[media-credit name=”Venturini Motorsports ” align=”alignright” width=”225″]
[/media-credit]Venturini Motorsports has become known for their driver development program over the years as they have helped develop some of today’s NASCAR starts, including Joey Logano. The crop this year is equally impressive and includes two stand-outs that now sit one-two in the Team Messina Rookie Challenge Standings.
Currently, Brennan Poole leads teammate Ryan Reed by 14 points.
Brennan Poole, who also leads the overall ARCA Racing Series points standings, finished eighth in Friday’s International Motorsports Hall of Fame 250. He is the only driver to finish in the top-10 in each ARCA Racing Series event this season.
Last season, Poole won the UARA-STARS Championship racing asphalt Late Models while also scoring his first ARCA victory in his debut at Salem Speedway.
The 21-year-old started the race fourth last Friday after qualifying was rained out and based on last year’s owners points.
On lap 10, Poole was involved in the first big wreck of the day after making contact with Steve Blackburn, but the damage was minimal and he was able to continue. He would run strong for the rest of the day, finishing eighth.
The finish allowed the driver of the No. 25 CJ Solar Band Chevrolet to have a 55-point lead over Tom Hessert in the standings after four races this year.
Meanwhile, Reed started the race in 11th and finished 13th after some issues throughout the day. The driver of the No. 15 JDRF car was up to the fourth position, before having trouble refiring his car during a late race pit stop. This dropped him back to the 23rd position, a lap down.
But the eighteen-year-old worked his way back on to the lead lap, missed the wreck late in the race and finished 13th. This marks his fourth top 15 finish this year as he finished 11th, 12th and 11th to start the year off.
He now sits fourth in points, tied with Chris Buescher.
Last season, Reed spent his time racing in variety of divisions, including the Pro AllStar Series, NASCAR Whelen All American Series and NASCAR K&N Pro East Series events to prepare for this season. The previous year, Reed won the Rookie of the Year Award and became the youngest feature winner in a Super Late Model at Irwindale Speedway.
Reed has become known for more than just his driving on the track, though, as his story off the track has inspired many.
In February 2011, Ryan Reed was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and was told that he would never be able to race again. However, after getting in contact with a doctor through IndyCar driver Charlie Kimball, he was told that it was possible. Reed went through all the necessary steps that he had to take and joined Venturini Motorsports at the beginning of the year.
When he’s not behind the wheel of a racecar, Reed is spreading word about JDRF and Ryan’s Mission. JDRF is the world’s largest funding provider for research towards curing, treating and preventing T1D and its complications. Ryan’s Mission is a non-profit organization that Reed formed to help build awareness, become a role model and positively touch the lives of others.
Both Reed and Poole will have to get their focus set to the action on track as the next event for the ARCA Racing Series is the Menards 200 at Toledo Speedway on Sunday May 20th.
