Charles Gillespie, a finalist for the grand prize of the 2026 Skip Barber Race Series Winter Shootout, will compete full time in the 2026 Skip Barber Race Series. Gillespie, a newcomer to racing, impressed the instructors and staff during the Winter Shootout at Circuit of the Americas and was awarded the second-place prize. “Having a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and improve are crucial traits for a driver to have,” James Burke, Skip Barber’s President of Racing Schools and Race Series, explained. “What we saw from Charles during the Winter Shootout was a young man with no shortage of that. He’ll make a fine addition to our Skip Barber Race Series grid, and I look forward to watching him develop as a competitor on track.” Like many up-and-coming racers, the Skip Barber Race Series will serve as Gillespie’s first foray into wheel-to-wheel racing. Prior to entering the Winter Shootout, Charles completed Skip Barber’s Three-Day Racing School and Two-Day Advanced Racing School at Circuit of the Americas earlier this year. “I’m excited for what the unknown will bring me this year,” Charles said. “This is my first full race season in any racing series, so there is an incredible amount to learn from many people. I look forward to traveling the U.S. to different well-known tracks and meeting people with the same passion and drive as I do. “I had such a blast meeting everyone during my five days at COTA and hearing their stories and backgrounds—how they got into the sport. I’m also excited to show what I am capable of on track. My feedback was greatly positive during my time in the Formula car, and I look forward to learning more from the team at Skip Barber to maximize the entire season.” Gillespie was initially skeptical about competing in the Winter Shootout, but fearing his window of opportunity to pursue a career in racing was closing, he chose to enter. “I understood there was a bit of a gamble on my end to risk doing the Shootout in the first place, but the opportunity to do this again was becoming smaller each year,” he explained. “My experience at the Shootout was nothing short of professional, informative, and life-changing. The Shootout scholarship opened the door to a full-season opportunity, which I saw as a chance to make the dream a reality.” Charles is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Texas and resides in Miami. He works for Formula Sports Cars, a luxury vehicle dealer in Miami where his love and passion for motorsports blossomed. Be sure to follow Charles’ journey in the Skip Barber Race Series on his Instagram.