With 600 horsepower at his command, Josh Reaume enjoys going fast.
The 21-year-old Highlands residentB次元官网网址檚 car is fully fabricated, built from the ground up, but with a faux body mocked after a Camaro to give it a stock look. And with sponsorship from Colonial Countertops and Islandnet.com to help with costs, Reaume said heB次元官网网址檚 having a blast.
He races in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, a level often seen as a proving ground for drivers looking to race in the big leagues B次元官网网址� the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
ReaumeB次元官网网址檚 team has been busy lately. He raced at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah at the beginning of the year. Next up were speedways in Iowa and Washington.
His best finish so far has been 15th. He was in line for a top 10 finish in Utah until his gear shifter broke off and he couldnB次元官网网址檛 get the car out of second.
Reaume also just finished up the course work for his mechanical engineering degree.
He sees engineering as a somewhat unique way to enter into the highly competitive sport.
HeB次元官网网址檚 planning to move to Charlotte, North Carolina, where the majority of NASCAR teams call home, to join a Sprint Cup team as an engineer.
B次元官网网址淭he plan is to kind of get myself into the door with that and then hopefully end up driving for one of those big teams,B次元官网网址� Reaume said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 tough when thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of kids out there who want to be race car drivers, itB次元官网网址檚 difficult to set yourself apart. For me, that was engineering.B次元官网网址�
In the world of racing there are drivers who just drive and drivers who know the car inside out and backwards. As a hands-on driver and with his interest in engineering, Reaume said he isnB次元官网网址檛 afraid to get his hands dirty. He knows that a car is only as good as the crew behind it.
B次元官网网址淎 lot of times it seems like itB次元官网网址檚 just a driver, but itB次元官网网址檚 way more than that. ItB次元官网网址檚 very much a team sport,B次元官网网址� Reaume said. B次元官网网址淚f it wasnB次元官网网址檛 for the guys working on my car thereB次元官网网址檚 no way I would be able to do it. IB次元官网网址檓 extremely thankful.B次元官网网址�
Born in Redlands, Calif. and raised in Nigeria for 13 years, Reaume moved to Highlands for Grade 11.
At six years old, Reaume started racing go-karts and has been moving up into faster and faster cars ever since. The competitive nature of the sport is what keeps Reaume interested, combined with the technical aspects of building the best vehicle you can and tweaking it so it performs at its peak.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 no better feeling than jumping in a race car and pushing yourself to your physical and mental limitsB次元官网网址� Reaume said. B次元官网网址淚 just love it.B次元官网网址�
Reaume gives back to the racing community by helping out with organizing Victoria Karting. He enjoys working with the youth that race go-karts and said itB次元官网网址檚 wonderful how a young person can move up through go-karts all the way to racing stock cars at Western Speedway.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檇 say the race culture is definitely imbedded in Langford,B次元官网网址� Reaume said. B次元官网网址淲estern Speedway, because youB次元官网网址檙e on the Island and it costs so much to get off the Island by ferry, everyone races here and you just become one great big giant family. ... IB次元官网网址檝e never seen that at any other race track.B次元官网网址�
His latest race, in Portland, Ore. on Aug. 26, didnB次元官网网址檛 go as well as planned. Reaume finished in 18th place, three laps down from the lead. At the end of the race he had to head to the track ambulance for dehydration and carbon monoxide exposure, after damage sustained earlier in the race was allowing exhaust fumes into the car. Reaume said he is fine but disappointed with the result. Next up, Reaume hopes to race in Arizona in early November at the Phoenix International Raceway. His goal is to get a top 15 finish and end on the lead lap (meaning to not be lapped by the eventual winner). He hopes to move up to the Nationwide Series or Camping World Truck Series in the near future.
B次元官网网址淭hatB次元官网网址檚 what itB次元官网网址檚 all about for me, just getting experience so that I can increase my driving talent and move to the next level,B次元官网网址� Reaume said.
kwells@goldstreamgazette.com
