Formula Star Mazda Champion, iRacer Conor Daly Wins Gorsline Scholarship

Conor Daly, of Noblesville, Ind., has been selected to receive the 18th annual Gorsline Scholarship, presented by The Gorsline Company. Daly, 18, is the 2010 Formula Star Mazda champion, the son of professional racing champion Derek Daly and an iRacing member. The Gorsline Scholarship recognizes aspiring drivers and presents a program that provides tools that will assist these drivers in developing skills on and off the track to attain their professional goals.

As the scholarship winner, Daly will work with Dr. Jacques Dallaire, Director of Performance Prime, to create an individually-designed performance-enhancement program, courtesy of The Gorsline Company.

Daly captured the 2010 Star Mazda Championship in impressive fashion.

“Conor is a perfect candidate for this scholarship,” said John Gorsline, principal of The Gorsline Company, the leader in high-risk motorsports insurance. “In his short career, he has demonstrated an ability to aim high and reach his goals as he continues to pursue his dream to become a world-class racing champion.”

Daly began his racing career in 2005 at the age of 10, winning 19 races, two championships and was elected “Junior Driver of the Year” by Kart Racers of America. In 2007 he won the Stars of Karting TaG East Championship. In 2006 he drove a race car for the first time at the Bertil Roos Racing School. He went on to win three Skip Barber Regional races that year, then won the 2008 Skip Barber National Championship and was named the Ontario Formula Ford 600 Rookie of the Year.

In his European debut he won he Walter Hayes Formula Ford 1600 Trophy in Silverstone, England, representing Team USA. In 2009 he finished third in the Star Mazda Championship and in 2010 had a record-setting year as he swept the Formula Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear.

“Conor is an excellent choice for the prestigious Gorsline Scholarship,” said Jeremy Shaw, Team USA Scholarship founder. “Conor proved to be a fine ambassador for his country when he represented the Team USA Scholarship two years ago in England, becoming the youngest ever winner of the Walter Hayes Trophy at Silverstone, and he has grown by leaps and bounds since then. His performances this year in dominating the Star Mazda Championship were a clear reminder that he is a potential star of the future.”

Daly competed in the Intel GP Masters demonstration sim race at this year's Canadian Grand Prix.

Daly was in the running with two other outstanding young drivers for the Gorsline Scholarship, which included Ashley Freiberg, winner of two skip Barber Series championships in 2010, and Anders Krohn, who finished second in the 2010 Formula Star Mazda championship. “It was a tough decision to make,” said Gorsline, “as each of these young drivers has done an outstanding job this year.”

The Gorsline Scholarship will be presented on Dec. 5 by racing legend Stirling Moss at the Autosport Dinner in London.

The Gorsline Company, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., pioneered the business of providing insurance for high-risk professionals. The company specializes in providing racing drivers and owners creative, custom-designed insurance packages and estate planning strategies.

Previous recipients of the Gorsline Scholarship have been:

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

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