Local Auroran wins Team Canada Scholarship

October 8, 2022 · 0 Comments

Aurora Sports Hall of Fame future-hall-of-famer Jake Cowden won the Team Canada Scholarship last week.

Cowden, 18, was chosen as one of two talented drivers to represent Canada in two races in England this month and next month respectively.

When speaking to The Auroran, he said, a lot has led up to this moment.

“Seven years of work has gone into this. To be recognized for the Team Canada scholarship is just amazing,” he said.

After applying for the Canada Scholarship earlier in the year, Cowden said this was the first time Team Canada held a Team Canada Scholarship Shoot-Out.

“They picked six drivers between the ages of 16 and 20 from all across Canada. They had us go head-to-head on the same track, same cars. None of us have ever been on that track or in those cars. Basically, they had us do interviews and some speaking. They had us do data with engineers. They were all just judging us on the overall package of us as a person, not just driving,” Cowden explained.

Cowden will now be competing at the Ford Formula Festival at Brands Hatch and also at the Walter Hayes Trophy Race in Silverstone thanks to Team Canada. According to his press release, 25 per cent of victors at the Formula Ford Festival, move on to compete in the Formula 1.

Cowden has had his own exposure to Formula 1 in June, when the Canadian Grand Prix returned to Montreal.

He went on to win the Formula 1600 race Sunday morning before the grand prix itself, beating out 30 racers. Cowden went on to win the Grand Prix in Trois Rivieres three times and a few weeks ago won the Toyo Tires F1600 Championship Series.

Now, as Cowden prepares for exposure on an international level, he is extremely proud and excited to see where this will go as he prepares for two events that will be beneficial to his young racing career.

By Robert Belardi