FONTANA, Calif. (March 16, 2016) – Roush Fenway Racing driver Ryan Reed heads to his home track of Auto Club Speedway (ACS) in Fontana, Calif. this weekend, but he’s not alone in his journey home. Two other members of the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association team also call ACS their home track. Car chief, Dan Bormann, and Front Tire Carrier, Ryan McCray have deep racing roots at the D-shaped oval.
“It’s cool that I share a history of attending races at Auto Club with members of my team,” said Reed. “Memories of watching my dad race here growing up are really special to me and it really means a lot to him that I’m following in his footsteps. I know it would mean a lot to all of us if we could get a win here and I would love nothing more than to do that this weekend.”
Reed’s father, Mark, raced locally near their hometown of Bakersfield, Calif., but also competed in some NASCAR-sanctioned events at ACS. Just a two hour drive from the Reeds’ home, the 22-year old driver has attended races at the track with his family throughout his life.
Like Reed, McCray’s racing background stems from his father’s involvement in the sport. Their family lived in Highland, Calif., just 30 minutes from ACS. McCray’s father, Rick, raced in the Winston West Series, now known as the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, at the old Ontario Motor Speedway, which was torn down to build ACS. He also participated in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at the track in 1978.
“Given my dad’s history at the track, it would be so cool to win here,” said McCray. “This is always one of my favorite stops on the circuit since it’s so close to home so I always enjoy getting to see old friends and family. It’s really amazing to see what the track has done for this area and I’m proud to call it home.”
Dan Bormann hails from Shingle Springs, Calif., which is about six hours north from ACS, but still a special track for the veteran car chief. As a part-time car chief for a NASCAR K&N Pro Series West team, Bormann helped now-NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer win his first pole award at the track in 2004. Soon after, Bormann quit his day job as an auto mechanic at Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company to move to North Carolina to pursue a career in NASCAR. Bormann was the car chief for Reed’s 2015 season-opening victory at Daytona International Speedway.
Reed and the rest of the No. 16 team take to the track for 300 miles of NASCAR XFINITY Series racing on Saturday, March 19 at 1:00 p.m. PT on FS1 and MRN.
