Spotlight On...

Gordon Scully '17 graduated from Lake Forest College in 2021 with primary areas of study in Business, English, and Entrepreneurship.

 

Q: What are you doing now and what led you to pursue your interests?

A: Currently, I am working as a professional racing driver competing in the 2024 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Championship for Czabok-Simpson Motorsport. I was inspired to pursue my career in racing by my father, Richard Scully, who briefly competed as a racing driver and would bring my brother, Alastair Scully, and myself to Road America, a track located in Elkhart Lake Wisconsin, to watch vintage races. My father unfortunately lost his life in 2011 to ALS and, consequently, I have made it my goal to use my platform as a driver to raise awareness and funding for ALS.

 

Q: What formalized training was necessary to get you where you are today?

A: When I began my journey into racing, I did not initially have any formalized training. Following my graduation from Lake Forest College, I purchased a go-kart and regularly drove to a track in central Illinois to practice and train fundamental driving techniques. Additionally, I utilized a driving simulator, similar to small flight simulator setups commonly used by pilots, to learn tracks and cars before I attended races. Finally, I attended two racing schools which consisted of the Skip Barber Racing School and the Lucas Oil School of Racing programs. Although these endeavors were undoubtedly pivotal in my development as a driver, I ultimately improved my technique primarily while working with a driver coach, Ryan Lewis, during my first season in club racing in the Formula Race Promotions F1600 Championship. Through dedication and guided mentorship during my first year of competition, I improved my skills and continued to progress in the racing world until making the leap into professional racing with a season in USF200 during 2023.

 

Q: Can you explain the business aspects associated with racing and how you have managed these pieces?

A: While racing is my passion, my goal is to create a platform within the sport to support ALS awareness, raise money for ALS research, and promote the companies which have helped allow that dream to come true. Racing is a highly competitive sport both on and off the track. Consequently, creating a meaningful offering for sponsors and partners is crucial for the sustainability and success of a racing career. As a professional racing driver, I have managed various aspects of the business side of motorsports, including sponsorship acquisition, brand management, marketing, and budgeting. Through working with connections made during my time in high school and college, I have built the Gordon Scully Racing brand to approach sponsors and partners interested in being involved in the racing world. I was fortunate enough to work with my Beacon classmate, Laurel Schenkman, to build the brand visuals and logo which I am excited to represent on the racetrack. Without the relationships built during my time at Beacon, I would not have been able to launch my brand in racing.

 

Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your work with the ALS foundation and why you find this meaningful?

A: My work with the ALS foundation is deeply meaningful to me due to my father’s unfortunate passing from the disease. Witnessing my father’s battle with ALS inspired me to use my platform as a racing driver to raise awareness and funding for ALS research, care, and support. Knowing how much my father loved racing, I aim to carry on his legacy while working with the Les Turner ALS Foundation to bring an end to the horrible disease. Partnering with the Les Turner ALS Foundation allows me to honor my father's memory while simultaneously making a tangible difference in the lives of those affected by ALS. Through fundraising events, social awareness efforts, and community engagement, I strive to bring attention to the debilitating disease and assist in finding a cure. Each person reached and each dollar raised in support of finding a cure for ALS is a step toward improving the lives of those afflicted with the disease and their families.