Fast Facts: Ryan Reed

Reed at Daytona Preseason Thunder
Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

Nationwide Series driver Ryan Reed, driver of the No. 16 Drive to Stop Diabetes Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing, is not just building public awareness of the disease. It’s something he lives with on a daily basis. Learn more about this talented young driver on a mission in this week’s Fast Facts.

• Ryan Austin Reed was born Aug. 12, 1993 in Bakersfield, CA. He won his first racing championship, the Kid’s Kart Track Championship, at age 4 and continued racing go-karts before moving into Legends cars. At age 16, Reed was the Legends Track Champion at Toyota Speedway at Irwindale. The following year, he moved into full-body stock cars and was named Super Late Model division Rookie of the Year at the same track, becoming the youngest Super Late Model winner in the track’s history.
• In February 2011, at age 17, Reed was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and told he would no longer be able to pursue a professional racing career. Reed refused to give up his career choice, and became a patient of Anne Peters, MD from USC’s Clinical Diabetes Program in California – the same doctor who works with IndyCar driver and Type 1 Diabetic Charlie Kimball.
• Later in 2011, Reed would race in three K&N Pro Series East races before moving to the ARCA Racing series in 2012 – in 14 races, he had six top-10 finishes. He also made his first Camping World Truck Series start that year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, finishing 17^th.
• Reed made six Nationwide Series starts for Roush Fenway Racing in 2013, picking up a best finish of ninth at Richmond International Raceway in September.
• Reed founded a non-profit organization, Ryan’s Mission, to build awareness, reach out as a role model and touch the lives of those affected by Diabetes. Ryan’s Mission and the American Diabetes Association will use Reed’s story as the foundation for the Drive to Stop Diabetes campaign.
• Learn more about Ryan Reed at http://www.roushfenway.com/ and more about the Drive to Stop Diabetes and Ryan’s Mission at drivetostopdiabetes.org.