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Karting: Barber Dodge Scholarship Ladder Nominees Announced

2 February 1998

LAKEVILLE, Conn. - This past October Skip Barber Racing and the PPG-Dayton Indy Lights Championship co-announced the creation of the most comprehensive motorsports scholarship program in the industry, the annual Barber Dodge Scholarship Ladder. Funded initially by Skip Barber Racing, with assistance from Indy Lights and Michelin North America, the Barber Dodge Scholarship Ladder intends to find, develop and financially assist young, up-and-coming racing talent. The series of scholarships starts at the grassroots level, karting.

The financial assistanceat this point it has an annual value of $850,000will allow highly talented but under-funded drivers to climb the ladder from karting competition right on up to an Indy car test day. The designated LadderSkip Barber Racing School to the Skip Barber Formula Dodge Race Series to the Barber Dodge Pro Series to PPG-Dayton Indy Lights to a FedEx Champ Car Series test dayis seen by Skip Barber and Indy Lights President Roger Bailey as a much-needed, clearly defined North American open-wheel ladder.

Each year the WKA (World Karting Association) and IKF (International Kart Federation) will name seven of their brightest karting talents (two "at-large" picks were named for this first year); these drivers all receive a Skip Barber Three Day Racing School. An evaluation following two lapping days in the 2.0L Formula Dodges will determine the top four drivers, each of whom are awarded a full season in any of the four regional Skip Barber 2.0L Formula Dodge Race Series championships.

The 1998 nominated karters. . .

>From the IKF:
Michael Doty, Jr., 23, Middletown, N.Y.
Philip Giebler, 18, Oxnard, Calif.
Eric Jones, 20, Granger, Iowa
Robert McMillan, 20, Crowley, Texas
Kyle Rassuchine, 18, Sparks, Nev.
Michael Rossi, 16, Temecula, Calif.
Rod Stewart, 22, Jacksonville, Ill.

>From the WKA:                                                          
Chris Carroll, 21, Rochester, N.Y.
Marty Hoberg, 20, Norcross, Ga.
Ryan Hunter-Reay, 17, Boca Raton, Fla.
Brian Jacobsen, 22, Lombard, Ill.
Patrick Long, 16, Agoura, Calif.
Michael Valiente, 18, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
Blake Williams, 16, Barney, Ga.
                       
At-Large:
Kevin Manning, 24, Castaic, Calif.
Alan Rudolph, 27, St. Charles, Mo.