Josef Newgarden wins Gorsline scholarship

JOSEF NEWGARDEN WINS GORSLINE COMPANY SCHOLARSHIP

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (Nov. 25, 2009) - Josef Newgarden, of Hendersonville, Tenn., has been awarded the 17th annual Gorsline Company scholarship, presented by John Gorsline.

The Gorsline Scholarship is given to a young up-and-coming driver each year who displays the attributes of a future champion. This award has been sponsored by John Gorsline of The Gorsline Company to recognize and help aspiring drivers to develop both on and off the track to attain their professional goals.

Eighteen-year-old Newgarden has established himself as one of the leading up-and-coming drivers in junior formula car racing. A championship-winning driver in the karting ranks, the Tennessee native has continued his winning ways behind the wheel of a race car. He concluded his 2009 MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain finishing second overall. The talented American junior open-wheel driver finished the season with a series-high nine race wins, and as the leading rookie competitor.

In 2008, Newgarden won three times and started from the pole position a series-high six times in the BFGoodrich/Skip Barber National presented by Mazda series, en route to narrowly finishing second in the championship fight. Newgarden made history a few months later by becoming the first American to win the historic Formula Ford Festival in England, when he took home top honors in the Kent class as a member of the prestigious Team USA Scholarship program. In 2009, Newgarden competed full-time in Europe as driver for Joe Tandy Racing in the 25-race MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain Formula Ford Championship. Newgarden is sponsored by Racer of Tomorrow Ltd. and Newgy/Donic Robo-Pong ping pong robots.

"Josef represents the spirit of this award extremely well," said Gorsline. "His youthful exuberance and talent on the track, whether in a kart or a race car, will take him a long way in his career. We are proud of his efforts."

Newgarden will be presented this award at the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) annual awards dinner held in Indianapolis in January and at the Autosport Awards banquet in London at a presentation by Sir Stirling Moss.

In earning the Gorsline scholarship, Newgarden will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, co-founder of the Human Performance Institute, in 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 motorsport.

The Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester New York, 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 winners of this honor have been:

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

-credit: gc