He’s 20 years old, from Owen Sound, Sauble is his home track, his dad raced for years
before him and now he’s been behind the wheel making those left hand turns for 4 years.
That’s right! I’m talking about the driver of the #57 Roote’s Gas Bar United 8 car, Austin Findlay!The 57 team is another small family run team who favour Sauble Speedway as the closeness to his hometown, Owen Sound makes it nicer for them to get out there and learn how to adjust the car and make improvements to get the best performance they can out of it every Saturday.
Austin’s family has always been in the racing scene, he grew up visiting different
racetracks along with watching his dad, Kevin race as well. 4 years ago, Austin started his racing career in a bone stock car which he raced at Full Throttle, Grand Bend and Sauble Speedways, he made it to victory lane twice in his bone stock career. The 2022 season was his very first season behind the wheel of a Roote’s Gas Bar United 8! Austin also finished 2 nd in overall points for the Roote’s Gas Bar United 8’s division in the 2022 season. When I asked Austin to describe the feeling of coming in 2 nd overall in points in his first season in the United 8’s division he explained that “it felt pretty rewarding after struggling at the beginning of the season to piece together a new car but with help from my dad, Kevin and grandpa, Richard we were able to get it driving the way it should and managed to bring home a few good finishes. We made it out to every weekend trying hard for that checkered flag but couldn’t quite reach it, but we will be back out this year and hope we can bring home that checkered flag in 2023!”
When I asked Austin if he has always been the #57, he answered yes, the reason being
he chose to carry on the family number, 57 is the number that his dad had since the beginning of his racing career. Austin went on to say that along with the support of his family he also has some really supportive sponsors as well, Richard’s Auto Service makes sure that the car is ready to go every Saturday, other sponsors include Graham Construction, Mike Barber Masonry and Vokes Construction.
I asked Austin a question that I ask every driver I have a chance to speak with and that is “If you could give one piece of advice to someone just getting into the sport of racing what
would it be?” Austin explained the importance of asking lots of questions, watching around the track and see how other drivers do things differently and figure out what works best for you and your car, it’s about learning how to work the car first not how good the car is working. The last thing that Austin would like to say to the fans of Sauble Speedway is that he hopes everyone can make it out to support local racing this 2023 season, and that the #57 car will be out with a new look this year. Austin would not reveal the new look at this point he says, “Everyone will have to wait as the new look will be revealed on race night”. We would like to wish Austin and the 57 team the best of luck this season on catching that checkered flag and we are looking forward to seeing this new look for the #57 Roote’s Gas Bar United 8 car!