PASS North Series: Austin Theriault
Autodrome Chaudiere Race Report
VALLEE-JONCTION, Que. – Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine, finished a disappointing 19th in the PASS North Series Budweiser 150 at Autodrome Chaudiere in Vallee-Jonction, Que., on Tuesday, August 6. Theriault was battling for the lead in the Mulkern Racing No. 18 Southern Maine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dodge with less than five laps remaining when he was turned on the frontstretch just past the start-finish line. Theriault had used a conservative tire strategy to run inside the Top-6 all night long, and he was in position to challenge race winner Kyle Busch on a late-race restart when he was sent through the infield grass after contact.
WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: Mulkern Racing No. 18 Southern Maine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Dodge
CREW CHIEF: Johnny Killen, Mooresville, N.C.
WHAT: PASS North Series Budweiser 150
WHERE: Autodrome Chaudiere, Vallee-Jonction, Que. (.25-mile oval)
STARTED: 5th
FINISHED: 19th
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AUSTIN, HOW GOOD WAS YOUR CAR LATE IN THE RACE?
We worked on getting the car comfortable for the entire two days we were there. We realized we weren’t going to set fast time in practice or blister off a fast five laps, but we went into it with the mindset of trying to race our own race and not worry about who was fastest on the time charts. It was evident toward the end of race that we’d done what we needed to. There were some quicker guys than us, but the main goal of those four-tire races is having more tires than the other guys at the end.
With 10 to go, we were in position to at least go for a win. It just goes to show, you don’t always need the fastest car. The quickest car doesn’t always win. Kyle (Busch) was really fast all race, and a couple of other guys were fast going for the lead. We were riding around saving brakes – I did have some issues with the brakes, which made it hard to save track position – but we had enough at the end to at least get a podium if not challenge Kyle for the win.
WHAT HAPPENED WITH FOUR LAPS TO GO?
Coming out of Turn 4, I was up to the left side tires of DJ (Shaw), and we were at the finish line. All of a sudden my car just turned left and headed toward the infield. It’s almost like he tried to chop us. I can’t see it any other way. It’s really impossible for somebody to get loose off the corner and still be chasing it that far down the straightaway. That was definitely some miscommunication there or a little bit of a lack of respect. It was not only unfortunate for me, but unfortunate for everybody else. We tore up some race cars.
I feel bad for the (car owners) Scott and Vickie Mulkern. I thought we could have gotten them a win or a Top-3 finish. It’s something that the whole program deserves at this point. Them giving me that opportunity, I felt like I needed to perform and give them something.
HOW DISAPPOINTING IS IT?
It’s tough walking away from a race like that – knowing we could have contended for a win, or at least finished on the podium. I’m thankful to Scott and Vickie for letting me drive their car, and I just feel really badly for them.
The track races very rough – sometimes you’ve got to lean on people, sometimes you’ve got to bang doors and race hard. That’s just how the racing is there. There’s a lot of hard racing at that race track, and that’s the way people were driving me last night, and that’s the way I was driving them. At the same time, I wasn’t wrecking people and they weren’t wrecking me.