The Skip Barber Racing School, the Official Racing School of the IZOD IndyCar Series and the Mazda Road to Indy, has trained and developed racing talent for almost four decades, but in five days, it will open a whole new window of opportunity. 33 talented but as yet largely unknown drivers with dreams of a pro racing future will converge on Sebring International Raceway for the first annual Skip Barber IndyCar Academy shootout.
The winner of the shootout competition will receive a sponsored ride in either the 2013 summer or winter Skip Barber Regional Race Series presented by Mazda, with the opportunity to climb the Mazda Road to Indy ladder to the IZOD IndyCar Series. Here is our fourth installment the contenders for this exciting new program.
Meet the 2012 Skip Barber IndyCar Academy Finalists, Part 4:
Joshua Lenhard
Age: 25
Hometown: Las Vegas, Nevada
Occupation: Single Father/ Data Entry/ Student
Q: When did your passion for racing begin?
A: A lot longer than I can remember. I remember playing with Hot Wheels as a kid, my Grandfather painted a Barbie Corvette Powerwheel for Christmas when I was five because I asked Santa for a gold race car. I never got a chance to race anything as a kid until Gran Turismo came out for the Playstation. I played racing games before but that was the first racing sim. And with that I wanted to race for real, and I always asked to go to the go kart track. I have been looking every legal way to race ever since.
Q: Did you ever think you would have the chance to go pro?
A: I truly believe I can if I can get a help in the right direction. I have held my own against IndyCar pros and Indy Lights drivers in a charity race in Vegas before the Indy race last year. I was asked if I wanted to watch by the owner of the company. Before the race began however an announcement was made that if anybody wanted to race the track to practice. Not missing an opportunity to race I asked to join in. The track was new to me, they reconfigured the layout the week before. As you race you can catch a glimpse of the leaderboard, and I noticed that I was a second faster to the next guy on a 27-second lap track.
After the race I went to sit back down with my (now 2nd ex) wife and a gentleman walked up to me. He asked me whose team I was on. I told him that I wasn't, at that point he told me I was now on his team.
This gentleman was Bobby Rahal and the person I beat on the track. I was placed as the lead driver and started mid pack among the pro drivers after qualifying. The race was set up as a Le Mans style endurance race. The Karts would last around 12 to 14 laps with the race lasting 50 laps. Every 10 laps the driver would come in and switch drivers and karts for the next stint. After my first stint I moved from 7th to 4th, and by my next stint, our team was in 3rd. I come out of the pits with 10 laps left and 1 second behind 2nd place Josef Newgarden on the track. I catch up and make my pass with 7 laps left and eye 1st place Esteban Guerrieri who is about 1 second ahead. With each lap I got closer to the point at which I was right behind him. However with 4 laps left my kart died and barely made it back to the pits. The team ended up finishing 5th.
However the experience was something that I will never forget and I want to have that feeling every week.
Q: Describe your everyday life: job, school, family. 
A: Well to understand my everyday life I want to first want to tell my past.
I am a former U.S. Army Special Operation Machinist. My job was basically engineering and manufacturing of aircraft tools and modifications. I was hurt from an Airborne jump and that kept me from doing some of the things the Army wanted me to so I was honorably discharged. This is where wife number one became ex-wife one.
I worked as a production manager for a company making furniture for casinos, which honestly I hated, but mostly because of the company I worked for. In that time I met my 2nd wife. Now I don't want to go through all the details, but basically it brings me to now.
I'm a single father who lives with my parents in Sedona, Ariz. I work for a radiology clinic currently converting medical files into a digital system. I am planning to going to NAU for computer science, with a minor in physics. I was planning on Mechanical Engineering when I left the Army in 2009 because it was very similar what I was doing when I was in. Well life got in the way a bit as you can tell.
Now I just want to make a good life for my son, Drake. He has the same racing bug I did, but the difference is that unlike my parents when I was a kid, I want him to race. My parents never cared about racing or cars even until I left for the Army. I may only be 25 years-old but, I have more life experiences than most my age. With life experience come more maturity and respect. And the life I had in the Army adds to experiences that I've grown from.
Q: What was your first thought when you were contacted by a Skip Barber Racing School instructor to say you were in the running?
A: Excitement, I can't wait to go, I just worry about doing well enough to keep my dream alive.
Q: If you could be any pro racecar driver in the world for 1 day, who would it be and why?
A: I wouldn't mind being Sebastian Vettel, that man has a lot of talent..
Justin Finkle
Age: 30
Hometown: Delmar, New York
Occupation: Gemologist
Q: When did your passion for racing begin?
