second in the Turismo Mayor class for big stock cars. But that hardly tells the story -

* We were second (by one second) in what I call the "Running of the Bulls" speed section along a freeway in downtown Mexico City. Four and a half miles of terrifying straightaway and a few top-speed curves at the end. And no guardrail to the right and a million spectators. We hit 175 mph and averaged about 160 for the run. And did it in 1:44. Whew! Glad that's over for another year ...

* 125 mph down a straightaway outside Zacatecas and shadows under a tree. Only the shadows started moving. Then the shadows turned out to be black bulls, sauntering across OUR road! Yes, the brakes worked. Very well, thank you!

* Troubles: Handling problems, tire problems, and the worst was a slipping clutch that had to be gently massaged the last 400 miles of the last day. But we made it! Third was a good result considering.

* Triumph: this amateur crew of [navigator] Angelica Fuentes and myself beating 1984 World Rally Champ Stig Blomqvist. At every service stop Stig had a crew of 10 changing the whole car setup. Oscar [Carrillo] and Phil [Denney] maybe bled the brakes, maybe changed tires, but mainly sipped good British tea.

Please click the link to access this story on Doug's latest e-Newsletter which provides details of another highlight during his most recent visit to Mexico: http://www.mockett.com/mailstorm/2008/Nov2008/index.html.

That potentially crucial step forward for his career has already paid dividends. Hildebrand, 20, today took advantage of another opportunity to demonstrate his skills on the international stage, participating in the special practice session for rookie drivers in Round Three of the 2008 A1GP World Cup of Motorsport.

Hildebrand was visiting Southern California earlier this week when he received an urgent phone call from his new employers, who also run Team USA’s A1GP program, asking if he would be available to make the trip to the Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur.

He certainly was.

Hildebrand immediately headed north to his home in Sausalito, Calif., packed his bags, picked up his race suit and his passport and headed to the San Francisco Airport.

“It was a seven-hour drive back to San Francisco to catch the flight to Malaysia,” noted Hildebrand, “but I can’t think of a better way of staying race fit through the winter and going to some really amazing places.”

This morning, without even enough time to make him fully comfortable aboard the 600hp, 4.5-liter Ferrari A1GP car, Hildebrand ventured out for the first time onto the challenging 3.44-mile circuit, which also regularly plays host to the Formula 1 Malaysian Grand Prix. Hildebrand’s task was to not take any risks but make a preliminary report to the race engineers, who would then attempt to fine-tune the car for regular A1 Team USA driver Marco Andretti, who was ineligible for the earlier session due to his extensive IndyCar Series experience.

Hildebrand set the eighth fastest time after completing around 20 laps.

“It was a great experience,” said Hildebrand, who finished fifth in the 2008 Firestone Indy Lights Championship, driving for RLR-Andersen Racing. “I was new to using paddle shift so I had to learn that, but the A1GP car has great power. It would have been nice to have been out there on newer rubber, because you get sent out in the rookie session on race tires from the previous meeting, but it’s the same for everyone. We can’t be pleased with eighth on the time sheets, but I hope that I have provided the team with some good setup information.”

Andretti posted the 13th fastest time after taking over behind the wheel for the second afternoon practice session, albeit just 1.3 seconds adrift than the fastest lap of the day set by A1 Team Great Britain’s Danny Watts.

“It really helped having J.R. in the car for the rookie practice,” said Andretti. “We’ve still got some work to do but it is showing that we are catching up to the quickest teams.”

* In other alumni news, 2000 Team USA Scholarship winner Joey Hand was confirmed recently as one of the drivers for Rahal Letterman Racing’s entry into the hotly contested GT2 category of the American Le Mans Series in 2009. Hand, 29, from Sacramento, Calif., will join fellow BMW stalwart Bill Auberlen aboard one of two of the sensational-looking BMW M3 GT2 cars.
 

The test came just a couple of weeks after the teenagers returned from an extraordinarily successful foray to England, where Newgarden, 17, from Hendersonville, Tenn., became the first American ever to post a victory in the Formula Ford Festival Final at Brands Hatch and Daly, 16, from Noblesville, Ind., followed up by becoming the youngest ever winner of the Walter Hayes Trophy Formula Ford event at Silverstone.

For both youngsters the test provided their first experience of a modern carbon fiber chassis, six-speed sequential gearbox and 240-horsepower Mazda "Renesis" rotary engine. To no one's surprise, they acquitted themselves well.

"We knew Conor as he has tested [an F2000 car] with us in the past, and the team all love him, but it was also great getting to know Josef," said Andersen Racing Team Manager Michelle Kish. "The test went very well, and both drivers showed why they had such great results in the UK."

