Matthew DonMoyer
Age: 24
Hometown: Aurora, Colorado
Occupation: Field Engineer
Q: When did your passion for racing begin?
A: When I was 4 years old, when I received my first dirt bike – ever since my first ride, I have wanted to continue with racing. The first car race I attended was the Grand Prix of Denver, in 1991 when I was 3. My father, Mike DonMoyer helped further my desire to race by purchasing my first car, a 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray which we restored when I was 15. Through the years I have practiced racing with both my dirt bikes and Corvette. I have not only been the driver but also the mechanic learning about repairs, preparation and setup.
Q: Did you ever think you would have the chance to go pro?
A: Yes, I have always thought I would. I have worked hard to improve my skills both on and off the track. Also, I have strived to elevate myself on all levels of the champions pyramid including; physical and mental skills, communication skills, technical skills as well as my desire and commitment to racing. My competitive spirit and love for motorsports has always led me to believe I could go pro. Another reason is greatly due to my support network. My family has always supported me in my pursuit of racing. They have always been there to help and encourage me at every level as I continued to grow in my pursuit of motorsports.
Q: Describe your everyday life: job, school, family. 
A: My everyday life is full of excitement as no day is ever the same. I am currently living in Las Vegas with my fiancée and 3 dogs. My day job is a Field Engineer with a major construction company. My 13-hour work day begins at 3:30 a.m. and continues until 4:30 p.m. For my job I must collaborate with a variety of coworkers, management and interface with different company and client representatives. My day to day tasks include managing schedules, costs, quality and engineering issues. I come home to a loving fiancée and 3 crazily excited dachshunds where I work to assist my fiancée with her own personal business.
Following this I have dedicated the rest of my night to both working out and training on the IRacing simulator. Due to my move from Colorado to Nevada for my job I don't see the rest of my family every day but we are always in close contact with one another. I graduated from Colorado State University in Construction Management in December of 2010. I love to race, ski, snowboard, motorcycle and golf.
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 would have the chance to prove to myself and my peers that all my hard work and determination will allow me to compete and be successful in the Indycar Academy and future racing endeavors.
Q: If you could be any pro racecar driver in the world for one day, who would it be and why?
A: Johnny O'Connell. I would want to be him because he is a great racecar driver who is able to drive any type of car successfully. He won rookie of year in the Formula Atlantic series, he is also a 2 time GTS champion, has the most wins at Sebring and is a 3 time winner at 24 Hours of Le Mans. Another reason would be that Johnny is a very smart racecar driver who knows when and where to push the car and when to execute patience. Also, Johnny O'Connell hasn't lost the fun and joy of racing as demonstrated in his interviews. He is the complete racecar driver that has natural talent and a hard work ethic which has led to his many accomplishments.
Matthew Ivanhoe
Age: 25
Hometown: Greenwich, Connecticut
Occupation: Internet Entrepreneur
Q: When did your passion for racing begin?
A: Birth.
Q: Did you ever think you would have the chance to go pro?
A: Go pro racing? I figured that with enough money/time, anything is possible.
Q: Describe your everyday life: job, school, family.
A: My job is quite intense, and requires an ability to focus intensely on a number of different things simultaneously. I am the founder and CEO of Automonious.com, which helps people find his or her automotive soulmate by assessing his or her budget, usage needs, and personality. I am personally responsible for the matching algorithm that makes the site possible. In addition to that, I am a classic car manager for high net worth individuals, a trader of rare, vintage, collectible wristwatches, and act as a business consultant and board member for three other startups. I graduated from NYU in 2010; some of these ventures were already in progress years prior to graduation, however, the main focus of my life (Automonious) began after graduation. In addition to that, I have two wonderful, intelligent, hardworking and supportive parents, a younger sister who qualifies as the same, and I am close with all of them, as well as extended family; they are all extremely supportive of my automotive passions, and have believed that this was a possibility before I did. As you can see, working hard, remaining dedicated, achievement, and success are things that I live.
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: Shock and excitement; however, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that I was told in no uncertain terms that I was entered into the shootout, not that I was in the running to be entered into the shootout.
Q: If you could be any pro racecar driver in the world for one day, who would it be and why?
A: Difficult question to answer, because many of the drivers whom I truly idolize died too young – Mark Donohue, Senna, Colin McRae. That said, if I had to have been any driver who didn't die in his prime, it would probably be Walter Rohrl. In my opinion, in terms of sheer driving skill and car control, WRC drivers are the tops, and why not be the one who was the best of the best, who got to drive the baddest WRC cars of all time (Group B), and who gets to develop and race Porsches in retirement, and gets paid really well for it?
