BESSEMER CITY MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HOST NASCAR MEET-AND- GREET
For Immediate Release: June 2, 2010
BESSEMER CITY, N.C. – June 2, 2010 – Gaston County Schools (GCS) and Austin Racing Enterprises, Inc. announced today that Bessemer City Middle School will host a meet-and-greet and autograph signing with NASCAR driver Chase Austin for more than 600 students, Friday, June 4, 9:00 a.m.
Students will get the experience of a lifetime while celebrating the successful completion of their end-of-grade tests. 20-year old Austin will hold a special meet-and-greet, and students will also get the chance to hear the roaring sound of a stock-car engine, and participate in an autograph signing.
Austin visited the school and spoke to the students in May, in an effort to motivate and inspire them to do their best on their end-of-grade tests. Austin explained the importance of education, determination, as well as achieving goals so they can “Race to the End & Stay on Track.”
On the fast track to success, Austin proves to be a role-model on and off the track, making history with every lap. At age 14, Austin was the youngest driver to sign a NASCAR contract, and in '07, the first African American driver to compete in a NASCAR oval event. Earlier this year, Austin was one of the native Kansan race-car drivers who were featured at an exhibit at the Kansas Museum of History.
Austin was signed to NASCAR powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports before his fifteenth birthday. During his first season on asphalt, he earned two wins, one top five, six top ten finishes and a pole award. Austin spent one season racing with Rusty Wallace in the NASCAR Busch East Series where he had four top ten finishes in thirteen starts. The highlight of the 2007 season for Chase was his sixth place finish at one of the most imposing and difficult tracks in NASCAR; the high-banked Dover "Monster Mile".
In his first ever Camping World Truck Series start at Daytona in 2009, Austin finished an impressive 13th, despite a mandate due to his rookie status that he was to run at the back of the pack until 20 laps to go.
