Mulkern Racing: PASS North Series
Austin Theriault Seekonk Race Preview
THE STORY
Austin Theriault of Fort Kent, Maine, will make his Mulkern Racing debut when the PASS North Series holds the PASS 150 at Seekonk Speedway in Seekonk, Mass., on Saturday, August 4. The 18-year-old Brad Keselowski Racing development driver, who has not appeared in a PASS North Series event since 2010, is coming off his first career ACT Late Model Tour victory last weekend at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway. Theriault will drive the No. 18 Southern Maine Motors/Community Pharmacies Chevrolet this weekend in search of his first career Super Late Model win.
THE FACTS
WHO: Austin Theriault, Fort Kent, Maine
TEAM: Mulkern Racing No. 18 Southern Maine Motors/Community Pharmacies Chevrolet
CREW CHIEF: Seth Holbrook, Turner, Maine
BEST CAREER SEEKONK SPEEDWAY FINISH: N/A
LAST FINISH AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY: N/A
WHAT: PASS North Series 150
WHERE: Seekonk Speedway, Seekonk, Mass. (.333-mile oval)
WHEN: 6 p.m., Saturday, August 4
PASS North Series
LAST RACE: July 21, Dunkin Donuts 150, Oxford Plains Speedway, Oxford, Maine (N/A)
NEXT RACE: August 12, PASS 150, White Mountain Motorsports Park, N. Woodstock, N.H. (.25-mile banked oval)
CURRENT POINTS POSITION: N/A
DID YOU KNOW?
Austin Theriault finished a career-best fourth in a Super Late Model in the World Crown 300 at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Ga., last month.
Last week, Austin Theriault won his first career ACT Late Model Tour race at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway.
Mulkern Racing will have a two-car effort at Seekonk Speedway this weekend, with Austin Theriault as a teammate to Lonnie Sommerville.
Austin Theriault currently sits second in the ACT Late Model Tour standings with four races remaining.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
AUSTIN THERIAULT, Driver of the Mulkern Racing No. 18 Southern Maine Motors/Community Pharmacies Chevrolet, On making his Mulkern Racing debut at Seekonk Speedway this weekend: “I’ve been trying to find some time, and finally the opportunity came up to drive one of Mulkern’s cars. It’s been something I’ve wanted to do for a while, and I know they’ve been looking to get me in a car for a while, too. With Seth (Holbrook) crew chiefing, the Mulkerns’ equipment, and (owners) Scott and Vickie behind us – I’m looking forward to a good run.”
On getting up to speed at a track he’s never raced on: “From what I hear, it’s pretty tight. I don’t know much about it. I’m going to have to get used to it for the first couple of (practice) runs out there and be able to adapt quickly.
“You’ve got to get behind the guys that race there more often. There’s a whole bunch of different lines at any track you go to, but some are way better than others, obviously. It comes down to maybe one or two lines that people are going to be racing at all night, and you’ve got to find the groove and work on your car to make it better for running in that groove.”
On his goals for the the race: “I think we’re running in good enough equipment to run up front. Our ACT car, our BKR equipment and the Mulkern equipment – all of it is good. I think we’re capable of having a really good run. I don’t know what number that is – a win, a Top-5, a Top-10 – but I’m sure the car’s going to be fast.
“I may not unload at the top of the charts, but we’ll keep working on the car and I’ll keep working on trying to drive a better line and trying to find the line that works before the day is over. Hopefully we can stay out of trouble, which is really important on a short track like that. There’s no reason we can’t run well.”
SETH HOLBROOK, Crew chief on the Mulkern Racing No. 18 Southern Maine Motors/Community Pharmacies Chevrolet, On working with Austin Theriault this weekend: “I don’t have a doubt, we have the capability to run in the Top-3 and contend for a win. Austin’s been to Pensacola, Milwaukee, Gresham already and this is going to seem like a little bullring to him at this point.
“You just need a really good handling race car, because you’re constantly turning there. He adapts fairly well to new places. Usually after the first round of practice, he picks right up on things.”
UP NEXT
The PASS North Series returns to White Mountain Motorsports Park in North Woodstock, N.H., for the PASS 150 on Sunday, August 12 – the second of three races at the track this season… Austin Theriault made his PASS North Series debut at the track in 2010 and finished 21st.