Hello,

For those who don’t know me, my name is Tommy Parry. I’m an automotive journalist and an aspiring racing driver. Over the past eight years, I've dedicated myself to racing 125cc karts to the exclusion of almost everything else.

Fortunately, the dedication paid off; I’ve been a regular front-runner for the last five years in the Simraceway A & D Karting Series. This year has been quite fruitful.

Highlights from the 2018 Season:
One win
One second
Two thirds
One fastest lap
Second overall in the Championship

Thanks to these results and those from past seasons, I’ve been selected as one of the thirty karters from around the world to compete in the 2018 Cooper Tires Karting Scholarship Shoot-Out, as hosted by the Lucas Oil School of Racing! This represents a massive step forward, and one that could lead to a professional career. 

Photo: David Bush

The Shootout

During this three-day event on December 12-14, thirty karters from around the world will face off in modern Ray GR-RSC formula cars at Sebring International Raceway. 

The winner of the shootout is awarded a fully-funded season in the 2019 Lucas Oil Formula Car Race Series, valued at $75,000.
Second place wins a half-season
Third place wins two race events
Fourth place wins one race event

More information on the event here .

With 170 horsepower, paddle shifters, an F3-derived tubeframe chassis, and only 1,120 pounds to push around, these cars will test my abilities like few machines have.

Photo: Lucas Oil School of Racing

The Costs

Moving up from karting to formula cars entails clearing a massive financial hurdle, and unfortunately, that is outside my means. So, while I’m not fond of scrounging, I’ve decided to reach out since I need some help in order to compete in this shoot-out. The costs are as follows:

Mandatory 2-Day Advanced School prior to the event: $2,999 (with $500 discount)
2018 Cooper Tires Karting Scholarship Shoot-Out: $4,999

In total, $8,000 are needed to compete. That does not include airfare, motel (or car seat), transportation, or possible crash damage. 

Though pricey, this shoot-out is a wonderful opportunity—one which seldom comes around—to try and get my foot in the door. Competing in a series like this would improve my resume tenfold, and possibly serve as a launching pad into professional road racing, where I'd love to see myself in the next three-five years. 

Photo: David Bush

Reporting Back

Fortunately, my editors are sympathetic to my cause, and have approved a ~2,000-word article covering the Shoot-Out, which will be featured on Turnology , then shared on KartPulse. This will feature photos and onboard footage. The aims are: describe how competitive this level of racing is, detail the challenges these cars present, and demonstrate the speed and thrills of Sebring. Hopefully, it'll feature a few photos with a trophy in my hand. I'll bring you along for the ride.

I’ve learned these cars reward a bit of slip angle, and I’m the type that likes to go sideways—I should be a good fit. Speaking of, I’ve adopted a low-carbohydrate diet and a 30-miles-a-week running regimen to ensure I’m fit enough to handle the car, the competition, and the Florida heat. I've been at it for four months, and I can now run like I could at 18.

Thank you for your consideration. It means a great deal to me.

Sincerely,

Tommy Parry
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Some examples of my relevant writing:
https://www.turnology.com/features/the-joys-and-challenges-of-kart-racing/ 
https://forums.kartpulse.com/t/taming-a-thoroughbred-racing-kart-an-automotive-journalists-experience/2502 

A video of one of my kart battles from this year dueling with the current champion (I’m in the black suit and yellow helmet). 
Onboard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXYZUObNTaQ& 
Sidelines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmtY3eS1Uxc& 

An article (with video) on these formula cars at Sebring.
https://www.turnology.com/news/watch-this-formula-car-slide-around-sebring/ 

Photo: Tubay Yabut