Chase Austin, the young African-American from Kansas striving to be a championship race car driver, debuted strongly in his first race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The Eudora Kansas native finished ninth in the Firestone Freedom 100 race at the Speedway on Carb Day. Austin, whose practice time was cut short by rain, started 17th in the crash marred race. After the race, Austin said, “It was pretty cool. We had little issues. The gearing was a little off, so I couldn’t really pass anybody by myself. The only way I’d get to pass anybody is when they’d check up in the corner. I just kind of had to be more ballsy than they were, which worked out for the most part.”
The race was Austin’s first time in the Indy Lights car series which is a steppingstone to the IndyCar series racing. Willy T. Ribbs, the first African-American to compete in at the Speedway, helped Austin as the car owner. Ribbs told the Kansas City Star that “I am very proud of Chase. He did exactly what I would have liked to see him do, and that was finish. He was very smart in his debut.. This won’t be the last we see of him in open-wheel racing.” Austin was also proud of his association with the racing pioneer, “It’s been good. I’m just glad he gave me the opportunity.”
