The 16th annual Skip Barber Racing School Karting Shootout is set for Nov. 13-16 at Sebring International Raceway. For an entry fee of $3,000, the next generation of racecar drivers will have the opportunity to learn a lot about racing open-wheel formula cars, what it takes to be a complete driver and to compete for scholarships for the 2013 Skip Barber Racing School race season.
Observed by a panel of motorsports experts, 50 karters will be coached as they go through a series of tests both on and off the racetrack. This annual event will be held in conjunction with the Skip Barber Racing School Championship Shootout, where the best of the best will compete to win a funded ride in the 2013 USF2000.
The expert panel will evaluate each driver on on-track performance, off-track presentation and business plan, effective listening and ability to apply feedback. Participants will also take part in seminars on media training, driver development, sponsorship and physical fitness. Competitors will also gain exposure from the event, via media coverage of the shootout.
The Karting Scholarship Shootout is exclusively for karters with no professional auto racing experience and no Skip Barber Racing School race event experience. Racers who are overqualified to participate in the Karting Shootout can participate in the Summer or Winter Race Series to qualify for the Championship Shootout, which also will be held at Sebring Nov. 13-16.
By limiting the field to strictly karters, Skip Barber Racing School returns to the core commitment of providing scholarship opportunities for karters to advance through the levels of motorsport using the Skip Barber Racing School ladder and also the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development ladder. An integral part of the MAZDASPEED Motorsports Development ladder and the Mazda Road to Indy, Skip Barber Racing School allows racers to advance through the system of race schools and race series with the possibility of earning scholarships at the conclusion of each championship.
The winner of the Karting Scholarship Shootout will receive a scholarship to compete in the full 2013 Skip Barber Race Series of their choice. The other top four drivers will receive scholarship funds to compete in 2013 Skip Barber Race Series events. At the end of the year, competitors of the Race Series will have the opportunity to participate in the Skip Barber Race Series Championship Shootout, with the grand prize being a scholarship to compete in the full 2014 USF2000 race season funded by Mazda.
Karting Scholarship Shootout Awards:
1st place: Full Season in the Skip Barber Racing School Mazda 2012-2013 Winter or 2013 Summer Series
2nd place: $25,000 Race Series Scholarship
3rd place: $20,000 Race Series Scholarship
4th place: $15,000 Race Series Scholarship
5th place: $10,000 Race Series Scholarship
All scholarships funds are spread out over each race event throughout the course of the 2013 season, and cannot be applied to only a few select events. Prizes are non-transferrable and the awards are subject to event rules, available on SkipBarber.com.
For the Championship Shootout, 20 drivers from the Skip Barber Racing School Winter and Summer Series will have the opportunity to battle for a coveted ride in the 2013 MAZDASPEED USF2000. In addition to the top prize, the second through fourth place racers will receive a total of $70,000 of scholarships to develop their skills in the Skip Barber Race Series.
Along with the top 20 racers from the Skip Barber Racing School Winter and Summer Series, individuals who have participated in at least five Skip Barber race weekends in the 2011-2012 Winter or 2012 Summer Series, can also purchase an entry for $8,500. For more information, call (800) 221-1131.