INTERVIEW: Scott Osteen discusses how he became part-owner of Gase team
by Brock Beard / LASTCAR.info Editor-in-Chief
The Joey Gase Motorsports with Scott Osteen No. 53 returns to the garage after qualifying in Talladega this past April. (PHOTO: Brock Beard)
This past April at Talladega, I had the opportunity to speak with Scott Osteen, who this season became part-owner of the Joey Gase Motorsports team in the XFINITY Series. He discussed his interest in racing, and his sponsorship of driver Mason Maggio.
WHAT GOT YOU INTO RACING?
I saw “Smokey and the Bandit” when I was 10 years old at the movie theaters with my parents and my brother, Donnie, and we fell in love with cars and trucks. . .We grew up an hour south of Daytona, so we used to go to Daytona when we were kids, and my dad actually went when they still raced on the beach when he was a kid. So, I've kind of been around it, but not to this extent. And here I am, just some buddies of mine that have been a NASCAR forever introduced me more to the inside of it and the inside aspects, and fell in love with the behind the scenes part of it.
IS THE FLORIDIAN MOTORSPORTS TRUCK SERIES TEAM STILL GOING?
Right now, I'm partners with Joey (Gase) on the XFINITY program. I'm not running the Truck Series, but I utilize the tractor-trailer for the logistics for the Joey Gase Motorsports team. So that's the working aspect of Floridian Motorsports right now – it’s actually a trucking company. But yeah, so the team dynamic is focused on XFINITY as far as racing goes.
WHAT ATTRACTED YOU TO COMPETING IN XFINITY VERSUS TRUCKS?
Just had the opportunity with Joey (Gase). It was hard for me to run a truck team from South Florida by myself, so my original goal was to team up with an existing team. And it just happened, the stars happened to line up, and just by chance and the conversation, it organically happened that we said, “Well, maybe I could partner with you on a minority level. You run the team. I'll help out with sponsorship or financial backing and assets.” And here we are.
I SEE THE ACE HARDWARE LOGO ON YOUR SHIRT AND MASON MAGGIO’S CARS, WHAT’S THE STORY WITH THAT?
I have three Ace Hardware stores, two in Florida and one in Rock Hill, South Carolina. So that's the job that pays me.
WHAT’S YOUR HISTORY WITH MASON MAGGIO?
He sent an e-mail to me about two years ago out of nowhere for sponsorship opportunity when he was running for Carl Long, and I got to talking with him. It turns out he's from my neck of the woods in Florida, and he actually knew my son. So we sparked on a conversation, and I helped him out with some little sponsorship here and there. And then his dad, Tony, and myself and Mason, we decided, “Hey, let's go buy a speedway truck and try to make Daytona in 2024.” Didn't make it - we missed out about eight hundredths of a second, and then ran nine races after that. And now here I am in XFINITY and hopefully growing as best I can.
