Cal Club Region racer Austin Varco has made his presence known in the SCCA® paddock – in the best way possible. At 24-years old and racing in Spec Miata, Varco is on a motorsports journey that began in go-karts at age 7, but according to a recent interview in The San Diego Union-Tribune, there’s something else that’s very special about him. Now, he’s working to spread the word, and with it, help bring acceptance.
“My whole adolescence I knew I was different,” he told the paper. “I didn’t know why, but I always felt outcasted, struggling to make friends. I just didn’t share the same interests as other kids.”
With middle school came friends and filmmaking, where the paper states he made about 100 short films and a 90-minute feature over the course of two years. Then came college, where elements of his life began to make more sense when he was diagnosed with autism.
“My reaction was 50/50 shock and relief,” he said. “This was the missing piece to explain my life.”
Since then, Varco has earned Cal Club Region’s Rookie of the Year award, and has used SCCA Road Racing events to help bring those with autism to the track on race weekends to visit with racers and volunteers.
To learn more about Varco – including his motorsports aspirations – check out the article on The San Diego Union-Tribune’s website.