In addition to displaying a good turn of speed, Daly and Newgarden gained a better appreciation for some of the challenges they will face as they progress toward the pinnacle of the sport.

"The Star Mazda car was a very different experience compared to the Formula Ford," noted Daly. "It was bigger, faster and responded very quickly. The car was much more physically demanding than the Formula Ford as well. By the end of the day I was feeling the pain in my neck!

"It was a really great day overall; I enjoyed every bit of the car and I learned a lot in preparation for next season," continued Daly, who will most likely contest the 2009 Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear after earning a place on the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Driver Development team following his victory in this year's BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda.

"The car was an absolute dream to drive and has definitely been the best car I have driven thus far in my career," added Newgarden, who is still evaluating his options for the 2009 season. "The car was very poised and forgiving which made driving it a blast. The power and grip were not overwhelming but it sure was a handful on cold tires!

"I want to thank everyone involved in the Team USA Scholarship program and Andersen Racing for making this test possible, along with Andersen's wonderful staff and crew for making it so enjoyable."

The Sebring test represented the second year in a row the Team USA Scholarship has been supported by the Andersen Racing Team which provides a ladder of opportunity for aspiring open-wheel stars by fielding programs in Formula Ford 2000, the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear and the Firestone Indy Lights Championship.

"It has been my great pleasure to be a small part of this excellent program," said team principal Dan Andersen. "To see this year's representatives perform so brilliantly in the UK gave me a great sense of pride in them, the team and our country. It's a wonderful program, and one that hopefully will continue to give deserving young drivers an opportunity to shine for many years to come."

The victory came two weeks after teammate Josef Newgarden won the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch.

Daly, who started fourth on the 36-car grid for the 15-lap Grand Final, which was held in cold, wet and extremely treacherous conditions, took the lead at half distance when Scottish Formula Ford Champion Graham Carroll slid off the road at Luffield corner. Newgarden also had made a mistake after leading the opening lap.

Daly, 16, from Noblesville, Indiana, controlled the remainder of the race and set the fastest lap for good measure. He became the youngest driver ever to scoop the Walter Hayes Trophy, which is named after one of the originators of Formula Ford. The presentation was made by Walter Hayes’ widow, Elizabeth, in the Clubhouse of the famed British Racing Drivers Club.

“It feels very good,” said Daly, who won this year’s BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National Presented by Mazda before being awarded a Team USA Scholarship. “It feels like I have a monkey off my back [after some niggling problems earlier in the week and at Brands Hatch]. Now I can go home happy.”

The two Americans were drawn in the second of two Semi Final races which began the afternoon’s activities. After Carroll scored a clear victory in the first race, followed by veteran Dutchman Michael Vergers, Newgarden made full use of the pole position for Semi Final Two by holding the lead into Copse Corner from Robert Barrable and Daly.

In very wet conditions, Newgarden went on to score an accomplished victory. Daly took advantage of a problem for Barrable to make it an American one-two.

“It’s not over yet,” said Newgarden. “The car wasn’t perfect, I had a bit too much entrance and mid-corner understeer. It was a pretty uneventful race so I concentrated on the car, thinking what we can do [to make some setup changes] for the Final.”

Carroll was given the advantage of starting on pole for the Final, due to his Semi Final having been held in slightly dryer, slightly quicker conditions. Newgarden lined up second, followed by Vergers and Daly on Row Two.

The start was clean, with Carroll holding onto his lead from Newgarden, but only as far as Brooklands at the end of the main back straightaway, where Newgarden took advantage of the draft, then ducked cleanly to the inside.

“I was looking good out front,” said Newgarden. “Once I saw I had a bit of a gap, I tried to put my head down.”

Unfortunately, in the appalling conditions, Newgarden went a little too deep into Brooklands on Lap 2. An instant later he was bounding through the huge gravel trap on the outside of the turn. Newgarden somehow extricated himself from the gravel (and again when he made a similar mistake a few laps later) but could do no better than an unrepresentative 14th-place finish.

Daly grasped second place from Vergers in a tidy maneuver under braking for Beckett’s on Lap seven. One lap later he was gifted the lead when Carroll fell afoul of the slippery track in Luffield.

Daly never looked back, taking the checkered flag 1.295 seconds clear of Englishman Josh Fisher , who passed Vergers with two laps to go. Daly’s success ensured a third straight Walter Hayes Trophy win for Cliff Dempsey Racing.

“It’s been a great experience,” said Daly. “I want to thank everyone for making this possible for Josef and me.”

