NA-F2000: Hildebrand receives Gorsline scholarship

J.R. Hildebrand to Receive Prestigious Gorsline Scholarship

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (December 1, 2006) -- J.R. Hildebrand, of Sausalito, California, will receive 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. The award will be presented by Sir Stirling Moss at a private reception at The Grosvenor House preceding the Autosport Banquet in London Sunday 3 December 2006.

In earning this award, Hildebrand will be working with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Co-Founder of the Human Performance Institute, with on 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 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, and most laps lead as well. 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 a vintage Formula One race at Infineon Raceway.

Hildebrand came from a different sort of racing background. His father raced vintage Trans Am cars, so he grew up with great names like Mark Donohue, Dan Gurney, Mario Andretti, and AJ 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

-credit: The Gorsline Company