Austin Reed grew up around racing in California and from the time he was old enough to walk he has been driving race cars. His racing odyssey has taken him from his home in California to North Carolina where is pursuing his degree in mechanical engineering. When he is not hitting the books, he is driving his pursuing his passion at area race tracks in his Pro Late Model.
This Saturday, Reed will pilot the #14 Approved Memory/K&N Filters/Lucas Oil Chevrolet with the support of Beattie Racing in round two of the 2013 Pro Late Model Series. The race this weekend will have Reed visiting one of the marquee short track ovals in the Southwest, Myrtle Beach (SC) Speedway, in a 75-lap shootout race.
Reed finished round one with a ninth place effort but knew one might have gotten away from him last weekend in Dillon, SC. Reed had started mid-pack and worked his way up to the fifth position in the closing laps only to cut a tire under caution in the final ten laps. He persevered to the finish but was still disappointed.
"It was tough to drop out of the top five like that," Reed offered. "We had a really great all race and were fast in practice. I kind of messed up in qualifying and that hurt us for the race. The sticker tires for qualifying threw me off a bit. A top ten is ok but we know we can do better.
Myrtle Beach will present a new challenge for Reed as he has never visited the 3/8-mile paved oval. "This year we are certainly going to a lot of new places, but the Beattie team is really prepared and we are confident about our chances each race," Reed continued. "We want to contend for the championship and that means we need to be smart and finish races."
Reed is finishing his second semester in college focused on a Mechanical Engineering degree. What he learns in the classroom he applies working in the race shop at Beattie Racing. "I love working on the cars," Reed said. "I have always worked on all my race cars and learning to be competitive in a Late Model means that I have to do may part in the shop and on the track."
Reed and the Beattie team are building a brand new car to run later in the season back East. "The entire team at Beattie Racing has been awesome," Reed said. "My crew chief Adam (Welch) and I are communicating and working together really well. Adam has done a great job on the car and he is why we are fast. We are all looking forward to Myrtle Beach."
Reed will also continue to drive his USLCI Legend car at select races throughout the year including the Prestigious Legends Summer Shootout at Charlotte (NC) Motor Speedway. Reed is also planning to return to his home state of California later this month for the grand opening of the new Kern County Raceway in Bakersfield, CA where he will drive in the NASCAR Super Late Model division.
Dave Reed Racing has corporate partnerships with Voli Spirits, K&N Filters, Approved Memory, AMC Optics, Approved Promo, Lucas Oil, Eibach Springs, Fluidyne, Freight Train Peters Racing Engines, K1 Race Gear, Gene Price Motorsports, HeadBlade, N2 Systems, Performance Radios, Ron's Rear Ends, RPMTV, Ringers Gloves, Whipz.
About Lucas Oil
Lucas Oil Products was founded by Forrest Lucas and his wife, Charlotte, in 1989 after Forrest spent 20 years as a truck driver and owner of a nationwide long-haul trucking fleet. They experienced firsthand the need for better lubricants and fuel treatments to maintain their equipment. Through innovative product research and development, along with aggressive marketing programs, Lucas Oil has established itself as a top-selling additive line in the American trucking and automotive retail industries. Understanding the need for certain types of products in the trucking and automotive industries, Forrest went to work developing two products to add to the already extensive line of premium oils, greases, and problem-solving additives. www.lucasoil.com.
About DJ Shannon Enterprises LLC
From one-time press releases to a full season public relations campaign, we have a grassroots motorsports marketing program to fit your budget and needs. Get started today by calling Derrick at 208/870-8066 or email derrick@djssportsmarketing.com
About Approved Memory
Founded in 2003, with over 40 years of experience in the memory industry, Approved Memory is a lead manufacturer of memory upgrade products. Through proven engineering, Approved Memory manufactures and designs virtually every memory upgrade available. Approved Memory provides the latest technology, extensive industry experience, and unparalleled sales and service support to supply their customers with the best product available to meet all of their needs. Call 949-216-9690 phone, 949-216-9695 fax or email the team at dreed@approvedmemory.com. Visit the website at www.approvedmemory.com.
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