Matthew Wilkes
Age: 21
Hometown: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Occupation: Student
Q: When did your passion for racing begin?
AI have wanted to race since I can remember, but never had a way to do it besides video games. When I was 13 I started to ride dirt bikes which eventually led to me racing motocross for about 6 years. I started looking into formula car racing with skip barber after my uncle suggested I go to racing school. I probably annoy most of the people around me with my constant ramblings about racing, I almost never shut up about it! I'd say I have been really passionate about racing for the past 6 or so years now, I've put myself in the hospital many times riding dirt bikes and have to give credit to my mother for putting up with it and paying for me along the way. So thanks Ma, but this probably won't stop any time soon.
Q: Did you ever think you would have the chance to go pro?
A: I never thought I'd have an actual shot at being a professional racer since I was never the best at motocross and didn't see a way to get into auto racing in an affordable manner. I did not stop chasing the dream, though, and when the Skip Barber Indy Car Academy e-mail came across my inbox, I knew I had to try. I called Skip Barber the next day to sign up for a 3 day at Lime Rock Park and the rest is history.
I have always been the less than talented athlete with the most heart, but I guess according to these guys I am a decent driver! I am glad I never gave up on perusing this dream and don't plan to stop anytime soon. Other than that I am always pestering my uncle, Stan Wattles, who was an IndyCar driver about how to get into the sport. He's always offering good solid advice that keeps my excitement in check while offering solutions to sate my craving for racing, without his advice I may have never even tried to get into Formula Racing!
Q: Describe your everyday life: job, school, family. 
A: I am a full time student at Clemson University, where I major in Economics and I am also a member of Phi Sigma Kappa Fraternity. I visit my family pretty often back in North Carolina when I can and will be looking for an internship this summer. When I am not busy with school related activities I am frequently in the gym, I enjoy weight training and martial arts, and video games when I have the time. During the summers I tend to spend my time going out on the lake or riding/racing dirt bikes, though last summer was filled with adventures to the different race schools I was attending through Skip Barber.
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 definitely excited, to say the least. My first thought was how I would prepare for it and what I could do to make the most of the opportunity. But that quickly turned to raw excitement when I realized it would just mean me being back in the car again.
Q: If you could be any pro racecar driver in the world for one day, who would it be and why?
A: I would probably choose Sebastian Vettel, other than his incredible ability behind the wheel, he seems to have a very intelligent head on his shoulders which is important to me. Of course, he also has my dream job of being a Formula 1 driver as well! Another driver that comes to mind would be Travis Pastrana, since he seems to get into every motorsport out there.
Max Hanratty
Age: 19
Hometown: Hartland, Wisconsin
Occupation: Student, Intern
Q: When did your passion for racing begin?
A: When I was a little kid going to IRL races. I remember being in the pits, seeing all the drivers and their cars. I thought it was the coolest thing and I immediately knew that is what I wanted to do.
Q: Did you ever think you would have the chance to go pro?
A: When I was little It was always a dream of mine, but as I got older that dream started to fade away further and further until I was given the opportunity to do the Skip Barber 3-day racing school. The Road To Indy program really gave me some hope that maybe this is something that could become a reality.
Q: Describe your everyday life: job, school, family.
A: I work a 9-5 Job as a sales and marketing intern at a internet security company called SynerComm that is based out of Brookfield, Wis. I am doing a lot of learning there and also some handy work around the office. I will be a Freshmen next year at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee and will be studying marketing with some IT work in there. My family has always liked racing and are supporting me 100% as I try and pursue a career in racing. I also like to spend my time on iracing.com using the Skip Barber Formula 2000 car in order to better work on my driving lines and getting to know the courses in the Skip Barber Race Series.
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: It was an unbelievable feeling. When I first heard of the news I was over excited and immediately called my mom and dad (My biggest supporters) to tell them the news. It was the first thing that really boosted my confidence and made me realize that I might realistically have a shot at the road to Indy.
Q: If you could be any pro racecar driver in the world for one day, who would it be and why?
A: I would be Alex Tagliani. I was fortunate enough to meet him and speak with him briefly about racing and his career. He taught me some valuable lessons on how you need to over deliver in everything you do for the sponsors. It is a crucial part to making it big. He seemed to be a good well-rounded guy who loves what he does and works hard to make sure he can keep doing it. He is a very talented racer and I think there will be many big things to come for him in the future.