Rico Abreu, a development driver for Chip Ganassi Racing who is transitioning from sprint cars to NASCAR, paid his first visit to victory lane Saturday night.
Making just his seventh start in a stock car, Abreu won the K&N East Series -- a NASCAR developmental division -- race at Columbus (Ohio) Motor Speedway.
The win was notable for several reasons. The 4-foot-4 Abreu was born with achondroplasia, a genetic disorder that is the most common cause of dwarfism. As such, the 23-year-old must make special accommodations inside the drivers' cockpit. He uses foot blocks to extend the accelerator and brake so that he can reach them and his seat is set closer to the steering column.
Despite his small size, Abreu is regarded as one of the top sprint car drivers in the county. Tony Stewart and Kyle Larson, who's played a prominent role in Abreu's switch to NASCAR, have frequently lauded Abreu's talent. He is the defending USAC Midget Series champion and won the Chili Bowl Nationals in January.
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