Steven Lustig and Autosport Group Racing Partner With Nashville-Based Charity for Music City Grand Prix
July 29, 2021
Chester, NJ — Steven Lustig, team owner and driver of the No. 05 Autosport Group Racing Chevy Camaro, will be racing in support of the Nashville-based Operation Stand Down Tennessee when nearly 50 TA2 cars will take the green at the Music City Grand Prix on August 7th.
“We have been racing in TA2 since 2015 and have always run under the banner of our NJ-based auto group, The Autosport Group,” Lustig says. “I felt that this summer’s event in Nashville was a great opportunity for us to change things up and connect with a charitable organization based in the Nashville area.” That’s when he found Operation Stand Down Tennessee. Their mission is to connect Veterans and their families with comprehensive resources focused on transition, employment, housing, benefits, peer engagement, volunteerism, and community involvement. “I never served in the military, nor do I come from a military family, but I have always had the utmost respect and admiration for those that have,” Lustig adds. “I think taking care of our Veterans is one of the most important things we can do. I grew up in a family that was always involved in charitable work; it remains a large part of both my personal and our family’s business ethos today. We are thrilled to be welcomed into the Nashville community for this incredible racing event. It only seems fitting to return the gesture and support an organization dedicated to local veterans and their families.”
Chief Development Officer of OSDTN, Penny Anderson, welcomes the sponsorship opportunity. Brigadier General Eden Murrie, USAF ret., CEO, Operation Stand Down Tennessee concurs, adding: “Operation Stand Down Tennessee is proud to partner with Steven Lustig and Autosport Group Racing during the Music City Grand Prix. This race brings a nation of fans into our back yard and is a great opportunity to promote the work we do for Veterans and their families be it from crisis services, to career help, to community connections. No matter what a Veteran needs, Operation Stand Down TN gets them on the right track! As a Veteran and race fan, I am personally excited about this partnership and am always available to drive my 1966 Mustang as a pace car.”
Lustig has his mind on the racetrack as well. Excited about the progress he has made this season, his first working under the Stevens Miller Racing tent, he notes his track time is limited: “Since I coach youth football, I usually only get to run a small number of races each year. Once August rolls around, it’s all football every weekend until early November.” That leaves him feeling like he hits his stride just as the racing season ends. But working with Joe, Alan, and the rest of the SMR team has helped Lustig make massive gains each weekend. “And it doesn’t hurt to have (Mike) Skeen as a coach either,” he admits with a smile. “Our pace at Mid-Ohio was probably the most competitive pace I have run to date. We were running p11 before getting turned going into Turn 4 and lost about 10 spots but finished p14. I felt we really had a top 10 finish in the works. I am looking forward to spending some time in Nashville, hitting the local guitar shops, and checking out the new livery on the No. 05 in support of OSDTN. We’ll do our very best to put it towards the front in what promises to be a supremely talented, huge, TA2 field in Nashville.”
For more information on Operation Stand Down Tennessee
Website - https://www.osdtn.org/
Info - General Inquiries - Nashville and Clarksville: info@osdtn.org
Volunteer: volunteer@osdtn.org
Career Services: careerservices@osdtn.org
Media: development@osdtn.org
Donations and Sponsorships: development@osdtn.org
Phone - Nashville Campus: 615-248-1981, Clarksville Campus: 931-896-2184