A: As a toddler I would build race car tracks with my wood blocks and race my matchbox cars on the blocks. In third grade we did a class play. Each student was asked to pick their future career as an adult, dress like that person, and talk about that career. Most of my peers went with lawyer, doctor, teacher, I chose race car driver. The day of the play I dressed in my dad's motorcycle wet suit and helmet. I would have to say it started then.
Q: Did you ever think you would have the chance to go pro?
A: Somewhat. I participated in the 3-day class for one reason, the opportunity to make it to the top 33 and compete for the number one spot. I participated in a few Driver Education events at Watkins Glen with my dad when I was 18 and 19. I did pretty well and realized I had some talent. Then as a 20 something I participated in the 3 day and 2 day advanced classes at LimeRock. In the open track sessions for both classes I was never passed, I actually remember lapping people. I really wanted to race in the Skip Barber series but at the time I couldn't. I've regretted it for 10 years and when I saw the Indy Car Academy advertisement I took the opportunity as my one shot to prove it to myself.
Q: Describe your everyday life: job, school, family. 
A: I work for my family's business. It is a very small business my grandfather started over 75 years ago. Both my father and mother work with me. I went to college for something completely different but ended up following in my grandfather and father's footsteps. What they say about working with your family is true, it's tough.
I have a sister who is a lawyer with a large firm in London. She is two years younger and the brain of the family having graduated from both Cornell and Columbia Law.
I'm engaged to be married this summer to an amazing woman who is a school psychologist. She is the main reason I participated in the 3 day. She knew I could do it. She is my rock. We have two dogs, pit bulls. Everyone always makes a face or has a comment when you tell them you have pit bulls, but they've just never had the chance to love one. We've had one since he was a puppy and the female we rescued from a bad situation. They are the center of our world and we devote most of our free time to them.
Q: What was your first thought when you were contacted by a Skip Barber Racing School instructor to say you were in the running?
A: For some reason, Skip Barber has my parent's home phone number listed under my name. I haven't lived there in a while. I was actually at work and my mom called and told me to listen to this message on their answering machine. At that moment the competition was the last thing on my mind. When I heard my instructor's voice, I knew immediately I was in. I was excited but my first thought was, "Crap, I hope I make the top 33."
Q: If you could be any pro racecar driver in the world for 1 day, who would it be and why?
A: Tough question. To be honest I can't decide. I like a driver who doesn't conform and drives like he or she wants to. Someone who doesn't take anyone's crap on or off the track. I also admire a driver that can race in all types of cars and situations, open wheel, sport, nascar, rally. I know everyone always knocks NASCAR but living in upstate New York I always enjoy watching the NASCAR guys race at Watkins Glen. The finish Marcos Ambrose had this year at the Glen was awesome.
Mac Wolff
Age: 23
Hometown: Katy, Texas
Occupation: New Home Sales
Q: When did your passion for racing begin?
A: Pretty early, probably when I was about 10. I went to the racetrack with my dad a lot and loved the smells and the noises and the people that make up a racing atmosphere. I loved and continue to love how when you are at a race track it is almost like the rest of the world doesn't really exist. It feels like its own self-sustaining world.
Q: Did you ever think you would have the chance to go pro?
A: I know that it's very difficult to go pro in racing. It's one of the few sports that talent doesn't guarantee success. So no know I didn't think I would have a chance like this.
Q: Describe your everyday life: job, school, family.
A: Well I just recently graduated from Texas A&M University and I now live with my parents while I work my first real world job and save some money for things like racing. I work as a Sales Associate at a home builder in Katy Texas, so I interact with people a lot and try to help them through the experience of building a home. I miss college as I'm sure many do, and I go back occasionally because many of my friends are still there but I'm also trying to get my life started in Houston. My family is great and very supportive, and my sister still attends Texas A&M.
Q: What was your first thought when you were contacted by a Skip Barber Racing School instructor to say you were in the running?
A: I was excited but hesitant because I wasn't sure how legit the program really was because I hadn't heard about it before – obviously, since its new – and there wasn't much information out there. As the process has gone on and I have gotten a rep with Skip Barber and the promotional info has emerged I have become very excited and pumped to compete against some of the best young drivers in the country.
Q: If you could be any pro racecar driver in the world for one day, who would it be and why?
A: I think right now it would be Brad Keselowski for a few reasons. First I respect a complete driver, someone who can compete and win on oval and road tracks. Secondly, he doesn't take crap from anybody. Thirdly, he understands what racing is about. His second-place finish at Watkins Glen this year is the best example. Ambrose and himself battled extremely hard the last few laps with lots of contact and he lost, but after the race all he could talk about was how much fun he had and apparently he went and talked to Ambrose about it too. We race because it's a blast and he gets that.