Austin Theriault: TD Bank Oxford 250
Oxford Plains Speedway Race Report
OXFORD, Maine – Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine, finished third in the 38th annual TD Bank Oxford 250 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, on Sunday, July 24. Theriault, 17 and entering his senior year at Fort Kent High School, started 11th in the 38-car field after qualifying for the first time for the marquee midsummer event. He used pit strategy to work his way into the Top-5 by Lap 187, and he was sitting third on a late restart with 16 laps remaining – first challenging Nick Sweet for second-place and then holding off a hard-charging two-time champion of the event, Eddie MacDonald, to post the podium finish.
WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: No. 57 Varney Insurance Ford
CREW CHIEF: Mickey Green, West Paris, Maine
WHAT: 38th annual TD Bank Oxford 250
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile oval)
STARTED: 11th
FINISHED: 3rd
ACT Late Model Tour
LAST RACE: July 9, Jim’s Captown 100, Twin State Speedway, Claremont, N.H.(12th)
NEXT RACE: July 30, ACT 150, Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, Maine (.333-mile oval)
POINTS POSITION: 10th
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AUSTIN, HOW WOULD YOU SUM UP YOUR IMPRESSIVE DAY?
“First of all, I want to thank my whole team for all the hard work they’ve done. The car was great. We rolled the dice a little bit at the beginning of the race and took left side tires (early) and that kind of set us back in the pack a little bit. Luckily, another caution came out and we took rights and came blasting through the field.
“I just can’t believe we’re up here (on the podium). I mean, third place is third place – but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I can’t believe how good the race was. Everyone was just so close… Wow. I can’t believe I’m up here.”
NOW THAT YOU’VE DONE THIS, YOU CAN LOOK FORWARD TO EARNING YOUR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.
“Well, we’ll get that diploma in another year. And you just mentioned me getting my pilot’s license, but that took a back seat this week. The car was a little more important than me getting my pilot’s license.
“Wow, what a rocket ship. I can’t believe we had the run we had today.”
WAS IT STRANGE RACING AGAINST KYLE BUSCH.
“Not really, no. You know, the way I look at it, we’re all just race car drivers out there.”