United States Auto Club

PACE - Program for Accelerating Championship Education from eBay Motors

Introducing the PACE Award and 2012 PACE Drivers

USAC, eBay Motors and magazine founded the Program for Accelerating Championship Education (PACE) to celebrate, develop and inspire the country's top young racers by providing the resources to further their talent and passion for the sport of racing.

In 2012, the annual PACE Award will provide over $100,000 in cash, products and training to four young drivers with proven records in their respective 20-and-under racing divisions.

Find everything you need to know about the PACE Award and our 2012 winners right here.

We're always on the lookout for rising talent. Check back for updates on our search for the next PACE driver.

Driver Divisions

The PACE Award goes to highly talented young drivers from the following divisions:

Quarter Midget Under 12

PACE Award candidates from the Junior or Senior Quarter Midget division must have competed in and placed at USAC national and/or regional levels to qualify in one of the following: Junior Honda, Senior Honda, Junior Animal, Senior Animal, Light 160, Heavy 160, Junior Stock, Modified, B, Light AA, Heavy AA, Light World Formula, and Heavy World Formula.

Focus 13-16

Eligible drivers from the Focus division must have raced in and placed at a USAC-sanctioned race that season.

Full Midget 16-20

Drivers from the USAC Ford Focus or Midget divisions must have competed in and placed within at least one USAC-sanctioned race that season.

TORC Series 16-20

To be eligible for the PACE Award in the TORC Series, a driver must have competed in and placed at a USAC-sanctioned race that season.

Scholarship

The PACE Award provides outstanding young drivers the funding needed to take their racing game to the next level.

In 2012, eBay Motors and Mopar magazine will fund over $100,000 in cash, products and training to our four PACE Award winners. This money will provide equipment, training programs and track time with seasoned Pros.

PACE Award winners also receive:

  • Hoosier Tire sponsorship
  • Amsoil Race Oils
  • Oakley suits, gloves, eyewear & shoes
  • Ignite Racing Fuels
  • Traxxas Radio Components
  • Indy 500 VIP behind-the-scenes tour
  • Opportunity to race internationally

In addition to the PACE Award, we furnish two talented drivers-one from the East Coast, one from the West Coast-with Arrive & Drive scholarships, good for six drive dates with a fully loaded Focus car and crew.

2012 Winners

Congratulations to our 2012 PACE Award Winners!

Click the drivers' photos to read their bios.

Meet our 2012 Focus Midget Arrive and Drive Scholarship winners:

Famous Rhodes II

  • Division: Quarter Midget
  • Hometown: San Jose, California
  • Born: August 26, 2003

Famous was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, near the heart of the automotive industry. Famous developed a passion for racing at an early age, learning the rules of the road from his grandfather, Paul Rhodes, a dirt track racing champion in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

Since entering the Quarter Midget circuit days before his 6th birthday, Famous has been successful at every level of competition. He has competed and placed in QMA and USAC racing series across the country, collecting over 75 feature and heat wins in five classes in just two years. Famous hopes to carry his passion for racing into a future pro career.

Career Highlights:

  • 4-time national champion
  • 3-time track champion
  • Multiple track and world record holder
  • Western Grand Nationals Junior Honda Champion 2011
  • Gasoline Alley National Junior Animal Champion 2011
  • Gasoline Alley National Junior Stock Champion 2011
  • Ernie Bose Classic World Record, Junior Honda and Junior Stock
  • Western Grand Nationals Junior Stock Champion 2010

Mitch Hoffses

  • Division: Midget
  • Hometown: Portland, OR
  • Born: December 8, 1992

Mitch was born in Portland, Oregon in 1992. At five years old, while his friends were just learning to ride their bikes, he started racing quarter midgets at Alpenrose in Portland. Over the ensuing eight years, he won five national titles, set 28 track records and seven world records.

He hasn't slowed down since moving on to race 600cc and Midgets, collecting dozens of wins and top-five finishes. Mitch is currently enrolled in the High Performance Motorsports and Automotive Technology Programs at the University of Northwestern Ohio in Lima.

  • 50% win rate in USAC midgets, 2011
  • 27 top-five finishes in 28 starts, 2011
  • 7-Time National Midget Champion
  • Dozens of track & world records
  • Most career wins in Salem Indoor Series history
  • 600 Micro sprint champion, 2008
  • Quarter Midget Western Grand National Champion

Taylor Ferns

  • Division: Mopar D1 Midget
  • Hometown: Shelby Township, MI
  • Born: December 12, 1995

Taylor became the winningest female driver in USAC history on June 22, 2011 by winning a 40-lap USAC Mopar D1 Midget race at the Bryant Heating & Cooling Indianapolis Speedrome. She previously won a USAC Kenyon Midget race at Anderson, Ind. in 2008 and six USAC Junior Ford Focus races in 2009. She also became only the second female driver in history to win a USAC driving championship, claiming this year's Mopar D1 Midget title. She started 15 races and her worst finish was 10th.

