2016 Scholarship Winner – Neil Verhagen

Aged 15 (born February 18, 2001), from Ridgefield, Conn. Began indoor karting with his younger brother Alex and quickly displayed an aptitude which led him to start training under the tutelage of Skip Barber and IMSA Continental Tires SportsCar Challenge champion Stevan McAleer. After his family moved to the motorsports hub of Mooresville, N.C., made an impressive debut with the Skip Barber School in 2015, winning his first three races, then progressed to the F1600 Championship Series. Dominated the category in 2016 with nine wins and became the youngster driver ever to win an SCCA National Championship, romping to victory at Mid-Ohio for K-Hill Motorsports. The first Team USA Scholarship winner to be born in this century was too young to compete in British Formula Ford (drivers have to be a minimum of 16 years old), so instead was introduced to former F1 driver Dr. Helmut Marko who manages the Red Bull driver program in Europe.