Aaron Telitz wins the Skip Barber Race Series Championship Shootout

After a third-place finish in the 2012 Championship Shootout and a second-place finish in the 2012-'13 Winter Series, Aaron Telitz, 21, Birchwood Wis., won the winner-take-all 2013 Skip Barber Race Series Championship Shootout and the $200,000 driver development scholarship presented by Mazda for use toward a seat in the 2014 Cooper Tires USF2000 Series powered by Mazda.

?It feels really awesome,? said Telitz pictured at left with Skip Barber Racing School CEO Michael Culver (left) and Race Series Director Keith Dalton (right). ?I couldn't be happier. I couldn't believe it when I came across the line and won. I kind of knew where the points were and what I had to do. It's awesome to be sitting here with this gigantic check.?

Telitz was the measure of consistency throughout the shootout. Off track, he earned high marks in his media interview and the subjective instructor scoring. On track, his top-4 race results were all podium finishes including a win in the final race of the shootout.

?I am just elated,? said Julie Telitz, Aaron's mom. ?I was brought to tears when he crossed the line and he had probably succeeded in winning the $200,000. It was very exciting and very emotional. The Skip Barber program, thankfully, is around, or young drivers -- like my son -- would never get anywhere.?

The shootout featured five 12-lap races on the Road Atlanta track, three seminars from industry experts and famous Skip Barber Racing School instruction.

"We had absolutely some of the world's closest racing," said Culver. "The drivers deserve a lot of credit for racing within thousandths of a second of each other without any major incident. We proved today that our system works. We create champions."

As the pinnacle of the Skip Barber Racing Series ladder, the Race Series Championship Shootout is designed to reward young racers who demonstrate dedication to their craft and successfully work their way through the proven Skip Barber Racing School system. The Skip Barber Race Series provides expert coaching, both on and off the track, limited liability, replacement cars, media exposure, scholarship opportunities and vital seat time.

Final 2013 Skip Barber Race Series Championship Shootout points

(combines 5 races dropping the lowest, media interview, business plan evaluation and instructor scores)1. Aaron Telitz, 21, Birchwood, Wisconsin -- 140.9 shootout points2nd in Championship Points in the 2012-13 Winter Series2. Jake Eidson, 18, Littleton, Colorado -- 135.5 shootout points2011-12 Winter Series, 2012 Summer Series & 2012-13 Winter Series Champion3. Jack Mitchell Jr., 17, Clarendon Hills, Illinois -- 134 shootout points2nd in Championship Points in the 2012 Summer Series4. Skylar Robinson, 18, Augusta, Georgia -- 131 shootout points3rd in Championship Points in the 2012-13 Winter Series5. Yago Cesario, 18, Goiania, Brazil -- 117.9 shootout points2013 Summer Series Champion; 2012 Karting Scholarship Shootout Winner6. Adrian Starrantino, 19, Simi Valley, California -- 117.8 shootout points4th in Championship Points in the 2012-13 Winter Series7. Colton Herta, 14, Valencia, California -- 113.5 shootout points2nd in Championship Points in the 2013 Summer Series8. Yuri Cesario, 18, Goiania, Brazil -- 106.8 shootout points5th in Championship Points in the 2013 Summer Series9. Italo Leao, 18, Brasilia, Brazil -- 102.3 shootout points  4th in Championship Points in the 2013 Summer Series10. Jose Armida, 20, Mexico City, Mexico-- 98.6 shootout points  5th in Championship Points in the 2012-13 Winter Series11. Andre Gomes, 26, Nashua, New Hampshire -- 98.4 shootout points  3rd in Championship Points in the 2013 Summer Series; 2012 IndyCar Academy Winner