Coto De Caza, California -- Austin Reed, the 17 year old driver of the #14 Approved Memory, K&N Filters, Ringers Gloves, Vitamin Water Legend car, and competes in the SRL Legend Tour on the west coast is heading back to Charlotte for the summer. Austin will be going back to race in the both popular and competitive Summer Shootout at Lowes Motor Speedway. The Summer Shootout is a 10-race series that starts June 13th and runs through the end of July. Races are held on Monday and Tuesday running on the front stretch of the speedway on the quarter mile oval.
Austin was invited to participate in the summer program after catching the attention of Michael Harper while racing at the Bullring in Las Vegas. Austin will be driving a new car that is being built by Michael Harpers Speedway Legends out of Rhome, Texas. Austin commented "I have known Michael for the last few years and I’m really excited to team up with him and to have the opportunity to go back to Charlotte. The learning experience will be great. I know those guys back there are fast and I can’t wait to get back there and learn all I can." Austin will have CE Falk as his crew chief, a very talented and experienced driver himself. In addition to driving Austin will spend his off time working on the car.
Asked about the new team member, Team Manager and car builder Michael Harper shared “I am happy to have Austin joining our team. I have watched him for the last few years and can see he is not afraid to drive the car into the corners. We will spend time getting him comfortable in the car and work on the communication. The rest will come.” The Harper team racing the Summer Shootout will consist of full time driver 13 year old Kyle Weatherman, 16 year old Alex Hickem and Austin. The team will also be traveling around the Southeast when they are not racing at Lowes to places like Lanier Georgia, Atlanta Motor Speedway, Nashville, Virginia, South Carolina and they will finish of the summer by taking the green flag at the historic Bowman Gray Stadium the first weekend of August.
In addition to the exciting summer program ahead, Austin will be returning to race in the SRL Legends series at Stockton and Madera California in the month of June to honor his commitments to his sponsors and the series. Austin was last year’s runner up in the points for the SRL Legends tour that travels alongside the Spears SRL Southwest Tour as a feeder series. The SRL races in California and Nevada, traveling to 5 different tracks in a 9 race series. Austin commented “the fun part about racing the SRL is we get to race many different tracks and also many different drivers that are very competitive at their local tracks. I think that racing in the SRL Legends Tour will help as I go back east and race drivers I have not raced before.”
Austin is off to a good start for 2011 after 7 races he has five top 5 finishes and three wins resulting in his currently leading in the SRL Legends Tour Championship points. The upcoming races in this series are Stockton 99 Speedway June 4th followed by Madera Speedway June 25th. The Madera event will host the richest ever SRL Legends Tour event on Saturday. With total prize money for the Legends drivers at $3,600, the winner of this prestigious event will take home a record $1,200.
Austin Reed Racing would also like to thank his Associate Sponsors for their support , Power Balance, Headblade, JDA Fittings, and Fuel Clothing. Steel MX Optic, Rons Rear Ends, Kalgard, And Austin's charity he supports Ryan’s Reach.
Austin Reed is 17 years old and in 11th grade attending Frontier High School in Bakersfield, CA. Austin is the son of Dave Reed, former NASCAR championship car owner in the NASCAR Southwest Series. For more information please check out Austin's web site www.austinreedracing.com, http://www.youtube.com/AustinReedRacing, http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/austinreedracing?ref=ts, www.600racing.com, or contact Dave Reed dreed@approvedmemory.com and Derrick Shannon derrick@djssportsmarketing.com
