First off, apologies for the delay in getting this update out — I needed a couple of days to recover from the 42-hour drive home!

We began our long journey to WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca on Sunday, July 20th. We took a more relaxed pace on the way out, stopping overnight in Iowa, Wyoming, and Nevada. We arrived safely at the track on Wednesday, July 23rd — a day ahead of load-in.

After settling into our Airbnb, we enjoyed a quiet dinner and an early night to prepare for the busy weekend ahead. Thursday morning, we headed to the track for setup, with the rest of the team arriving in the afternoon. We were also thrilled to have a very special guest join us for the weekend — Richard Jackson, President and CEO of Austin’s title sponsor, Spark Power.

That evening, Austin was invited to participate in the INDYCAR kickoff party in downtown Monterey. It was a surreal moment seeing him interviewed on stage in front of a huge crowd, sharing the story of Racing With Autism alongside several INDYCAR stars. He then took part in an autograph session, seated at the same table as Callum Ilott, Robert Shwartzman, Nolan Siegel, and Alexander Rossi — absolute heaven for Austin!

Friday – Practice, Qualifying & Race 1

Friday was jam-packed, featuring two practice sessions, qualifying, and Race 1 — all in one day.

• Practice:
  Austin started strong in the first session, running near the top of the timesheets. Just 50 minutes later, Practice 2 began under very different conditions, with mist and light rain rolling in. Unfortunately, on slicks and with a damp track, Austin pushed too hard on his out lap and got caught in the gravel. The crew jumped into action once the car was returned by the tow truck, racing against the clock to make repairs before qualifying — and we made it. Austin was the first car on the pre-grid.

• Qualifying:
  Austin delivered a fantastic performance, qualifying P5 in class. The margins were razor-thin — just half a tenth would’ve put him in P2. What stood out most was his ability to bounce back from the earlier session — no small feat for someone on the spectrum. A proud moment.

• Race 1:
  After more than 12 hours at the track, Austin still had energy to spare. He had a stellar start, jumping to P3 by the end of Lap 1 and holding it for several laps. An issue while climbing the hill to the corkscrew caused the car to get unsettled, forcing him off-line and dropping him to 10th. But Austin dug deep, showing incredible pace and determination, fighting back through the field to finish P4 — just one car length behind 3rd. A phenomenal drive and team effort.

• Day 1 Video Recap

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  Saturday – Race 2

  Saturday’s only track activity was Race 2 in the late afternoon, but the paddock was buzzing all day. Austin was busy meeting fans and selling Racing With Autism merchandise.

  Starting P4, Austin again had a great launch, moving up to P2 by the end of the opening lap. He held that position for most of the race with close pressure from behind. Unfortunately, lapped traffic arrived at the worst possible moment, allowing P3 and P4 to sneak past, dropping Austin to 4th. But in a dramatic two-lap shootout after a late caution, Austin took advantage of a spin on the restart — everyone went wide, but Austin dove to the inside and reclaimed P2. He held it to the finish. A well-earned podium, and a moment of celebration for the whole team — especially Richard, who witnessed it all trackside!

• Day 2 Video Recap

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  Sunday – Race 3

  Our final race was originally scheduled to follow the INDYCAR feature but was pushed to the end of the day, now starting after 5:00 PM — not ideal when you have a 42-hour drive home and work on Wednesday!

  Austin spent most of the day signing autographs and meeting fans while the crew packed as much as we could. He started Race 3 in P2 and was poised for another strong finish. Unfortunately, disaster struck during the second formation lap when Austin was hit from behind. He didn’t report the contact, thinking it was just a light tap.

  By Lap 3, it was clear something was wrong — the car became nearly undriveable, and he fell back to P6. It wasn’t until after the race that we discovered the rear diffuser was severely damaged and out of alignment. That “light tap” had broken one of the most critical aerodynamic components. It’s a miracle he was able to finish at all — hats off to Austin for bringing it home.

• Day 3 Video Recap

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