Chase Austin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Chase Austin
Austin at Nashville Superspeedway in 2007
Born	(1989-10-03) October 3, 1989 (age 35) Eudora, Kansas, U.S.
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
6 races run over 3 years
Best finish	89th (2009)
First race	2007 Sam's Town 250 (Memphis)
Last race	2010 Carfax 250 (Michigan)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career
3 races run over 2 years
Best finish	63rd (2009)
First race	2009 NextEra Energy Resources 250 (Daytona)
Last race	2010 VFW 200 (Michigan)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
Statistics current as of November 19, 2011.

Chase Austin (born October 3, 1989) is an American professional race car driver. He used to be a special development driver for big racing teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Rusty Wallace Racing. He competed in NASCAR's Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. He also raced in the Firestone Indy Lights series from 2011 to 2014.

Chase Austin's Early Racing Days

Chase Austin started racing when he was just 7 years old. He built his first go-kart with his dad. He won over 60 races in karts between the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In 2001, he moved on to micro sprint cars. He won 16 races in just two years! After that, he raced full-size sprint cars, dirt track racing modifieds, and late model cars. He raced on both dirt and asphalt tracks. While racing in Kansas, he won more than 100 races across different types of cars. He even won a special dirt late model race called the "Future Dirt Track World Championship." This race was for the best teenage drivers in the United States.

NASCAR Adventures

In late 2004, when Chase was only 14, he signed a special agreement with Hendrick Motorsports. This was a "driver development deal." It meant Hendrick Motorsports would help him become a professional racer. They had him race for their partner team, SS Racing, in the ASA Late Model Series.

In 2006, Hendrick Motorsports ended its driver development program. Chase's family received some race car parts. They used these parts to keep racing in many different series. Even as a 16-year-old in high school, Chase was the driver and the main mechanic for his family's team. He raced in 23 events that year. He won 3 races and finished in the top five six times. He raced on both dirt and asphalt. He also competed in his first USAR Hooters Procup Series race.

First NASCAR Races

Chase made his first start in the NASCAR Busch Series (which is now called the XFINITY Series) in 2007. He raced at the Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park. He finished 41st after an accident. In that race, he became the first African American driver to start a Busch Series race on an oval track. He was also the second African American driver to ever race in the series.

He also competed in eleven NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch East Series races that year. He finished in the top ten four times. He also made his first start in the ARCA series. He was supposed to race in 15 Nationwide Series races in 2008, but those plans changed. He later left the team.

In 2009, Chase was announced as the driver for the No. 32 Trail Motorsport Chevrolet Silverado. However, that team closed very early in the season. Chase then joined Xxxtreme Motorsport to drive the #07 Chevrolet part-time. During a Nationwide Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 21, 2009, he had a big crash with Kyle Busch and Reed Sorenson. This happened after his tire went flat.

In 2010, Chase Austin raced in a Camping World Truck Series race and a Nationwide Series race. He drove for the new United Racing Group. He had sponsors like Walgreens and Forgotten Harvest.

Indy Lights and IndyCar Racing

When Chase couldn't find a racing spot in NASCAR in 2011, he decided to try a different type of racing. He joined forces with Willy T. Ribbs, who was also an African American former IndyCar driver. Chase made his debut in the Firestone Indy Lights series. His first race was the Firestone Freedom 100 at the famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He also raced in the Freedom 100 in 2012.

In August 2012, it was announced that Chase Austin might race for A. J. Foyt Enterprises in the 2013 Indianapolis 500. However, another driver, Conor Daly, ended up driving that car instead.

About Chase Austin's Life

Chase Austin's father is African American, and his mother is Caucasian. He is married and lives in Houston, Texas.

Images for kids

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  Austin at Nashville Superspeedway in 2007