Austin Theriault: ACT Late Model Tour
RPM Motorsports
ACT Goodyear Speedweeks Cup Preview
Second-year ACT Late Model Tour driver Austin Theriault debuts with his new team at the inaugural ACT Goodyear Speedweeks Cup at New Smyrna Speedway in New Smyrna Beach, Fla., on Sunday and Monday, February 13 and 14. The two-night event includes a pair of 100-lap main events as part of the annual World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing at New Smyrna during Florida Speedweeks. Theriault, who narrowly missed 2010 ACT Rookie of the Year honors while driving for his family’s team, will compete for the first time with for seven-time ACT championship car owner Rick Paya of RPM Motorsports at New Smyrna. Seven-time ACT champion Brian Hoar will be Theriault’s teammate in 2011.
WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: No. 57 Varney Insurance Ford Fusion
BEST CAREER NEW SMYRNA ACT FINISH: n/a
LAST RACE NEW SMYRNA ACT FINISH: n/a
WHAT: Inaugural ACT Goodyear Speedweeks Cup
WHERE: New Smyrna Speedway, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. (.500-mile oval)
FORMAT: Heat races determine starting lineup for Sunday night’s 100-lap event; finish inverted to comprise starting lineup for Monday night’s 100-lap event. Lowest total score declared overall champion.
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 13; 7:30 p.m., Monday, Feb. 14.
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AUSTIN, HOW EXCITED ARE YOU ABOUT GETTING RIGHT TO WORK WITH YOUR NEW TEAM?
I’m definitely looking forward to it. It’s definitely going to be new waters that we have to explore as individuals. A couple of us are coming over from the old team, we have to explore what RPM’s all about. I know what they’re about, but we have to get in sync with Rick and the way he likes stuff done.
This is a good opportunity to do that before points start to count and before the bulk of the races get going to see what we need to work on, see what we have down pat and see what we can improve on in terms of communication and working as a team.
WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT NEW SMYRNA?
Everything really has been new for me, and this is going to be no different. It seems we were always a new team, new people, new track, new car (in 2010). I guess I’m getting used to change.
Hopefully there will come a day this year where the tracks will become more familiar. But being with RPM, it’s a very, very professional organization. You can see the teamwork, and how it succeeds toward victory. With all their success, there’s nothing they leave behind, no details that they miss.
I don’t really know that much about the track. It looks like a fast track. I did some exploring on YouTube. Some of the guys have raced there before. But for the bulk of us, it’s our first time going down there.
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CAR OWNER AND CREW CHIEF RICK PAYA ON HEADING TO NEW SMYRNA:
There’s obviously no pressure at all with these races, in terms of points or anything like that. But at the same time, I want to win. That’s just me. Everytime we go somewhere, we want to give the guys the best cars we can to try and do that.
I’m looking forward to going down there. We’re one big team under one banner, we really are, and that’s the part I’m excited about.