Austin Theriault: ACT Late Model Tour
Oxford Plains Speedway Race Report
Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine, finished fifth in the ACT Late Model Tour Armed Forces Day 150 at Oxford Plains Speedway in Oxford, Maine, on Sunday, May 20. Theriault started third in the 33-car field, but a tire issue that plagued many of the ACT teams in qualifying threw a curveball at the No. 57 Pelletier Ford Ford Fusion team. Teams were allowed to use new tires for the Armed Forces Day 150, but with the change in rubber, the car never handled as well as it had earlier in the day. Still, Theriault posted his third Top-5 finish in four starts this season and closed on the ACT Late Model Tour points leaders.
Full Race Story – Ashline Dominates, Claims First ACT Victory
WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: AT Racing No. 57 Pelletier Ford Ford Fusion
CREW CHIEF: Mickey Green, South Paris, Maine
WHAT: ACT Late Model Tour Armed Forces Day 150
WHERE: Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (.375-mile flat oval)
STARTED: 3rd
FINISHED: 5th
LAST RACE: May 6, Spring Green 112, Devil’s Bowl Speedway, West Haven, Vt. (3rd)
NEXT RACE: June 23, White Mountain 150, White Mountain Motorsports Park, N. Woodstock, N.H. (.25-mile banked oval)
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AUSTIN, WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TIRES?
“It was a weird day. We had some tire issues in practice. There were quite a few other guys that had issues, too, and we ended up changing the tires between the heat and the feature. The car felt different than it did in the heat (race) after that. I knew it from the first lap of the feature that we were missing something.
“The right front is junk. It’s all chewed up. We’re lucky we actually finished without blowing a tire.”
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING FOR THE CARS IN FRONT OF YOU?
“We could run in the Top-5, but we didn’t have anything for (winner Ben Ashline). We had a second-place car – but the way the track was racing, the third groove was pretty much the only way you could keep your momentum up and you couldn’t make any passes down low.
“I tried the last couple of laps, but I was sideways all the way down the straightaway.”
YOU DID MANAGE TO GAIN SOME POINTS ON THE LEADERS.
“Yeah, it was a good points day, and we learned some more about our setup. I’m looking forward to the (TD Bank Oxford 250 in July). I think we’re going to have a really good car.
“There’s a part of me that’s disappointed, but I think we got as much as we could with the cards we were handed.”
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