Youngest Ever Auto Race Winner?

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 19) - In what could be a U.S open-wheel road racing first, a 12-
year-old boy won a race Saturday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway. John Edwards,
12, of Little Rock, Ark., competing in the Skip Barber Formula Dodge Race Series, took pole
position in qualifying Saturday morning on Daytona's infield road course, then led the 13-car
field in flag-to-flag fashion in the 30-minute race for his first auto racing victory.

Edwards is the youngest driver ever to compete in the 28-year history of the Skip Barber Race
Series; in years past there have been a handful of 15-year-olds in the series. Edwards backed up
his impressive and possibly record-setting Saturday win with another victory Sunday, posting a
startling 25-second margin of victory -- in downpour conditions -- over second place finisher
Atle Gulbrandsen, 25, of Norway.

Edwards, a karter who stepped up into the Formula Dodge ranks this past October, has shown
race craft and discipline that belies his age. The drivers he beat this weekend included two
former Formula Dodge race winners as well as championship contender Jeff Relic, 23, of  Palm
Coast, Fla. Edwards is eighth in points after eight rounds of the 14-race championship and Relic
third. Second in points is Victor Ramos, 19, of Brazil, while the points leader is another
youngster -- Michael Andretti's son, 16-year-old Marco.

Skip Barber Racing operates the Formula Dodge Race Series, a leading single-seater junior
series comprised of four regional championships and one national championship. The race cars
used in all the series are identically prepared 2.0-liter, wings-and-slicks 140 mph open-wheel,
single-seat Formula Dodges. The Southern Division, where Edwards posted his win, is the same
ladder series championship contested by such current open-wheel stars as Champ Car's Ryan
Hunter-Reay, 2003 Toyota Atlantic champion A.J. Allmendinger and 2003 Barber Dodge Pro
Series champion Leo Maia.