After qualifying was held in cold, damp conditions, Heat One started on a wet track. Daly made a stellar start from row two of the grid, then lunged around the outside of Copse Corner to emerge in the lead.

“I was a bit nervous because of the wet conditions,” said Daly, “because I hadn’t done a standing start before in the wet, but I kept the revs really low and basically just inched off the line. I didn’t get any wheelspin and it was better than all the guys in front of me. At the first corner, I went in way too fast, which is what I planned, went wide onto the runoff and came out in front.”

From there, Daly engaged in a close tussle with 2007 British Formula Ford Champion Nathan Freke, driving a similar Ray. The pair exchanged positions a couple of times before Freke got sideways on the exit of Luffield and 16-year-old Daly took full advantage to nip past into Woodcote Corner. He then put his head down and gradually edged away to win by 1.45 seconds. Daly also set fastest lap at 1m12.672s.

“After everything that’s happened in the last few weeks, it’s good to finally get a first place,” said a delighted Daly, whose father, ex-Formula 1 and IndyCar driver Derek Daly was on hand to witness his son’s maiden overseas triumph. “It’s definitely well deserved for the team, that’s for sure. They’ve worked really hard.”

A couple of hours later, 17-year-old Newgarden lined up third on the grid for Heat Three after an abbreviated qualifying session. He actually posted a lap time that would have been comfortably good enough for the pole, only for it to be disallowed by the stewards because he crossed the line literally moments after the red flags waved due to an accident on the opposite side of the circuit.

“It’s a real shame,” said Newgarden. “That’s OK though. The car’s good and it’s the race that matters.”

Sure enough, Newgarden mirrored his teammate’s start by getting a great launch of the grid. He immediately challenged the leaders into the first turn, Copse Corner before tucking in behind polesitter William Herron (Ray GR08).

“I just wanted to watch for the first lap and then make my strategy,” related Newgarden. “I was trying to take it a little easy because Herron took Conor off [two weeks ago] at Brands [Hatch] and everybody says he’s kind of aggressive!”

Newgarden didn’t stay there for long. At the end of lap two, Herron’s car snapped completely sideways on the exit of Luffield and Newgarden made his move, ducking to the inside and taking the lead. He promptly drove away from the field, winning by 5.969 seconds and posting a fastest lap of 1m12.090s.

“The car was fabulous. It had a bit of understeer but we set the car up to do that,” said Newgarden.  “There was a lot of lapped traffic so you had to be careful. It seemed like a very short race. In fact I don’t think I would have seen the checkered flag if I didn’t see the crew cheering on the pit wall! I thought, what are they doing? Then I looked over and saw the checkered flag!”

The other heat races were won by Robert Barrable (Van Diemen), Rory Butcher (Van Diemen RF92), Scottish champion Graham Carroll (Van Diemen RF90) and Patrick McKenna (Ray GRS07). The grid placings for tomorrow morning’s two 12-lap Semi Final races will be determined in the morning.

Both drivers were lauded in the British specialist press after their impressive UK debut, but they will face even tougher opposition at Silverstone with the addition of several well-established names on the entry list for the event which honors one of the originators of Formula Ford.

Almost 130 Formula Ford cars will be on hand for what has become one of the British calendar’s most popular events. Among the one-off entries are former Le Mans winner Andy Wallace (who raced for many years in the American Le Mans Series with Team USA Scholarship supporter Dyson Racing); Aston Martin factory GT1 driver and Le Mans class winner Darren Turner; former British Formula Ford champion Nathan Freke (who also contested several Firestone Indy Lights Championship races this year); three-time Walter Hayes Trophy winner (and former US FF2000 competitor) Joey Foster; and former Formula Ford Festival winner Michael Vergers.

Newgarden and Daly have been testing at Silverstone for the past two days. Their sessions have been far from trouble-free, with Daly encountering persistent engine problems as well as some handling difficulties, and Newgarden losing time today after he fluffed a gear change and over-revved the engine. Nevertheless, both of the Cliff Dempsey Racing-prepped Ray GR07/08 cars have been fast, and the drivers are excited about their prospects for the weekend.

“Yesterday’s testing was really good,” declared Newgarden. “We ran in all sorts of different conditions and we made a lot of progress with the setup. The car is well balanced, and when we add new tires tomorrow it’s going to be really good because it’s good as it is right now and new tires will only help it.”

Newgarden’s engine, which sustained four bent valves and a broken cam follower, was dispatched to engine builder Neil Bold’s workshop in Manchester this morning and was due to be returned this evening after a thorough rebuild.

