Shea Holbrook Wins the Cooper Tire Scholarship At The Women in the Winner’s Circle Driver Development Academy

Holbrook is one of 12 women drivers invited to participate in the 15th Academy classes

Phoenix, AZ (Nov. 24, 2008) – Shea Holbrook, 18, of Groveland, FL was named the inaugural recipient of the Cooper Tire & Rubber Company Scholarship for the first phase of the Women in the Winner’s Circle (WWC) Foundation Driver Development Academy.

“Cooper Tire’s decision to support the Academy and Shea demonstrates not only their support of training and educating young women drivers, but also their belief that women can be successful in all areas of motorsports,” said Lyn St. James, former professional motorsports driver and founder of the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation and Driver Development Academy. “By choosing to partner with this program, Cooper Tire is helping move motorsports forward as a gender integrated industry.”

In 2008, Holbrook raced in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) ITS Class in her 1998 Acura Integra. She has also driven this car in the Formula and Automobile Racing Association (FARA) MP Classes and in National Auto Sports Association (NASA) events. Her next race is 25 Hours of Thunderhill in Richmond, CA on a four female team called DivaSpeed.

Holbrook’s long term goals in racing are driving open wheel race cars. In early 2008 Shea attended the Skip Barber two and three day advanced racing classes and earned her open wheel racing credential with the Skip Barber Racing Series. On October 25, 2008, Shea finished on the podium in the Skip Barber Southern Regional Race at Carolina Motorsports Park. For more information on Shea Holbrook log on to www.shearacing.com.

The Foundation’s Complete Driver Academy is a comprehensive educational and training program for talented women race drivers who aspire to the professional levels of motorsports. Entry into the Academy is highly competitive and all women drivers who want to be considered must have raced at least three years, complete the Academy application and provide a documented race resume. The first phase of the 2008-2009 Academy was held November 14 -16 at Athletes Performance Institute and Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. The weekend included hands on workshops by Dr. Jacques Dallaire of Performance Prime who taught the young women how to maximize their performances through focus and “rules of the mental road.” The weekend also included baseline physical fitness evaluations; an exercise session to shape programs to improve fitness levels, and nutrition, bio feedback and visualization workshops.

Established in 1994, the Academy has a two-fold purpose: (1) identify potential champion women drivers who have demonstrated success on the track and have a desire to pursue a career in professional motorsports; and (2) create an experience that will provide the tools to further women drivers’ careers in motorsports as well as enhance their lives on and off the track.

The Academy is a full year program including three onsite weekends: Weekend 1 – Physical and Mental Preparation; weekend 2 – Business Seminars and Media Training; and weekend 3 – On-track time and technical. Each participant leaves the weekend session with a series of assignments and deliverables that must be completed prior to be invited to the next session. Academy staff are available throughout the year to give counsel and support to the participants.

About Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation:

A strong advocate for women in the motorsports industry, particularly women who aspire to the professional level in racing, Lyn St. James established the Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation in 1994, is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization dedicated to professional development for talented, up-and-coming young women race car drivers.

The Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation currently conducts two primary programs: Project Podium and the Women in the Winner’s Circle Complete Driver Academy. Project Podium is a matching-funds grant program designed to empower promising young female race car drivers and help them further their early professional careers. Since the Academy’s inception, more than 230 women drivers, including Danica Patrick, Erin Crocker, Melanie Troxel and Sarah Fisher, have participated in this invitation-only Academy. More information about the Women’s in the Winner’s Circle Foundation, Project Podium and the Driver Development Academy can be found at www.lynstjames.com.

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car and light truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located in 10 countries around the world. For more information, visit Cooper Tire's web site at: www.coopertire.com.