In addition to her victory in Indianapolis, she added a third-place in a race at Morris, Ill. She raced quarter midgets for five years and in 2006 was voted Michigan's best female Midget driver.

A nine-year racing veteran, she has competed in Quarter Midgets, Bandaleros, Micro-Sprints, Kenyon Midgets, Ford Focus Midgets, Midgets and Sprint cars. She is currently entering the 10th grade at Lutheran North High School carrying a 4.0 grade average.

Career Highlights:

  • 2011 USAC Mopar D1 Midget Champion
  • Winningest Female Driver in USAC History
  • USAC's 2nd-Ever Female Driving Champion
  • 2010 Kara Hendrick Award Winner for Outstanding Achievement
  • Scored a D1 Midget victory bat Indianapolis, IN in 2011
  • Won in USAC's Kenyon Midget Series in 2008
  • Won 6 USAC Junior Focus races in 2009
  • Youngest female ever to win a sprint car race and a UMARA Midget race
  • 2010 Spartan Speedway "Rookie of the Year"
  • 2009 UMARA Ford Focus Sportsman Champion
  • 2008 Kenyon Midget "Rookie of the Year"
  • Voted Best Female Driver in Michigan in 2006

R.J. Anderson

  • Division: TORC Series
  • Hometown: Riverside, CA
  • Born: February 17, 1993

R.J. was named USAC's 2011 Traxxas Off-Road Championship (TORC) "Rookie of the Year" after finishing as the runner-up in the final PRO Light standings. In 14 starts he posted a pair of victories at Chicagoland Speedway and one at Cycle Ranch in Texas and added a second, a third and three fourths.

The son of longtime Walker Evans mechanic Randy Anderson, R.J. grew up in the Walker Evans camp racing everything from go-karts to mini-bikes and has moved up to the PRO Light Trucks from UTV racing.

Career Highlights:

  • 2011 USAC Traxxas Off-Road Championship (TORC) "Rookie of the Year"
  • Runner-up in the 2011 TORC Pro Light Standings
  • 2011 Victories at Chicagoland Speedway and Cycle Ranch in Texas
  • Raced UTVs before moving into the PRO Light Trucks
  • 2009 M4SX Pro-UTV Champion
  • 2009 UTV Driver of the year
  • 46 short course top 5's in two years (2010, 2011)
  • 29 short course podium appearances in 2011 including 13 wins in 2011

Tommy McCarthy

  • Hometown: Mountain View, CA
  • Born: October 23, 1998

Tommy McCarthy started his racing career at the ripe young age of five, carrying on a racing lineage started by his grandfather Tom, and dad Terry. Since then, the 13-year-old from Mountain View, CA has won well over 300 races, and taken championships in all three major racing disciplines: road course karting, pavement ovals (large & small) and dirt tracks.

Career Highlights:

  • 2-Time National Champion
  • 8-Time Regional Champion
  • 8-Time Track Champion
  • 6-Time Indoor Champion
  • Multi-Track Record Holder
  • Jim Russell Karting Gazelle Series Champion
  • QMA Grand National Champion Lt. AA Class, 2011
  • WSRA Mini Cup Champion (most wins too), 2011

Tyler Shullick

  • Division: Midwest Ford Focus Series
  • Hometown: Vermilion, OH
  • Born: November 2, 1995

Tyler was USAC's 2010 Light World Formula and Light AA Mopar, .25 Midget Champion and in 2011 he started 11 races in USAC's Midwest Ford Focus Series, posting "top-10" finishes in all 11 starts. His best finish was a third at Gas City, Ind. He scored three Light World Formula wins in 2010, including one at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and added two Light AA victories and one in the Light 160 class. He ranked eighth in the final 2011 USAC Midwest Ford Focus standings.

Tyler started racing quarter Midgets at the age of 5 and has been racing for 10 years. He has won 11 championships, one National title and holds several track records. He enjoys racing and following in his family's footsteps in pursuit of a racing career.

Career Highlights:

  • 2010 USAC Mopar .25 Light World Formula Champion
  • 2010 USAC Mopar .25 Light AA Champion
  • Scored 3 Light World Formula wins in 2010
  • Winner at the Brickyard (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) in 2010 in Light World Formula
  • Finished 8th in the 2011 USAC Midwest Ford Focus Series

We're always looking to grow our stable of PACE drivers. Check back soon for more info on our search for the next PACE Award winner!

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