“I feel bad about what happened because it was a simple driver error,” admitted Newgarden. “[But] I feel very confident for the weekend. As it has been since we arrived, the chemistry within the team has been phenomenal and I feel very confident in our package. I’m looking forward to qualifying tomorrow.”

Both drivers are relishing the opportunity to compete at Silverstone – “The Home of British Motor Racing” – and even though his two days of testing have been fraught with drama, Daly, too, is looking forward to the weekend.

“I’ve run all the sessions and we’ve been fairly fast but we’ve definitely still some work to do,” said Daly. “We changed the carburetor, which definitely helped, but we’re still losing a couple of tenths [of a second] on the [main] straight. We need to get the handling a little closer too, because I have quite a bit of understeer from the middle of the corner to the exit. It’s been a bit of a struggle but I think Cliff’s got a handle on what’s going on. If it’s dry in the morning [for qualifying], I think we could be good handling-wise. Hopefully we can get the engine sorted too....”

Qualifying for the Walter Hayes Trophy will take place tomorrow (Saturday) morning, followed by the first of six eight-lap heat races starting at 11:45. Daly has been drawn into Heat One, while Newgarden will be in Heat Three. The top 11 finishers from each race will progress through to a pair of 12-lap Semi-Final races on Sunday morning. The 15-lap final will comprise the top 36 cars on Sunday afternoon.

The two American teenagers spent a day sightseeing in London immediately after their successful foray to Brands Hatch, then traveled to Banbury for a tour of Prodrive which encompassed visits to Aston Martin Racing and the Subaru World Rally Team.

The next day included a visit to the WilliamsF1 team, for which Conor’s father, Derek, drove in the 1980s.

“Our visits to Prodrive and Williams F1 were awesome,” said the younger Daly. “Going to Prodrive for Josef and me was a real treat mainly because we both have Subaru road cars! Williams was really great as well because of the fact that my father raced for them and because it’s a Formula 1 team factory – and you don’t get to see those everyday!

“Being able to visit a team that my Dad drove for was very cool because I don’t really see much evidence any more of his racing career other than pictures and trophies at our house. But here I could see an actual car, his name, his helmet in a trophy case, and when I was introduced to everyone in the factory and reception building, they seemed to acknowledge me as a Very Important Person as the son of a former Williams F1 Team driver. I felt incredibly honored.”

The original plan called for Daly and Newgarden to undertake an extra day of testing at Anglesey Raceway in North Wales before catching a ferry across the Irish Sea so the Cliff Dempsey Racing team could prep the cars at its home base just north of Dublin. Unfortunately, that idea was scuppered by a violent storm which prevented the team from even unloading the pair of Team USA Scholarship cars. The good news is that the weather improved sufficiently to allow the ferry crossing to go ahead, and the pair enjoyed several days of Irish hospitality which included attending the wedding of Conor’s cousin, Stephanie, and a few visits to some local karting venues to keep their competitive juices flowing!

This week also has included some shuffling of the schedule, which originally called for Daly and Newgarden to catch a return ferry to England and then drive to Silverstone in the team’s transporter in time for a couple of days’ testing. Instead, as a result of Newgarden’s Formula Ford Festival triumph, the two Americans were specifically invited to take a tour of the McLaren Technology Centre – home base for the team which this weekend in Brazil will be attempting to clinch the Formula 1 World Championship title with lead driver Lewis Hamilton.

“Having some time off after the Festival to relax and visit some race teams has been a real treat for Conor and me,” said Newgarden. “The time we spent in Ireland with both the Daly and Dempsey families was really enjoyable for us both. Then today we had an opportunity to visit the McLaren Technology Centre which has to have been the highlight of our trip so far. It’s just an amazing place and Neil Trundle, who has been with the team since the early 1980s, gave us a great insight to the factory and made the whole experience truly one to remember!”

The focus now returns to Formula Ford and two more days of testing at Silverstone prior to this weekend’s races.

“I have been looking forward to Silverstone since the minute after the Festival at Brands, so I can’t wait to get onto the track,” said Daly. “I am very hungry for a victory and I know it is within reach with the help of Cliff Dempsey’s team!”

“I’m excited about being able to race at Silverstone, because it has such a great history,” added Newgarden. “I know we have a very competitive car going into the weekend and I’m looking forward to another strong result.”

The two American teenagers faced a steep learning curve with their first-ever standings starts, not to mention their first experience of the no-holds-barred cut-and-thrust of British Formula Ford competition. Nevertheless, pole-sitter Newgarden earned a fourth-place finish in Heat One, while Daly’s car was stricken by a broken throttle linkage while running third in the early stages. Daly returned to the fray after a lengthy pit stop but was not classified in the final results.

