Austin Theriault: ACT Late Model Tour
Beech Ridge Motor Speedway Race Report
Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine, finished a career-best second in the ACT Late Model Tour 150 at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway in Scarborough, Maine, on Saturday, July 24. It capped a whirlwind week for the 16-year-old ACT Rookie of the Year candidate, after he failed to qualify for the TD Bank Oxford 250, was invited to a test session at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in August and then recorded his first ACT podium finish. Theriault was the highest-finishing rookie in the race, and he also advanced the most spots of any driver in the field — charging up the outside lane from his 22nd starting spot.
WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: No. 57 Varney Insurance/Hogan Tire/Daigle & Houghton Ford Fusion
WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour ACT 150
WHERE: Beech Ridge Motor Speedway, Scarborough, Maine (.333-mile oval)
STARTED: 22nd
FINISHED: 2nd
LED: 0 times for 0 laps
NEXT: Friday, July 30, ACT 100, Twin State Speedway, Claremont, N.H. (.333-mile oval)
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CAN YOU BELIEVE YOU’RE STANDING ON THE PODIUM FOLLOWING AN ACT LATE MODEL TOUR RACE?
Not really. (laughing) No. It hasn’t quite come to me yet.
DESCRIBE YOUR NIGHT.
We had a great night. The car just took off. It was a rocketship all night, and honestly, I wasn’t expecting it to be. We were struggling in the heat and the consi, but small adjustments make a big difference in these cars.
The car just came to life. It’s the first top-three, the first top-five finish. I’m pretty encouraged about it.
HOW EARLY IN THE RACE DID YOU KNOW YOU HAD A CAR CAPABLE OF RUNNING UP FRONT?
I knew after about the first 20 laps. The car was awesome on the outside. It was OK down low, but once we had the outside lane clear and a couple cautions came and went, we were in good position.
Once we got in the top-10, I knew we had a top-five car.