08/30/2016

Reed Heads to Track ‘Too Tough to Tame’

Darlington_Composite

Team:             No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang

Crew Chief:    Phil Gould

Twitter:           @driverRyanReed, @Reed16Team and @RoushFenway

 

ADVANCE NOTES

Reed at Darlington Raceway

Reed has competed at Darlington Raceway twice in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. In 2014, Reed finished 13th after starting 18th. In this race last year, Reed finished 23rd after starting 17th.

Throwback Weekend and Live Car Painting

To celebrate Darlington Raceway’s throwback weekend, the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association Ford Mustang will feature a design similar to the red, white and blue ‘matador’ No. 16 driven by Bobby Allison for Penske Racing in 1975, on his way to three victories, including two at Darlington Raceway.

Bobby Allison, who recorded five wins at Darlington Speedway during his 25-year NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career, will serve as an honorary crew member to the No. 16 team. Allison will join Reed at the No. 16 car at pre-race and sit atop the No. 16 Lilly Diabetes/American Diabetes Association pit box with the team’s crew chief and engineer for the start of the race.

NASCAR artist Sam Bass, who helped adapt the paint scheme for Reed’s No. 16 Ford Mustang will do a live painting of Lilly Diabetes’ 140th Anniversary logo on the No. 16 decklid on Friday, September 2nd at 6 p.m. ET in the NASCAR XFINITY Series garage.

Riding with Ryan

NASCAR’s First Officially Licensed Artist and diabetes awareness ambassador Sam Bass will ‘ride’ with Ryan Reed this weekend at Darlington Raceway. The Concord, N.C. resident will have his name featured on a decal above the passenger-side window on the No. 16 Ford Mustang.

Bass was diagnosed with diabetes more than 20 years ago and has had his share of complications relating to the disease. In 2008, he lost the lower portion of his left leg and since has had three bouts of sepsis, a serious blood infection that can lead to death. Today, Bass knows the importance of working with his doctors, eating right and staying as active as possible to avoid complications and lead a normal life. Bass has shared his story of diagnosis at several American Diabetes AssociationSM events, including the Association’s 2014 Father of the Year Awards in Charlotte, which honors men who are leaders and examples to their community as well as for their families.

In the Community

On Thursday, September 1st at 5 p.m. E.T., Ryan Reed and Sam Bass will make speak to other people living with diabetes in Florence, S.C. at Hope Health at 5 p.m. ET. Reed and Bass will share their stories of receiving a diabetes diagnosis and how, with proper management, they each are able to live out their dreams in the racecar and on the canvas.

Reed in 2016

Reed is scored 10th in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Championship standings after 23 races. He has recorded one top-five and four top-10 finishes, led eight laps for the season and has recorded an average finish of 16.9.

Road America Recap

The No.16 team finished fifth at Road America on Saturday after starting seventh. The top-five finish is the team’s best finish of the 2016 season to-date.

Reed on Darlington

“It’s so fun when Darlington Raceway rolls around with the throwback program and also just the history of the track. It’s definitely a challenging track, but our confidence is really high going into this weekend and there’s no reason we can’t have a good result. I definitely want to make Bobby Allison and Sam Bass proud and can’t wait for all that we have in store for this weekend.”

Meet Ryan

Reed and teammate Bubba Wallace will meet fans the Darlington Raceway Ford Display on Saturday, September 3rd at 10:15 a.m. ET

Tune-in

Reed and the rest of the NASCAR XFINITY Series will take the green flag from Darlington Raceway on Saturday, September 3rd at 3:30 p.m.ET on NBC and MRN.

About the Drive to Stop Diabetes

The Drive to Stop Diabetes campaign strives to educate people about living well with diabetes. The campaign encourages the millions of Americans who have diabetes to talk about it with their doctor, family, and friends and to actively manage their health. 

About Lilly Diabetes

Lilly has been a global leader in diabetes care since 1923, when we introduced the world’s first commercial insulin. Today we are building upon this heritage by working to meet the diverse needs of people with diabetes and those who care for them. Through research and collaboration, a broad and growing product portfolio and a continued determination to provide real solutions—from medicines to support programs and more—we strive to make life better for all those affected by diabetes around the world. For more information, visit www.lillydiabetes.com or follow us on Twitter: @LillyDiabetes.

About The American Diabetes Association

The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight to Stop Diabetes® and its deadly consequences and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes. Founded in 1940, the Association’s mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES (800-342-2383) or visit diabetes.org. Information from both these sources is available in English and Spanish.