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Former PTC resident makes move to NASCAR

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

Six years ago, Reed Sorenson was a 12-year-old from Peachtree City who was making lots of noise in the Legends Racing Series. He had already been racing for six years and had compiled an impressive record.

His goal then was the same as it had always been, to one day drive in a NASCAR race. He will get his chance this weekend when he makes his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Indianapolis Raceway Park. Sorenson is a member of Chip Ganassi Racing, the team that has signed him as a development driver.

Once referred to on his former Web site as “Reed Racer,” Sorenson began his career racing in the Quarter Midget division where he won 250 checkered flags on the way to winning nine Southeastern Championships and one National Championship in 1997. He then moved on to Legends racing where he racked up 84 wins, 152 top five finishes and 166 top 10 finishes in just 183 starts.

Sorenson is now in his third year of American Speed Association racing. He was last year’s ASA Rookie of the Year and was the youngest driver ever to win that title. This year he is currently seventh in ASA standings. He also began driving ARCA races this year, winning his first ARCA race in just his second start in the series. Though there is the dream of winning right away in the Busch series, Sorenson is keeping his cool.

“I want to win every race I’m in, but I’m trying to slow myself down mentally and remember not to take any chances,” Sorenson said. “It’s not worth it to tear this car up trying to pick up another couple of positions. For my first race, with everyone watching me, it’s much more important for me to just keep my nose clean. Hopefully I have a whole career ahead of me to win races.”

Sorenson graduated from Woodward Academy in May and recently moved to Charlotte. He will attend the University of North Carolina-Charlotte this fall and will continue to pursuit his racing dreams throughout his collegiate career.

After this weekend’s race in Indianapolis, Sorenson has two races at Atlanta Motor Speedway in October to look forward to. He will race in the ASA 150 Oct. 29 and the Aaron’s 312 Busch Series race Oct. 30.

He’ll have a hometown crowd cheering him on during the fall race weekend for both the ASA and Busch races, and although Sorenson is reluctant to look too far ahead, he knows how special it would be to win on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s “big track” after racing for so many years on the quarter-mile.

“After I get my first race out of the way I’m sure I’ll start thinking more about Atlanta,” Sorenson said. “By the time I get home, I hope I’ll be more relaxed in the car and have a real good showing for the fans. I’m looking forward to that weekend a lot, being at my home track. As much time as I’ve spent at that track, I hope it’s a good weekend for us.”