Austin Reed of Bakersfield, CA has always been a good student both in and out of the classroom. The 16-year old Frontier High School sophomore knows that what he accomplishes today will make a big difference tomorrow.
Reed is a 4.0 student and takes his education seriously and he has applied that same standard to his racing pursuits. Reed came to racing naturally being the son of a NASCAR championship car owner (Dave Reed) and by age five he was hooked.
Like most young kids Reed started out on BMX bikes, but his passion for speed drew him to motorized vehicles eventually competing in Trophy Karts which are scale versions of the type of race vehicles that compete in the Baja 1000.
After a successful stint in off-road racing, Reed graduated to Legend cars (5/8 replicas of vintage 1930's Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge coupes) and competed this past season at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, CA. Reed finished the season in the top 20 final point standings but more importantly he gained valuable seat time on asphalt.
This weekend Reed continues his racing education by traveling to Las Vegas, NV to compete at the Bullring in an open Legends event in preparation for next weekend's annual Fall Classic show that draws competitors from all over the Western United States.
Reed is hands-on with his car and applies his academic mind to prepare his race car for competition. "Over the past three weeks I completely tore the car down to the frame and put it all back together," Reed said. "I finished last night and we loaded up this morning and are heading to Vegas. I want to ensure the car is right for next weekend."
Just like in school, his preparation will most certainly lead to a passing grade on the track. Reed plans to continue racing Legend cars next season and also pursue opportunities in a spec truck series where he can gain more experience in heavier race vehicles as he graduates in his racing career.
For more information on Austin Reed you can click on his website www.austinreedracing.com
