I won a 2020 Team USA Scholarship!
While I haven’t been on a race track since my last update, some very big news has happened. I have been chosen to represent the United States in 3 events in the UK as a Team USA Scholarship driver! Fellow Team USA driver Bryce Aron and I will compete in the final round of the Avon National Formula Ford 1600 Championship at Silverstone International Circuit, the Formula Ford Festival at Brands Hatch, and the Formula Ford Festival also at Silverstone. My F1600 RiceRace teammate, Simon Sikes, is also a scholarship winner this year, but he is already committed to racing in the final USF2000 race of the season and won’t be able to go to England.
This opportunity is huge for several reasons. It’s a big chance to learn with large fields of talented and often more experienced drivers. I also get to race at legendary tracks that have been the home of Formula One in the UK – and try to learn the tracks very quickly against drivers that have raced there many times. And, Team USA can help me with new relationships and partnerships to reach USF2000 and the Road to Indy Presented by Cooper Tires next season. If you look at the list of previous winners, most have been able to make racing a career and several have won championships at the highest levels.
You will be able to follow along (I leave for the UK next week to begin quarantine) on my social media channels: @JacksonLee52 on Twitter and Instagram, and Jackson Lee Racing on Facebook. I think there may be live broadcasts of some of the events and we will post links. I also add on-board video to my YouTube page: Jackson Lee Racing.
Click here to see the release and here to see a story in the Indianapolis Star about me and Conor Daly- the only two winners from the state of Indiana.
I have been working towards this goal since I was in karts and I’ve got a lot of people to thank for helping to get me there. So, buckle up – it’s a long list!
Thanks to Jeremy Shaw with Team USA and all of their supporters, Mike Land with Tnemec and Indiana Coating Specialists, Don and Jennifer Caldwell with Caldwell Realty and Caldwell Subways, Art Wilmes with Rising Star Racing, Steve and Barbara Butz with Performance Tire Service Company, Bell Helmets, BSA LifeStructures, Moeller Printing, Cabin Coffee Company of Avon, Hinchman Racing Uniforms. Don Weidig and Lake Cable Consulting, George Gans, PitFit Training, Indy Simulations, FasTimes Indoor Karting, Steve Imel and The Blind Man and all those who have donated anonymously or bought gift cards through our Flip Give account on the website.
Greg Rice with RiceRace and all of our great crew and my teammate, Simon Sikes, have helped me run up front all season and win in F1600.
I also want to thank everyone who helped me develop as a driver over the years including everyone at Mini Indy in .25 midgets like Larry Cleveland and Paul Lushin, my cousin and first driver coach Sam Imel, go kart driver coaches and mechanics Scott Manifold and Ron Funkhouser, sim coaches Darren Manning with IAdvanced Motorsports, Kelly Jones with RaceCraft1, Anders Krohn, all of the coaches at the Lucas Oil School of Racing, Wyatt Foster, Mike Ogren, Chris Livengood, Mark Dismore and everyone at New Castle Motorsports Park and Comet Kart Sales and I’m probably forgetting some others that have helped.
Thanks again for the support and I look forward to sharing my adventure overseas.