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| Photo credit: Chris Graythen/ Getty Images for NASCAR) |
INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 9, 2011) – Ricky Stenhouse Jr., of Cornelius, N.C., was selected to receive the 19th annual Gorsline Scholarship, presented by Gorsline Company of Rochester, N.Y. At the age of 23, Stenhouse won the hotly-contested 2011 Nationwide Series championship, his first, driving for Roush Fenway Racing. He was honored Sunday at the 42nd annual American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association’s (AARWBA) All-America Team dinner in Indianapolis.
The Gorsline Scholarship recognizes aspiring drivers and presents a program that provides tools that will assist these drivers in developing skills on and off the track to attain their professional goals.
As the scholarship winner, Stenhouse will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, to create an individually-designed performance-enhancement program, courtesy of Gorsline Company.
“It’s our privilege to name Ricky as this year’s Gorsline Scholarship winner,” said John Gorsline, principal of Gorsline Company, the leader in high-risk motorsports insurance. “He started racing go-karts at age 6 and in 17 years has had a hugely successful racing career, earning his first major championship in 2011. With team owner Jack Roush’s support and belief in him, he claimed the Nationwide Series crown, even before the final race was over.”
“I’m honored to be awarded the 2012 Gorsline Scholarship,” said Stenhouse. “The list of previous winners is quite outstanding and to be included among them is pretty cool. I hope that I can carry on the tradition of talented Gorsline Scholarship winners just as those before me.”
Stenhouse, who by the age of 15 had earned 47 A-main karting victories and more than 90 podium finishes, made a name for himself in 2007 when he drove for Tony Stewart Racing in the USAC National Sprint Car and USA National Midget Series. He took home five Midget wins and two Sprint wins en route to becoming Rookie of the Year in both series. In 2008, after joining Roush Fenway, he claimed his first stock car win in the ARCA RE/MAX Series in only his sixth career start. He led the points for three weeks before waging one of the closest championship battles in ARCA history and closing out the year with two wins, three poles and a fourth place in the standings.
The Olive Branch, Miss., native, then backed up a 2010 NASCAR Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year title with the 2011 Series championship.
His other achievements throughout his career feature victories in a number of racing series, including American Sprint Car Series and USAC Silver Crown, proving he could successfully make the transition from winged spring cars to non-winged sprint cars.
Andy Villa, Gorsline Company partner, and previous Gorsline Scholarship winners Patrick Long and Josef Newgarden accepted the award on behalf of Stenhouse at the AARWBA dinner.
The Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., 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 recipients of the Gorsline Scholarship have been:
2011 Conor Daly
2010 Josef Newgarden
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
