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J.R. Hildebrand Receives
Prestigious Gorsline Scholarship
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (January 13, 2007) -- J.R. Hildebrand,
of Sausalito, California, received the 2007 Gorsline Scholarship,
a prestigious award given to a young up-and-coming driver
each year who displays the attributes of a future champion.
It is the fourteenth year that John Gorsline of The Gorsline
Company has sponsored this award to recognize and help
aspiring drivers to develop both on and off the track and
attain their professional goals. Hildebrand received his
award at the Awards Banquet of the American Auto Racing
Writers & Broadcasters Association held in Indianapolis.
The presentation was made by Dan Partel, founder of the
European Formula Drivers Association and longtime supporter
of up and coming young drivers. Hildebrand also received
his "Horsepower Award" for being named to AARWBA's 2006
Auto Racing All America Team.
In earning the Gorsline Scholarship, Hildebrand will be
working with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Cofounder of the Human
Performance Institute, with an individually designed Performance
Enhancement Program. Dallaire, Director of Performance
Prime, has personally worked with more than 600 drivers
in 35 countries from all forms of motorsports. Hildebrand
will also receive driver coaching from Ross Bentley of
Speed Secrets.
This year, Hildebrand was crowned the 2006 Cooper Tires
Formula Ford 2000 Champion racing for Cape Motorsports.
He won an unprecedented 12 of 14 races, setting records
for most wins in a season with 12, most consecutive wins
in a season with seven, most poles with 11, as well as
most laps led. Hildebrand also made an impressive Champ
Car Atlantic Series debut in the final round at Road America
with Newman Wachs Racing, and has signed on with NWR to
compete in the full season in 2007. In his spare time,
Hildebrand drove a 1975 Penske PC-3 to victory in the Historic
Grand Prix Formula One race at Infineon Raceway-his first
time in the car; and raced in a 24-hour Karting Endurance
Race, leading the race and turning the fastest race lap.
Hildebrand came from a different sort of racing background.
His father races vintage Trans Am cars, so J.R. grew up
with great names like Mark Donohue, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti,
and A.J. Foyt as his heroes. Young Hildebrand saw them
as drivers who would drive anything and everything because
of their passion for the sport, and he developed the same
mindset. He started karting at 15, later than most, and
raced locally in California for two years honing his skills.
Hildebrand won the 2004 Jim Russell Graduate Runoffs. He
capitalized on his performance the following year by winning
the Formula Russell Championship, joining Scott Speed as
the only drivers to win both the Runoffs and the Championship.
In 2005, Hildebrand finished second in the Pacific F2000
Series racing for PR1 Motorsports. He received the distinguished
Team USA Scholarship later that year, finishing third overall
in the Formula Palmer Audi Autumn Cup in the UK.
Hildebrand finished high school last year, and has been
admitted with a two year deferral to the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. He intends to build on his current
knowledge even further to better himself for the future.
While keeping his focus on open wheel racing, Hildebrand's
ultimate goal is to emulate the legendary drivers of the
sixties and seventies, and become the next great all-around
American race car driver.
The Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, New York,
pioneered the business of providing insurance for high
risk professionals. The companies specialize in racing
drivers and owners, providing custom-designed insurance
packages and full financial planning services.
The Gorsline Scholarship is presented annually. Previous
winners are:
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
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