ARCA/CRA Super Series: Austin Theriault
Lucas Oil Raceway Park Race Preview
THE STORY
FORT KENT, Maine – Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine, returns to the ARCA/CRA Super Series for the Super Late Model portion of the CRA “Night Of Stars” Twin 100s at Lucas Oil Raceway Park in Salem, Ind., on Friday, July 26. The 100-lap ARCA/CRA Super Series marks the first visit for Theriault to the famed .625-mile oval near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Theriault is making an appearance in the Brad Keselowski Racing No. 29 Checkered Flag Foundation Ford Fusion for the first time in since finishing fifth in the IWK 250 at Riverside Speedway in Antigonish, Nova Scotia, last Saturday night. The BKR development driver has two wins this season with the team, including the PASS Rumble In The Pines 150 at Southern National Motorsports Park in Kenly, N.C., last month – another track where he was making his first career appearance.
THE FACTS
WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: Brad Keselowski Racing No. 29 Checkered Flag Foundation Ford Fusion
CREW CHIEF: Gary Crooks, Mooresville, N.C.
BEST CAREER LUCAS OIL RACEWAY PARK FINISH: N/A
LAST RACE AT LUCAS OIL RACEWAY PARK: N/A
WHAT: ARCA/CRA Super Series “Night Of Stars” 100
WHERE: Lucas Oil Raceway Park, Salem, Ind. (.625-mile oval)
WHEN: Friday, July 26 – 2 p.m., practice; 6 p.m., qualifying; 9 p.m., race
DID YOU KNOW?
Austin Theriault won the PASS South Series South Carolina Clash 150 at Dillon Motor Speedway on March 9 to become the first Brad Keselowski Racing development program driver to win a race since Landon Cling won at South Boston Speedway on June 9, 2012.
Austin Theriault hasn’t finished outside the Top-10 in each of the last nine PASS-sanctioned Super Late Model races he’s entered. Prior to the South Carolina Clash 150 win, he was victorious in a family-owned car in the PASS North Series season finale at Oxford Plains Speedway in October of 2012.
Austin Theriault will compete in the World Crown 300 in August. Along with the Snowball Derby, All-American 400 and Winchester 400, the World Crown 300 is part of the “Grand Slam” of Super Late Model racing.
Austin Theriault finished sixth in the ARCA/CRA Super Series Battle At Berlin 251 at Berlin Raceway in Marne, Mich., last month.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
AUSTIN THERIAULT, Driver of the Brad Keselowski Racing No. 29 Checkered Flag Foundation Ford Fusion, On heading to Lucas Oil Raceway Park for the first time this weekend: “We’ve had really decent runs at a lot of places I’ve never seen before. It’s a testament to the whole program and where we’re at with everything. The car’s been unloading quick, and even if we don’t set fast time right away, we keep tuning and working and chipping away at it.
“The last race we won (at Southern National) was a perfect example of that. We nearly dominated the day. We practiced well, qualified up front and won the race. I’m looking forward to a new track this weekend. They’re all the same in our book – we go to every track to win. Doesn’t matter whether it’s a place like Oxford where I have a lot of experience or Indy where I’ve never been, we approach it the same way.”
On the No. 29 team’s flat-track program this season: “I think we’re pretty decent. We were good at Berlin, but (Johnny) Van Doorn was a little bit quicker. The more time we have on that type of race track, the better we’ll be on it. Other than Berlin, there’s not many places we go that compare to (LORP). I think it definitely helps that I have some experience at flat race tracks.
“We’ll see what happens. It looks like the corners are pretty sweeping, so it’s going to be important to get the car turning in the center and carry a lot of speed off the corners. You really have to try not to get tight on the gas too soon.”
On racing the the ARCA/CRA Super Series again this weekend: “I think it’s a good bunch of cars, and it’s a competitive bunch of cars. There will be a full field of 30 or something – all the races we’ve gone to have been like that, and it’s not a walk in the park. There’s a lot of competitive racers and race cars.
“It seems like all the race tracks we go to with the CRA guys, they have some flavor to them. Like the one we’re going to this weekend – the Winchesters, the Berlins, the LORP’s, all of them. There’s a lot of uniqueness to them, and I like that.”
UP NEXT
Austin Theriault will head to the rain-delayed World Crown 300 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., on Saturday, August 10… Theriault has competed in two World Crown 300s previously, with a career-best finish of fourth last season.