Top NASCAR Teams Show High Level of Interest in Teenage Racer's Future -

( Eudora , KS – June 7, 2004 )  - - Chase Austin's visit to Charlotte , North Carolina and the activities at Lowes Motor Speedway during the Memorial Day weekend left a very positive feeling about the talented minority stock car professional.  Following a special awards presentation, preceding Saturday's (May 29^th) NASCAR Busch Grand National Division event, Austin was the talk of numerous key business leaders in the motorsports industry.  Among them, a handful of top-rated NASCAR Nextel Cup team owners who expressed interest in bringing Chase Austin into their respective organizations.  During his stay in the Charlotte area, Austin was the guest of Roush Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing, who among others, expressed enthusiasm about working with this talented teen. 

"We have really been treated great by all of the teams, team owners and the officials of Lowes Motor Speedway, NASCAR and the fans.  It's a whole new world for me, but it's exciting," said Austin of the recent trip to the Queen City and hub of American stock car racing.  "It was really neat to be presented with the Horizon Award in front of that huge crowd and to have the honor of getting it from Humpy Wheeler.  He and his staff were really nice to us and we really appreciate their support," Austin continued.  "Like I told the crowd when I received the award, I hope to be racing at Lowes and other super speedways in the next few seasons."

In everything goes according to current plans, Austin 's stock car efforts through the ASA Late Model ranks and eventually on to the ASA National Series will be aided by one of the leading NASCAR Nextel Cup teams.  Austin will move forward with the respective team through the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Busch Grand National Divisions.

 

Although additional attention has been drawn to the career of 14-year-old racer due to recent diversity efforts in NASCAR, Austin hopes to march his career forward based solely on his performance and track record.  "Right now we need to make sure Chase is locked in with the right organization in order to maximize his talents and opportunities for the future," notes the young driver's mom, Marianne Austin.  "We have already received a couple of pretty strong offers and are close to making a decision for the future in regards to the team that best fits Chase's personality and driving style.  We had been working on this prior to the recent announcements concerning diversity programs, so Chase has essentially gotten where he is today based own his own accomplishments and with what we could afford out of our own pockets.  We are not necessarily opposed to the new diversity initiatives if they will help out in terms of sponsorship.”

 

Chase made several media and special appearances during the racing action at Charlotte , including a guest visit to The Dirt Track at Lowes Motor Speedway where he had previously competed.  Austin joined motorsports legends Marvin Panch, Tony Stewart and Ken Squier as special guests at the dirt late model track across the street from the super speedway.  Chase was also a featured visitor of WRFX radio station during pre-race festivities prior to Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.

 

Austin attends middle school in Eudora , Kansas and when on the road receives assignments from his teachers via e-mail and fax.  Steve Austin, the father of the young driver, has served as team crew chief while mentoring his teen-age son on the road.  Steve also works with dirt and asphalt stock car teams with a Mobile Chassis Dyno program in partnership with legendary dirt late model veteran Mike Duvall of Cowpens , SC.   To learn more about the rising career of this exciting young stock car competitor visit the official web site for Chase Austin found on the Internet at www.chaseaustin.net.