Malibu native and NASCAR K & N Pro Series rookie Austin Dyne earned a 12th place finish at the Napa/Toyota 150 last weekend in Colorado after battling technical difficulties with the front suspension system and a reportedly ill-advised pass by another driver mid-race.
“I had one of the best car set-ups we’ve had all season for the first practice session,” Dyne said. “I knew it was a top-five car the moment we hit the track. But in qualifying, I started to feel something going off with the left front suspension.”
Dyne’s team later determined the left front shock had an issue that affected the handling.
During lap 110, another driver attempted to make a risky pass and took out Dyne, along with two other cars.
Despite falling behind three laps from his position near the head of the pack, Dyne was determined to climb his way to the front during the remaining 40 laps, and fought to a 12th-place finish.
The race will air on SPEED Aug. 9 at 12 p.m.
Dyne is currently ranked ninth in the driver’s championship and second in the Sunoco Rookie Championship.