Austin Vaughn Bio
Austin Vaughn (born August 15, 2008) is an American professional stock car racing driver from Burnsville, Mississippi. He most recently competed full-time in the ARCA Menards Series East, driving the No. 34 and No. 67 Ford for VWV Racing, while also making part-time starts in the ARCA Menards Series with Maples Motorsports and VWV. A young prospect on the national stock car ladder, Vaughn began his climb through regional short tracks before stepping into the ARCA ranks.
Early Life and Background
Austin Vaughn was born on August 15, 2008, in Burnsville, Mississippi, in the United States. Burnsville is a small community in the northeastern part of the state, an area with a long tradition of short-track racing and grassroots motorsports. Growing up in that environment, Vaughn was exposed to local race programs at an early age, and the culture of weekly racing shaped his interest in becoming a driver.
Vaughn spent his formative years cutting his teeth on the short tracks of the American Southeast, learning the basics of race craft, car control, and the discipline required to move up the ladder. The transition from local hobby racing to organized competition came quickly for him, and by his mid-teens he had already established himself as a driver to watch in regional series.
Path to NASCAR
Before reaching the ARCA ranks, Vaughn built his resume on regional circuits, including the Grand National Super Series, the Tri-State Open Wheel Modified Series, and the Crate Racin’ USA Weekly Racing Series. Those series gave him experience on a variety of track types, from paved ovals to dirt and modified-style surfaces, and helped him develop the versatility that defines young American short-track prospects.
Vaughn’s progression to the ARCA Menards Series marked his first entry into the national stock car ladder system that feeds into NASCAR. The ARCA platform gave him the opportunity to race at larger, more competitive venues and to measure himself against established development teams. Although he has not yet reached NASCAR’s top three national touring series, his ARCA work has positioned him as an emerging name in the development pipeline.
Austin Vaughn Career
Early Career (2022–2023)
Vaughn’s earliest documented racing came in regional stock car and open-wheel modified competition. He raced in the Grand National Super Series, the Tri-State Open Wheel Modified Series, and the Crate Racin’ USA Weekly Racing Series, where he gained valuable seat time and began to build a reputation as a young, aggressive driver with a feel for both stock cars and modified-style chassis.
These regional seasons gave Vaughn a foundation in the fundamentals of short-track racing, including tire management, race-long pacing, and the art of passing in tight packs. By the end of his regional run, he had attracted attention from ARCA-level teams, opening the door to the next step in his career.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2024)
In 2024, it was announced that Vaughn would make his ARCA Menards Series debut at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds dirt track, driving the No. 06 Toyota. The dirt mile at DuQuoin is one of the more demanding venues on the ARCA calendar, and the event served as a major test for the young Mississippian. Vaughn placed eighteenth in the lone practice session and qualified eighteenth for the race.
During his debut, Vaughn suffered a spin and later encountered mechanical issues, relegating him to a sixteenth-place finish. While the result was modest, the experience of competing at the national ARCA level provided important lessons, and the debut confirmed that he was ready to take on a fuller ARCA schedule in the years ahead.
ARCA Menards Series East Era (2025)
In 2025, Vaughn was revealed as a participant in the pre-season test for the ARCA Menards Series at Daytona International Speedway, driving the No. 00 Toyota for Kennedy Aiken Racing. The Daytona test was an important step, giving him his first laps on a 2.5-mile superspeedway and a chance to work with a new team in a high-speed environment.
Shortly after, it was announced that Vaughn would make his ARCA Menards Series East debut at Five Flags Speedway, driving the No. 34 Ford for VWV Racing. He went on to run the next three East races at Rockingham, Nashville Fairgrounds, and Flat Rock, earning a best finish of fifth at Flat Rock. He also returned to the main ARCA Menards Series at Lime Rock Park, driving the No. 67 Chevrolet for Maples Motorsports, where he finished eighteenth. Vaughn’s 2025 East campaign earned him the ARCA Menards Series East Rookie of the Year award, a strong sign of his development and potential.
Driving Style and Strengths
Vaughn’s background across regional stock car, modified, and weekly racing series has given him a versatile skill set. He has shown comfort on short tracks and dirt surfaces, the kind of adaptability that translates well to the variety of venues on the ARCA schedule. His experience in tight, lap-after-lap racing has also helped him develop a patient but assertive style behind the wheel.
Notable Races and Milestones
Vaughn’s most notable milestone to date is his 2025 ARCA Menards Series East Rookie of the Year honor, awarded after a season that included a top-five finish at Flat Rock. His 2024 ARCA debut at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds dirt track and his 2025 Daytona test with Kennedy Aiken Racing also stand out as key early career moments that confirmed his arrival on the national stock car ladder.
Austin Vaughn Career Wins
As of the 2025 season, Austin Vaughn has not recorded a verified feature victory in either the ARCA Menards Series or the ARCA Menards Series East. His most notable accomplishment in the wins column is his 2025 ARCA Menards Series East Rookie of the Year award, earned through a consistent rookie campaign highlighted by a fifth-place run at Flat Rock.
ARCA Menards Series East Highlights
Vaughn’s 2025 ARCA Menards Series East season included starts at Five Flags Speedway, Rockingham, Nashville Fairgrounds, and Flat Rock, with a best finish of fifth at Flat Rock driving the No. 34 Ford for VWV Racing. That fifth-place run was the high point of his rookie year and helped secure the East Rookie of the Year title.
Other Wins and Performances
Earlier in his career, Vaughn competed in the Grand National Super Series, the Tri-State Open Wheel Modified Series, and the Crate Racin’ USA Weekly Racing Series. Specific race-by-race results from those regional series are not fully documented in available sources, and any additional win totals cannot be confirmed with certainty.
Austin Vaughn Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Public information about Austin Vaughn’s parents and any broader family connection to racing is limited. His upbringing in Burnsville, Mississippi, placed him in a region with deep short-track racing roots, which likely played a role in his early interest in motorsports.
Personal Life
Vaughn was born and raised in Burnsville, Mississippi. He was just 16 years old during the 2025 ARCA Menards Series East season, making him one of the younger drivers competing at that level of the sport.
2025 Season Performance
Austin Vaughn’s 2025 season was defined by his rookie campaign in the ARCA Menards Series East with VWV Racing, driving the No. 34 Ford. He opened the year with a Daytona International Speedway pre-season test in the No. 00 Toyota for Kennedy Aiken Racing, then debuted in the East at Five Flags Speedway before running consecutive events at Rockingham, Nashville Fairgrounds, and Flat Rock. A fifth-place finish at Flat Rock represented his strongest result of the year.
He also made a part-time return to the main ARCA Menards Series at Lime Rock Park, driving the No. 67 Chevrolet for Maples Motorsports, where he finished eighteenth. The combined East and national ARCA schedule gave him exposure to a wide range of track types, including short tracks, intermediates, and road course configurations.
The highlight of Vaughn’s 2025 came when he was named the ARCA Menards Series East Rookie of the Year, an award that recognized his consistency and growth as a young driver. Looking ahead, his progression through the ARCA ranks positions him for potential expanded opportunities in higher-tier stock car competition in the seasons to follow.
