Bell Racing Joins Supporting Cast for Team USA Scholarship

Sparco USA and Styled Aesthetic Continue Long-Running Partnerships for Team USA Apparel

RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, Calif. – For 26 years, competitors, media and fans alike have become accustomed to witnessing each new crop of Team USA Scholarship drivers as they exhibit their skills on an international stage – usually for the first time during their fledgling careers.

The Team USA cars always have been instantly recognizable by their eye-catching stars-and-stripes livery. Equally, the drivers have stood out from the crowd with safety equipment and other apparel provided by Sparco USA and Styled Aesthetic. This year, for the first time, Bell Racing LLC has joined the program to provide top-quality helmets for each of the drivers.

“I am very excited to be able to start this relationship with the Team USA Scholarship,” said Chris Wheeler, director of motorsports for Bell Racing USA, LLC. “If you look back at all of the success that has come from this program and the drivers who have been involved, it shows that this program works. Our industry has changed over the past few years with new ways to market our brands and athletes, and as it continues to evolve, programs like this will only continue to grow and produce great results for the athletes and brands that are associated with it.”

Oliver Askew, 19, and Kyle Kirkwood, 17, both from Jupiter, Fla., were confirmed last week as the latest Team USA Scholarship recipients following a hotly contested shootout, and next week will travel to England to begin testing for the upcoming 45th Annual Formula Ford Festival, which will take place at Brands Hatch on October 22/23, and the Walter Hayes Trophy, named after one of the founding fathers of Formula Ford, at Silverstone on November 5/6.

The pair will be following in the footsteps of many others who were selected at an equally early stage in their careers and used the opportunity to develop into some of the nation’s most accomplished professionals, including Jimmy Vasser, Bryan Herta, Tony Renna, Tony Ave, Jerry Nadeau, Buddy Rice, Phil Giebler, Joey Hand, Andy Lally, Bryan Sellers, A.J. Allmendinger, Charlie Kimball, J.R. Hildebrand, Dane Cameron, Joel Miller, Josef Newgarden, Conor Daly, Connor De Phillippi, Spencer Pigot and Matthew Brabham, to name but a few.

“Sparco USA is excited to continue its support of the Team USA Scholarship for 2017,” said Chris Neuer, director of open-wheel and sports cars for Sparco USA. “Sparco has supported the program with complete kits including custom suits for as long as I can remember. It’s amazing to look back and see how this program has been a stepping stone for so many young, great drivers and I really hope it does the same for Kyle and Oliver this year. Sparco congratulates both drivers on being chosen for the scholarship.”

“We are thrilled to be supporting the Team USA Scholarship for our seventh straight season,” added Steve Welk, one of the founding partners at Styled Aesthetic. “The program has been great for us. Not only do we help support some of the best American racing talent, we get to highlight our company’s capabilities to a large interested audience. We look forward each year to sending these drivers their new kit and this year is no different for Oliver and Kyle.”

About Team USA Scholarship:
The program has been providing opportunities for talented American race car drivers at an early stage in their careers since 1990. Supporters include Doug Mockett & Company, the Road Racing Drivers Club and SAFEisFAST.com, Cooper Tire & Rubber Company, Team Penske, Blackdog Speed Shop, Chip Ganassi Racing, Honda Performance Development, Robertson Racing, CXC Simulations, Lucas Oil School of Racing, PitFit Training, RaceCraft1, Sparco USA, RACER Magazine, Speedstar Management, Styled Aesthetic and Manifest Group.