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© The Official Newsletter Of The American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association April 2014 Vol. 47 No. 4 Annual AARWBA Breakfast At Indy Saturday May 24th at 8 a.m. In the Pavilion next to the golf course. Contest winners will be announced. The Angelo, Jigger and Russo awards will be presented. American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (www.aarwba.org) “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage Of Motor Sports” Matthew Brabham Selected to Receive 20th Gorsline Scholarship Submitted by Judy Stropus Matthew Brabham, of Indianapolis and Gold Coast Aus- tralia, was presented the 20th Gorsline Scholarship by John Gorsline today at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by Fresh From Florida. Brabham, 20, is part of the Brabham Family dynasty as grandson of three-time Formula One champion Jack Brabham, son of four-time IMSA GTP champion Geoff Brabham and nephew of two-time ALMS LMP champion David Brabham. With this scholarship he will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, on an individually-designed performance-enhancement program, and will benefit from a unique training program at Jim Leo's PitFit Training - all courtesy of Gorsline Com- pany. David Brabham, Geoff Brabham, John Gorsline, Matthew Brabham. The Gorsline Scholarship is presented by Gorsline Com- Photo credit: Brandon Howard, Highlands Today. pany, of Rochester, N.Y., the leader in high-risk motorsports insurance. It recognizes aspiring drivers by saw him become the 2012 USF2000 Series Champion and providing programs with tools that will assist them in de- Rookie of the Year, with four wins, three track records and six veloping skills on and off the track to help attain their pro- poles, and the 2013 Pro Mazda Series Champion and Rookie fessional goals. of the Year, with 13 wins and 10 poles. He won the 2012 Team USA scholarship to compete in three British Formula Renault Two other young drivers were also considered for the 2.0 races, and was awarded BRDC Rising Star membership in Scholarship: Sean Rayhall, 19, of Winston, Ga., and 2013 and 2014. He wiil race for Andretti Autosport in Indy Madison Snow, 18, of Lehi, Utah. Lights in 2014, part of the Mazda Road to Indy Scholarship. "At such a young age, Matthew is already an accom- Previous recipients of the Gorsline Scholarship are: plished racer," said Gorsline, principal of Gorsline Com- 2012 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 2011 Conor Daly pany. "All three of the candidates for the 20th Gorsline 2010 Josef Newgarden 2009 Joel Miller Scholarship are worthy recipients. It was a tough deci- 2008 Dane Cameron 2007 JR Hildebrand sion, but we selected Matthew. We're confident he'll ben- 2006 Katherine Legge 2005 Colin Braun efit from the performance-enhancement and fitness 2004 Ryan Lewis 2003 Rocky Moran Jr. training programs that Dallaire and Leo will provide as he 2002 Danica Patrick 2001 Patrick Long progresses in his racing career." 2000 Bryan Sellers 1999 David Besnard 1998 Buddy Rice 1997 Butch Leitzinger "I'm absolutely honored and it really means a lot to me, 1996 Jerry Nadeau 1995 Anthony Lazzaro for sure," said Matthew, who will begin his 2014 racing 1994 Bryan Herta season at the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (Fla.) on March 28-30, driving for Andretti Autsport in In- About Gorsline Company: dy Lights. "I've known John Gorsline for a while now, Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., pioneered the through my father, and to have my name on the list with business of providing insurance for high-risk professionals in the U.S. previous recipients with such outstanding pedigrees is The company specializes in providing racing drivers and team owners really, really cool and special. I've worked with Jim Leo creative, custom-designed insurance packages and estate planning strategies. In addition to insuring top racing drivers in all U.S. racing and Jacques Dallaire before and they are such massive series for over 45 years, the company has been instrumental in struc- influences, especially in American motorsports. So, to be turing successful Performance Bonus Packages for teams, tracks and on board with them helping me through this really, really series. Dedicated to the motorsports community, important time of my career is going to be huge. I'm really looking forward to meeting with them and working with Gorsline Company has awarded the Gorsline Company scholarship these programs to help me succeed in my racing career." since 1994 to talented up-and-coming drivers, as well as the Walter Mitty Award to the vintage driver who demonstrates the sportsmanship Brabham began racing karts at age 7 in Australia, win- of the committed "gentleman vintage