Edwards Wins in Monaco!

May 13, 2008
Monte Carlo, Monaco (May 14, 2008) – Paul Edwards on Sunday became the first Team USA Scholarship winner to win a Formula 1 race at Monaco!

OK, it wasn’t a round of the World Championship, but it was still an impressive performance from the 30-year-old Edwards, who now lives in Ft. Collins, Colo.

Edwards qualified Team USA Scholarship prime supporter Doug Mockett’s pristine 1975 Penske PC3 on the pole for last weekend’s Monaco GP Historique Group G event, featuring F1 cars from 1975-78, and romped away to an accomplished victory on the famed street circuit.

“My main aspiration in motorsport was always to make it to F1 but came up a bit short until Doug Mockett invited me to drive his Penske PC3 in 2006 where we had a last lap incident with Martin Stretton which took us out of the race while going for the lead,” recounts Edwards. “It has been a long two years waiting to get another unforgettable opportunity – the chance of a lifetime #2 – for a shot at victory in Monaco. It was a perfect week both on and off the track – an experience that most of us can only dream about.

“The car ran flawlessly, thanks to the world-class preparation by Phil Reilly’s team, and we led practice, took the pole, and topped it off with a win in a Formula 1 car at Monaco. To stand on the top step of the podium with Prince Albert shaking my hand and handing the trophy to me was just unbelievable! I am so honored to be apart of this event and to have shared this moment with everyone involved and my long time supporter and friend Doug Mockett.”

Edwards won both the 1998 Formula Opel Winter Series and the following season’s Formula Palmer Audi Winter Series carrying the colors of the Team USA Scholarship.

He now returns to his “day job,” driving a Banner Racing Pontiac GXP.R in the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series and will be back in action this coming weekend, defending his GT class points lead at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

The Team USA Scholarship was founded in 1990. Previous winners include Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Memo Gidley, Jerry Nadeau, Buddy Rice and A.J. Allmendinger.

Team USA Scholarship winners currently lead three prestigious title chases in North America, with Edwards holding the Rolex GT points lead, J.R. Hildebrand (2005) leading the way in the Firestone Indy Lights Championship and Joel Miller (2007) out in front in the Star Mazda Championship Presented by Goodyear.