CONCORD, N.C. — Audio, photo and story by Race Chaser Online Managing Editor Jacob Seelman —
One week after Bojangles’ Summer Shootout Series veteran Austin Hill returned to the seat of a Legends car, Hill is giving another former Shootout star a chance to get back to his roots.
18-year-old Islamorada, Fla. native Ryan Shattuck, who is preparing to enter the University of Central Florida this fall, will return to Charlotte Motor Speedway driving Hill’s personal AK Performance Legend car in search of his first career Shootout victory in the Pro division.
“I’m really glad to be back in U.S. Legends Car competition at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” Shattuck said on Monday. “This is where I got my start in racing, was right here at the Shootout, so any time I can strap in and compete here is a special feeling. Austin and I got together a week or so ago and started talking about some stuff, some things transpired and now here we are.”
“I may be trying to learn what to do again, but I’m confident this team has what it takes to make it happen. It’s up to the driver now (laughs).”
While Shattuck has spent the last year and a half away from the USLCI scene, most notably competing in late models en route to a championship in the Southeast Limited Late Model Series Pro division last season, his Legends car accolades read like royalty in the Carolina area.
The young gun began in Legend cars during the 2011 season, and over the course of three years, Shattuck collected the 2012 victory at the Bowman-Gray Stadium Legends Car Classic, the 2012 U.S. Legends Car Young Lions divison oval and road course national championships, the 2012-2013 Winter Heat Series championship at CMS and the Bilstein Madonna Award, the highest honor possible for a Legends car driver — which Shattuck received at the USLCI National Banquet in Feb. of 2013.
The Florida teenager also collected the Bandolero Outlaws title at the Summer Shootout in 2010, and while he’s not racing for points this time around, Shattuck is determined to prove that he is as competitive as he was when he last raced a full season at the Shootout two years ago.
“Getting back to the Legend car, it’s a lot different than the late models I’ve been racing,” Shattuck admitted. “Late models are slow, and you have to be patient with them. These cars are so twitchy and hyper-sensitive that it’s a whole learning game all over again.”
“We’ll figure it out though. Austin and I work well together, and I know the track as well as anyone here I feel like, so we’ll manage. Hopefully we can put together a good showing and they’ll know we’re here.”
The Bojangles’ Summer Shootout kicks off on Tuesday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway with round eight of ten for the country’s top Legend car and Bandolero competitors in seven divisions. Grandstand tickets are $8, with kids 13 and under getting in free.
The Performance Racing Network (www.goprn.com) will also be video-streaming Tuesday night’s events live online for fans who cannot make it out to CMS.
For more information on the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout Series, visit www.charlottemotorspeedway.com.
Listen in as Race Chaser Online caught up with Shattuck during Monday’s practice session for Round 8 of the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network. Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s. He is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for both the United Sprint Car Series and the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: speed77radio@gmail.com
Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77
