Semi-Pro Legends Driver Austin Reed Places Fourth at USLCI Nationals
- 7 Mar 2012
Winning the California State Legends Championship, the driver had earned the opportunity to kick the weekend off by competing in the Race of Champions. Pacing the field for the first fifteen laps, Reed finished second in the all-star event. "Earning a spot in the USLCI Nationals race was an accomplishment alone," recalled Reed, "and to be able to start in the top five made it even better. Going into the Race of Champions, my confidence level seemed very high. I had raced against many of the people before and had a lot of track experience. I actually had led the first half of the race, until two cars were able to draft up to me, making it possible for one of them to pass me," he recalled. "We spent the remainder of the race battling for the first position. Spencer Saunders took the lead from me. I finished the race in second. I think if I would have driven the first half of the race a little more cautiously in order to save my tires and the race car, I would have had a better chance of staying fast toward the end of the race."
The driver then lined up in a field of twenty four starters, each and every one eager to battle for the checkered flag in the thirty-lap feature event. At the waving of the green flag, Austin Reed once again earned a place amongst the fastest drivers early on, but as luck would have it, mechanical malfunctions threw a wrench in his plans when he lost his clutch during the first caution. Although faced with dealing with the issue, Austin never gave up, and in turn still managed to cross the finish line in fourth place. "During the feature, I felt very confident that we could get a top five finish by the end of the race," explained Reed. "I started fourth and knew I would be able to maintain that position. During the race, my clutch pedal lost a bolt. If we had not experienced that mechanical issue, I think I could have been a part of the battle for third. But my restarts were not up to speed due to my clutch." When asked how he managed to hold on to fourth place in spite of mechanical failure, Austin said, "Our fourth place finish was a lot of the car. We worked hard all week to make sure the car would be perfect for the main event. I also think that my aggressive driving strategy played a big part in our finish after most restarts. I lost a position and had to find a way to quickly make my way back up through the traffic," he continued. "I was very happy with a fourth place, although our team would always like to finish better."
Referring to the entirety of 2011, Austin said, "I couldn't have been happier with my season results. We finished thirteenth in the nation and first in the California state points! The one thing I enjoyed most about my racing this year was being able to travel from track to track throughout the country and gain experience." When asked how he would prepare for 2012, the driver explained, "Our racing program doesn't have an "off" season really, so while everyone else is at home, we're spending time gaining more seat time and perfecting our race car." Austin Reed was more than happy to credit his team as an element of his success. "My team is extremely important to me," shared Reed. "Without a good team behind a driver, there is no way to be successful in racing." As one might suspect, the driver is also acutely aware of the importance of maintenance, and depends upon K&N products to protect the internal components of his engine. "We started using K&N products while I was racing Trophy Karts Elites in championship off-road racing in 2004, and continued using their products as we transferred on to pavement into a Legend car. We currently run their oil filter and air filters and breathers. I definitely credit some of my success to K&N," explained Reed. "Their products have proven to be the best for competition and on the dyno." Nearing the end of his high school tenure, the young driver appears to already have his ducks in a row. "I plan on attending Cal State Bakersfield, and continuing my hobby and addiction in racing." In conclusion Austin Reed said, "I would like to thank all of my sponsors. Without them, it wouldn't be possible for me to enjoy the life of racing. I also can't thank my fans enough for supporting me, and I hope to see them all at future races to come." Find K&N products for your vehicle using the K&N application search then use the K&N dealer search to find a K&N dealer in your part of the world. |
