November 9, 2011
For Immediate Release
Press Contact: Greg Hobbs (414) 737-5705
MONTEREY, Calif. – Andrew Hobbs let the Skip Barber Race Series community know that he will be a driver to watch in 2012 after a brilliant weekend at the Skip Barber Race Series Scholarship Shootout. Held at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca, the Skip Barber Race Series Scholarship Shootout pitted the top drivers from the Skip Barber National, Summer, and Winter series against each other in on and off track evaluations for a top prize of a funded season in the Skip Barber presents the Mazda Summer Series. The event is judged by Skip Barber's top instructors as well as special guests that included Speed TV commentator Bob Varsha, Team USA Scholarship Director Jeremy Shaw and MAZDASPEED Communications Director Dean Case. Hobbs speed and consistency impressed the esteemed panel enough to be awarded fourth prize, a $20,000 scholarship toward the 2012 Skip Barber Presents the Mazda Summer Series Championship.
"I finally felt really comfortable in these cars and confident that I could go fast, so I gave all I could," stated Andrew after being awarded the scholarship. "I really want to say thank you to so many people who have helped me this year, Steve Welk of Linear Sport, Mr. Arden Hetland of Mastertech Vehicle Protection and Mr. Keith Raskin of Prestige Auto Works and of course the whole Skip Barber organization Without their belief and support this would not have been possible. I am really looking forward to 2012 where I am sure we can be a contender for the Championship, but it won’t be easy as always there will be some great competition.”
Hobbs entered the three day long shootout as a bit of an underdog after a checkered season in the Skip Barber Summer Series. The Bayside Wisconsin driver let the judges know straight away that he meant business however. During the first session Hobbs had set the fastest lap of the group by the midway point and was able to maintain the sixth fastest time as the checkered flew.
Day two would see the drivers taking to the track twice. In the second session of the shootout Hobbs took a little to settle down and find his rhythm, which saw him place seventh in the session. For the third timed session the judges decided to throw a curveball at the field by staging a mock race dubbed the "Competitive Module." The field would be lined up by the combined average lap time of the first two sessions which put Hobbs fifth on the grid. At the start of the 10 lap sprint Hobbs lost some momentum and fell back to seventh after the first lap. A methodical run saw the Mastertech backed driver work his way back the fifth position at the end of the module.
As the third day opened Hobbs knew he would have to put in a strong final performance in order to leave a big impression on the gathered judges. To make his run more difficult Hobbs was forced to change cars after his out lap when he discovered a failing clutch. Undeterred Hobbs but in the drive of the season. After a lap to get up to speed Hobbs began lowering his lap times and moving up in the
order. Hobbs would go on to set third fastest lap of the session, just a tenth of a second off of the second best time and backed that up with the fourth fastest average of the session. It was an impressive display for the high school senior and left a favorable impression on the judges as they went to deliberate on the scholarship order.
After the nearly four hours of debate the judges had come to a consensus and awarded Hobbs the fourth place prize worth $20,000 toward the Skip Barber presents the Mazda Summer Series. Hobbs will now spend the off season preparing for a full season assault on the Skip Barber Summer Championship in 2012.
Taking over the family business is a rich tradition in the United States. When the family business is driving racecars at the absolute limit, that tradition takes on a whole new meaning. Andrew Hobbs aims to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather and father and become a professional racecar driver. On the track Hobbs has displayed all the traits necessary to compete at the highest levels of motorsports, off track he understands the business of motorsports that will help insure high levels of success for his partners. For more information on Andrew Hobbs, please visit www.AndrewHobbsRacing.com or follow him on twitter @AHobbsRacing.
