{"id":165670,"date":"2025-08-22T05:21:16","date_gmt":"2025-08-22T05:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/165670\/"},"modified":"2025-08-22T05:21:16","modified_gmt":"2025-08-22T05:21:16","slug":"former-knx-hero-to-make-his-nascar-debut","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/165670\/","title":{"rendered":"Former KNX Hero to make his NASCAR debut"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former KNX Hero of the Week Austin Varco<\/a> is making some big moves as he\u2019s set to make his NASCAR debut!<\/p>\n

\"Austin<\/p>\n

Austin Varco<\/p>\n

Photo credit Austin Varco<\/p>\n

\u201cI am gonna be racing in the ARCA Menards West Series race, which is essentially the opening race for the NASCAR Xfinity series, Portland International Raceway on August 29th with Strike Mamma Racing,\u201d the 25-year-old told Heroes host Heather Jordan<\/a>.\u00a0\u201c My sponsors are Special Needz Coffee<\/a>, Imperial Health, and Columbia Hobby, and so we’ve got some local companies on the car.\u201d<\/p>\n

In 2021, Varco was diagnosed with autism.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat was kind of right about the time that I started racing, and so when I saw that I was having some success in racing.. I thought, \u2018Well, how cool would it be to celebrate this?\u2019\u201d he said. \u201cAnd it was one of the hardest things, I think, I’ve ever had to do, was come out and talk about that. I’m not the type of person to put my feelings on my chest, and so when that happened, it was very liberating, and I realized that that was who I was. From there, it just took off, and I started a nonprofit that introduces families affected by autism who may be, you know, may have sensory problems to racing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Austin<\/p>\n

Photo credit Austin Varco<\/p>\n

\"Austin<\/p>\n

Photo credit Austin Varco<\/p>\n

His nonprofit, Race4Autism, \u201cintroduced over 20,000 people affected by ASD to racing, and has raised thousands for autism-related non-profits across 14 events since 2022,\u201d according to its website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Varco said having Special Needz Coffee (also former KNX Heroes<\/a>) as one of his main car sponsors is super special.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey took a huge chance betting on me, and we’ve had a lot of success,\u201d he said. \u201cWe’ve almost won two championships, and I think we’re gonna win this one.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Austin<\/p>\n

Austin Varco and members of Special Needz\u00a0Coffee (who are also former KNX Heroes!)<\/p>\n

Photo credit Austin Varco<\/p>\n

You can stream the race at https:\/\/www.floracing.com\/<\/a> and listen: https:\/\/www.mrn.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

Check out all our KNX Heroes <\/strong>here<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Follow KNX News 97.1 FM<\/strong>
Twitter<\/strong><\/a> |<\/strong> <\/strong>Facebook<\/strong><\/a> |<\/strong> <\/strong>Instagram<\/strong><\/a> |<\/strong> <\/strong>TikTok<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n