Three Candidates Named to receive 22nd Gorsline Scholarship in Sebring

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (March 9, 2016) – RIS -  Three of auto racing’s rising stars are candidates for the 22nd Gorsline Scholarship in 2015. The recipient will be named on Thursday, March 17, at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway, prior to the running of the 64th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring fueled by "Fresh from Florida," on March 19.

The Gorsline Scholarship is presented by Gorsline Company of Rochester, N.Y., the leader in creating protection strategies for high-risk professionals. It recognizes aspiring drivers and offers a program that provides tools to assist these drivers in developing skills on and off the track to attain their professional goals. The winner will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, on an individually-designed performance-enhancement program, and will benefit from a unique season-long training program at Jim Leo’s PitFit Training, courtesy of Gorsline Company.

“These drivers have accomplished much in their short racing careers, and are already on a path to success. Because they're still at the beginning of their journeys, they can advance their on-track talents to a very high level with these programs,” said John Gorsline, principal of Gorsline Company. “We at Gorsline Company are excited to recognize the achievements of them all and to assist them in their progress. They are true rising stars.”

Madison Snow was the 2015 recipient of the Gorsline Scholarship. The candidates for the 2016 Gorsline Scholarship are:

  Kenton Koch (Glendora, Calif.) - Kenton, 21, in his first attempt, won the Rolex 24 At Daytona this year, driving for JDC Miller Motorsports in the Prototype Challenge Class. He'll be competing at this year's 12 Hours of Sebring race as well. Kenton started racing karts when he was 8 and transitioned to cars at age 16. He progressed up the Mazda Ladder System, winning four consecutive championships and over a half-million dollars in racing scholarships. As of now, after Sebring, the rest of his race season is unfunded, and he is seeking a sponsor. He partnered with Donate Life America in support of his mom who received a heart transplant last year. His focus is to encourage those he encounters to register as an organ donor and help lower the number of people on the waiting list. Now that he is on a national stage, the producers at Fox Sports along with other media have shown a great interest in his story. During his Daytona post-race interview, Kenton was asked to share his family’s story.

Dylan Murry (Cumming, Ga.) – At 15 years old, Dylan has been racing for eight years and has earned nine championships in Karts and Legends cars, and is currently in the chase for his 10th. He won the 2010 Andretti Pro Cup Karting title, the 2012 and 2013 GSKA and Southeastern divisional championships, the 2011 and 2013 (in two classes) World Karting Association national championships, and the 2014-15 Legends Atlanta Motor Speedway Championship. He is the son of David Murry, Firestone Firehawk, World Challenge Series’, and Sports Renault champion, who drives a Porsche in the 2016 IMSA Continental Tire ST Series. Dylan raced in the 2015 Legends Series, including “Thursday Thunder” at Atlanta Motor Speedway, and earned a test in Spraker Racing's Late Model car. 

Skylar Robinson (Augusta, Ga.) – Skylar, 19, began his karting career in 2008, becoming the Briggs Junior Lite, Junior Medium and Junior Restricted champion in the 2010 World Karting Association. In 2011 he was the KPP Junior Champion and Yamaha Junior Champion in the Florida Karting Championship Series. Switching to cars in 2012, he was third in the 2012-13 Skip Barber Winter Series championship, was the 2013 British Racing and Sports Car Club Formula Ford Triple Crown Champion, and Vice Champion in the same group’s National Championship. In 2014 he placed a close second in the SCCA Pro F2000 Championship Series. In 2015, he competed in the SCCA Pro F1600 Championship Series where he once again finished second, despite missing the first two races of the season. Robinson also had the opportunity to drive a Porsche 962 at the Daytona Heritage event this year during the Rolex 24 weekend. Son of IMSA/CART/IROC racer Chip Robinson, he has claimed 18 wins, 36 podiums, nine poles and five lap records to date.

Previous recipients of the Gorsline Scholarship are: 2015 Madison Snow
2014 Matthew Brabham
2013 No award presented
2012 Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
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

About Gorsline Company – Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., pioneered the business of providing insurance for high-risk professionals in the U.S. The company specializes in creative, custom-designed insurance packages and estate planning strategies for racing drivers and team owners. In addition to insuring top racing drivers in all U.S. racing series for over 45 years, the company has been instrumental in structuring successful Performance Bonus Packages for teams, tracks and series. Dedicated to the motorsports community, Gorsline Company has awarded the Gorsline Company scholarship since 1994 to talented up-and coming drivers, as well as the Walter Mitty Award to the vintage driver who demonstrates the sportsmanship of the committed “gentleman vintage driver.” Gorsline Company also supports the Bob Snodgrass Award, given to the WeatherTech United SportsCar Racing Championship team owner and/or manager who shares the professionalism and dedication of the late Bob Snodgrass. Company principal John Gorsline, who races vintage cars as a hobby, has also been mentioned in articles in the New York Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and numerous motorsports publications. He is also a member of the Road Racing Drivers Club, the Automobile Club of Monaco, the Automobile Club de l’Ouest, and the Goodwood Road Racing Club.

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