driver." Gorsline Company also supports the Bob Snodgrass Award, given to the TUDOR United ning 46 races including the 2004 NWS "Midget" State SportsCar Racing Championship team owner and/or manager who title and the 2007 QLD "Rookie" State title, before mov- shares the professionalism and dedication of the late Bob Snodgrass. ing up to the Jr National Light class. In 2008 he won both Company principal John Gorsline has also been frequently mentioned the NSW and QLD State Jr National Light titles and in in articles in the New York Times, USA Today and numerous motor- 2009 the Jr Rotax Young Guns title. He then switched to sports publications. He is also a member of the Road Racing Drivers Formula Ford, finishing second once and third once in Club, the Automobile Club of Monaco, the Automobile Club de l'Ouest, the Victorian State series and was selected to join the and the Goodwood Road Racing Club. CAMS Rising Star program for 2010. He competed in the Victorian Formula Ford State Series in 2011 and in the Australian National Championship, winning eight State races and two National races. The following two years All Contents © The American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association 922 North Pass Avenue Burbank, CA 91505-2703 (818) 842-7005 American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (www.aarwba.org) “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage Of Motor Sports” 2 All Contents © The American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association 922 North Pass Avenue Burbank, CA 91505-2703 (818) 842-7005 American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association, Inc. (www.aarwba.org) “Dedicated To Increasing Media Coverage Of Motor Sports” 3 By Anne Proffit - Reprinted courtesy of www.motorsport.com I've had to think about this a few days and take it in. The 62nd Mobil 1 12 Hours of Sebring seemed less a sporting endeavor than a war of wills (without a winner) and I'm not exactly certain how to react to it yet. Is it time for me to cut Scot Elkins some slack after lambasting him and IMSA following the Rolex 24 at Daytona? After all, it's a tough job to make rules for a new series and to enforce them properly, even with more than 18 months lead time. Unfortunately for IMSA, officiating at the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship race at Sebring turned out to be more of the same slop as Daytona. Balance of Performance dictates didn't get posted to teams until the Friday night before race week, well after engine manufactur- It's easy to be a Monday morning quarterback but it's clear that mis- ers had completed their preparations for the race and shipped takes were made - admitted by Elkins - so the hierarchy at IMSA needs product to teams. In different categories, cars gained or lost to have many meetings with its officials and get this mess straightened sonic restrictor sizes, gained or lost weight, had fuel cells made out. Before Long Beach and certainly prior to the race at Mazda Race- larger or smaller, depending on the results after the Rolex 24 at way Laguna Seca in early May. Daytona and an open test in Sebring. These BoP made for extra As a writer and photographer at races across this country and occa- work for the engineers, mechanics and fabricators, even as they sionally overseas, I've seen the best and worst of officiating. This group prepped for a pre-race test session - the day after rules were is definitely overdoing it; it's my opinion that the best officials are those posted. that aren't seen or heard on a regular basis. Qualifying went to perfection for Daytona's winners, Action Ex- One official that's learning what it's like to be on the other side of the press Racing's Corvette DP, thanks to an in-the-zone lap by the fence in Beaux Barfield, chief steward for the Verizon IndyCar Series. remarkable Sebastien Bourdais. This despite the problems of He was working at Daytona and Sebring as team strategist and got to making it through the track's turn 5, which must have had some see the horror show from the pit/paddock perspective, rather than the debris on it - either that or every Prototype driver was really try- control tower. It would be interesting to ask Barfield if he's got a differ- ing that hard! Photographing in the area, I saw most everyone ent perspective after these two races being on the other side of the go off-circuit during the final, of four qualifying sessions that set fence? the grid for the 10:15AM Saturday start to the race. As it was, the first half of this traditional spring break party cum race was a festival of caution periods. There were 11 full-course yellows in 12 hours and a single red flag, removing at least five hours of actual racing time from the docket.

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