Thirteen-year-old Ryan Rackley will embark on his first full season of late model racing this year after signing with Lee Faulk Racing and Development.

Rackley, who made his limited late model debut last November at Myrtle Beach (S.C.) Speedway for Lee Faulk Racing and Development and finished third, will run the full PRA Tours SouthEast Limited Late Model Series schedule in addition to a handful of other limited late model events.

“I’m really looking forward to broadening my horizons and getting more experience in a late model this season,” said Rackley, a multi-time champion in Legends car competition. “I got a little taste of it last year with Lee Faulk Racing at Myrtle Beach Speedway, but I’m looking forward to running more laps and learning as much as I can. They’ve got the best equipment you could ask for, so it’s up to me to perform.”

In anticipation of Rackley’s late model schedule, Lee Faulk Racing and Development has hired former Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star David Reutimann to serve as Rackley’s crew chief in 2019.

Reutimann is veteran and race winner in all three of NASCAR’s National divisions. The native of Florida earned his first NASCAR Cup Series triumph in 2009 during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway and added a second victory the following season at Chicagoland Speedway.

After departing NASCAR, Reutimann returned to his dirt track roots by racing dirt modifieds across the Southeast. He also owns his own dirt modified chassis company – Beak Built Chassis.

“I’m pretty excited to join the folks at Lee Faulk Racing to work with Ryan this year,” said the 48-year-old Reutimann. “It’s important to work with the younger generation of racers and help them find the right path in this sport. Ryan has done a good job so far and my goal is to help him mature as a competitor and learn each time he goes on the race track.

“Obviously we want to win races, but the goal this year will be for Ryan to get as much experience and seat time as he can.”

Lee Faulk Racing and Development’s Michael Faulk said adding Rackley and Reutimann to the team can only help everyone involved.

“We’re so happy we can add Ryan Rackley to our driver roster this year,” said Faulk. “On top of that, having a veteran like David Reutimann involved as his crew chief can only make us and Ryan better. I can’t wait to see what these two accomplish this year as a team.”

Rackley and Reutimann will kick off the PRA Tours SouthEast Limited Late Model Series season on March 23 at Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C.

“I’m excited for the chance to work with a proven winner like David Reutimann,” said Rackley. “He’s been successful in everything he has ever done and was a winner in NASCAR, so naturally he’s got a lot of knowledge for me to learn from. I want to be a sponge and soak up as much as I can this year.

“Thanks to everyone, my family, my sponsors, MPM Marketing and Lee Faulk Racing and Development for believing in me and taking a chance on me. I can’t wait to get started in a few months.”