“The European driving style is much more aggressive [than in the U.S.] and you must learn how to cope with it,” said Newgarden. “Every little opportunity to pass must be taken advantage of and you must work to minimize your mistakes. I got a little bit of wheelspin at the start and Graham Carroll got past me going into Paddock. Then I got a little loose on the exit and someone else just got their nose alongside me going up the hill into Druid’s. I didn’t do a good enough job of blocking, so I lost another couple of places.”

Relegated to fourth place by the completion of the fraught opening lap, Newgarden soon discovered his #21 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS07/08 wasn’t handling nearly as well as it had been during qualifying.

“There was some oversteer on turn-in and then the car went to understeer on the exits,” he said. “But it was good practice to figure out how to start these things and then try to find some passing zones.

“The good news is we’ll have new tires for tomorrow and I’m sure we’ll have a good car. Passing at Brands is very difficult, so your start and opening laps are very important to get right. Tomorrow my plan is to have a strong start and gain some positions on the opening laps. We’ve still got a good chance of winning this thing.”

Heat Two saw Daly also lose a place at the start, after which he settled immediately into an extremely respectable third place in the #22 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray...until Lap 3, when his car’s throttle abruptly stuck open at the entrance to the tricky Clearways corner.

“Considering it was my very first-ever standing start I think it went well,” reckoned Daly. “Things, however, did not go well after that...

“It was very unfortunate having the throttle stick wide open because the car’s handling was just coming in. I was lucky enough to get the car back to the pits without any damage but the engine had bent a valve.”

Daly, too, maintains an upbeat attitude heading into tomorrow morning’s Semi-Final races which will determine the grid placings for the 25-lap Final. Newgarden will begin his race on the fourth row of the grid, while Daly will have to start from the back.

“Looking ahead to tomorrow, I think it will be a lot of fun for me,” said 16-year-old Daly, whose father Derek won the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch in 1976. “I will learn a lot more about passing and coming from the back of the pack. It is still very possible to come from behind and win this race. I am trying to be very positive going into tomorrow because only good things can happen!”

Attached photo of Josef Newgarden at the Druid’s hairpin. Please credit: Jeff Bloxham.

Newgarden was first on track this morning with his #21 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray GRS07/8. After the brief but hectic 15-minute qualifying session, Newgarden had posted the fastest time of the week thus far to snare the pole position with a lap at 50.520 seconds. The lap record currently stands at 50.3 seconds.

A couple of hours later, Conor Daly ventured out for his heat’s qualifying session in the #22 Team USA Scholarship/Cliff Dempsey Racing Ray and posted the second fastest time at 50.720 seconds, just 0.073 seconds adrift of pole-sitter Patrick McKenna in a similar car.

“Qualifying today went extremely well for Conor and myself,” summarized 17-year-old Newgarden, from Hendersonville, Tenn. “We both managed to qualify on the front row for our heats and officially stamp our presence for this year’s Formula Ford Festival. I was a bit nervous before the session because I wanted to do so well, considering how good the week has gone so far.

“Qualifying on the front row really boosts your confidence for the preliminary races, but I know I can’t get too comfortable this early in the weekend. My plan for tomorrow is to keep my nose clean while finishing reasonably up front to better my chances at making the final.”

The final part of Daly’s qualifying session was compromised by a yellow no-passing flag through the final sector of the track due to an earlier incident, but the 16-year-old from Noblesville, Ind., still did a fine job to ensure a front row starting position for tomorrow.

“It was a very interesting day for sure,” said Daly. “When Josef went out and got the pole it put a little pressure on me to try and do just as well.

“I knew we had a good setup for qualifying and I was very anxious to go out. After the first few laps I was getting faster and faster and running pretty consistently. But traffic was a major issue. There was also a constant yellow flag in the last sector of the track for a crash. Through all this I was able to put together a lap that was good enough for P2 on the grid. This was a little disappointing for me because I had overtaken another car on my fastest lap which slowed me down just that little bit to not be able to get the pole”

“Looking ahead to tomorrow though I think we have two very good cars that are consistently quick and will give us the ability to have a good result.”

Saturday will comprise a pair of 15-lap heat races. The winner of the faster heat race will take pole position for Semi Final 1, with the other heat race winner securing pole for Semi Final 2. The remaining positions will be filled according to the finishing positions in the respective heat races. The top 12 finishers from each 20-lap Semi Final race will qualify for the 25-lap Final, along with the top four finishers from a Last Chance race which will comprise drivers who did not qualify for the Semi Finals.

Photo courtsey of Jeff Bloxham