10 Questions with Skylar Robinson
1. Looking back on your 2013 season, what was your number 1 highlight and why?
2013 was a great year for me so its hard to chose one particular moment but two really stick out. The first moment was my first win in the British Formula Ford National Championship. I then went on to win the next day to sweep the weekend. The second was being a Team USA Scholarship finalist. Everybody says it and its sounds sort of cliché but the pedigree of that program is pretty amazing so I was super stoked to get the call that I was a finalist.
2. Looking ahead to 2014, the F2000 Series is new for you – what are your goals for the year and how will you accomplish them ?
Obviously, I want to win the championship. One of the most critical parts to accomplishing that will be working with my engineer Eric Langbein. I think between the two of us, we will be able to find a good balance in the car and challenge for wins.
3. The 2014 schedule has a number of new tracks for you – what are you looking forward to most and why?
Thompson Raceway Park looks like a really cool place to race. It has an interesting layout and with the amount of history there, it will be neat to go there.
4. What will be the biggest challenge of the year for you and how will you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges will be the dealing with the slick tires and how you can overuse them in a race. The previous cars I have raced use street tires or a DOT slick which is much harder than a full racing slick. I think overcoming this will be a combination of gaining more experience on the tires and learning from my experienced team members.
5. When was the last time you were in a car, and what have you been doing since?
My last race was in November at Road Atlanta for the Skip Barber Championship Shootout. Since then, I’ve been busy with school, presenting 6 Simple Machines©, and training. I try to hang out with my friends too because I don’t get much time off during the racing season. I also went hunting a couple of times, which was a first for me.
6. Can you tell us a little more about your 6 Simple Machines initiative?
6 Simple Machines© is a presentation my dad and I do where we try to get kids excited about STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education by bringing a racing kart into the classrooms. The kart is a unique and cool way to show kids how what they learn in school can be applied in real life.
7. Are you currently in school? If so, where?
I currently attend Aquinas High School here in Augusta. The teachers are great about working with me to catch up assignments when I miss school.
8. Outside of racing, what are your hobbies (if any)?
I follow the NHL quite a bit as well as watch and play soccer. Sporting clays are also something I enjoy away from the track in addition to playing my air guitar. I also love listening to music- I have pretty much every genre on my iPod ranging from indie rock to hick-hop which is a blend between country and rap. It sounds kinda weird at first but it is actually pretty catchy.
9. What should we ask you in question 9?
“What is on your iPod?”
10. What question should we ask the next driver we interview?
“What do you think about Skylar Robinson’s music tastes?”