Matthew Brabham, Tristan Nunez and Jack Mitchell Jr have been selected as the latest winners of the prestigious Team USA Scholarships, with all three to head over to England and compete over the next two months.
After an exhaustive selection process, which included interviews, simulator work and on-track action, the American trio have clinched the crowns, following in the footsteps of an illustrious list of former winners including JR Hildebrand, Bryan Herta and Josef Newgarden.
18 year old Brabham, who recently clinched the Cooper Tyres USF2000 Championship Powered by Mazda title, will now compete in the final two rounds of the Protyre Formula Renault BARC Championship at Silverstone with Cliff Dempsey Racing, before then competing in the Formula Renault BARC Winter Series.
“I’m so happy and excited that I was picked for the Team USA Scholarship,” said Brabham, who will graduate to the Star Mazda Championship in 2013. “It’s really cool to be a part of such a prestigious program that has helped some very famous and talented drivers. To have my name next to theirs on the Team USA program is truly an honor and I am looking forward to representing the USA over in England. Already I have learned so much from the program and I am looking forward to developing further from this experience.”
16 year old’s Mitchell and Nunez meanwhile will now compete in the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch and the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, once again with Cliff Dempsey Racing.
“I am thrilled to be selected for the 2012 Team USA Scholarship,” said Mitchell, who has proven to be a front-runner this year in both the Skip Barber Racing School competition and the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship. “It has been a dream of mine since I started racing and I am extremely thankful for being given the opportunity to represent America at an international level. I look forward to driving two legendary European tracks and gaining valuable driving knowledge that I will undoubtedly utilize for the rest of my career. I have driven with Tristan Nunez in the Skip Barber Race Series and I look forward to driving with him again.”
“To have been chosen for Team USA is such an honour and a dream come true for me,” added Nunez, who is within a few points of clinching the IMSA Cooper Tires Prototype Lites Championship after winning 10 of the 12 races held so far. “It will be an experience of a lifetime to compete in England and represent the USA. I am really excited to get back to open-wheel racing and I hope to give those Europeans a run for their money! I want to humbly thank all that were involved in the selection process because I am sure that it wasn’t an easy decision based on the talent of the other finalists!”
