Austin Leo Theriault (born January 23, 1994) is an American former professional stock car racing driver and politician who recently served in the Maine House of Representatives for the 1st district from 2022 to 2024. As a driver he currently competes part-time in Asphalt Super Late Model competition, driving the No. 57 Chevrolet Camaro for Mark Henderson Racing. He won the ARCA Racing Series championship in 2017, driving for Ken Schrader Racing.
He was the Republican nominee to be U.S. Representative for Maine's 2nd congressional district in 2024, and was narrowly defeated by incumbent Democrat Jared Golden.
Racing career
Early career A native of Fort Kent, Maine, he made his racing debut at the age of thirteen in 2007 at Spud Speedway in Caribou, Maine Driving in the local racing divisions before moving up part-time to the touring late model division in 2009 where he qualified for his first American Canadian Tour race at Oxford Plains Speedway.
Theriault joined the ACT Late Model Tour full-time in 2010, finishing seventh in points driving the family-owned #57ME with a best finish of second. He started the 2011 season in a second car for RPM Motorsports, but returned to the family team mid-season, scoring eight top-ten finishes en route to third place in points. In 2012, Theriault finished no worse than ninth all year, scoring eight top-five runs and earning his first career ACT win at Beech Ridge Motor Speedway en route to another third-place points finish.
Theriault started his first Pro All-Stars Series (PASS) Super Late Model Touring Series event in 2010. He became a development driver for Brad Keselowski Racing during the 2012 season, and switched focus to Super Late Models following the ACT season, making selected starts throughout the Southeast for BKR while running part-time in the PASS North Tour in 2013 and 2014. Theriault won four PASS races between 2012 and 2014.
Theriault occasionally competed in other racing events and divisions from 2011 to 2014, including the ARCA Midwest Tour, World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing, CARS X-1R Pro Cup Series, Parts for Trucks Pro Stock Tour, Sunoco Gulf Coast Championship Series, CRA JEGS All-Star Tour, CRA Super Series Southern Division, CRA Super Series, ACT and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
On July 20, 2013, Theriault competed in the IWK 250, along with car owner Brad Keselowski, in the No. 29X for BKR. After starting the race in fourth, Theriault had a clean race and brought the car home in an impressive 5th place, just two spots behind Keselowski who finished third.
Theriault has competed five times in the Oxford 250, finishing in the top five in his first four starts with a best finish of second in 2014.
Xfinity Series On May 18, 2014, Theriault made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports where he finished fifteenth. On June 13 of that year, he won his first ARCA race, in Theriault's first start at Michigan International Speedway.
Theriault returned in the Xfinity Series, by practicing in the No. 22 Ford Mustang for Brad Keselowski at Iowa. Theriault later was picked up by Obaika Racing to drive the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro, starting at Richmond.
Gander Outdoors Truck Series In 2015, Theriault began racing part-time with Brad Keselowski Racing, driving the No. 29 Ford F-150. He is sharing the ride with Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, and Ryan Blaney. He got his career-best finish at Daytona International Speedway in February where he finished fourth. He almost won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Theriault's home track where he led late in the race before fading to eighth.
On October 3, 2015, Theriault was involved in a huge crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when his BKR teammate Tyler Reddick got loose in turn 4 and clipped him, causing the race truck he was driving to hit nearly head on into the front stretch wall where there were no SAFER barriers installed. Theriault's steering wheel collided with and destroyed his helmet, and he eventually suffered a compression fracture in his lower back as a result of the crash. After missing the next four races, Theriault returned to racing at Homestead-Miami Speedway, finishing 12th. In 2016, he returned to BKR at Daytona, driving the No. 2.
On September 10, 2018, it was announced that Theriault returned to the Truck Series, driving the No. 30 Toyota Tundra for On Point Motorsports at Las Vegas. He finished in eighth place after avoiding multiple crashes.
On February 4, 2019, it was announced that Theriault would drive at least five races for RBR Enterprises, starting at Daytona. Other tracks included Martinsville Speedway (two races), Charlotte Motor Speedway, and Bristol Motor Speedway. The team failed to qualify at Daytona in their first attempt.
ARCA Racing Series
On February 18, 2017, Theriault won his second ARCA race in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. The race was shortened by five laps after a red-flag was brought out for Justin Fontaine's flip, while rain forced ARCA officials to call the race. In late August, he won at Road America after sorting through two last-lap incidents. He also won the following race at DuQuoin after taking advantage of a late restart, and won the three-peat at Salem driving a Jack Bowsher throwback car. On September 22, 2017, Theriault won at Kentucky Speedway and mathematically clinched the ARCA Racing Series championship for 2017. He won the championship on the strength of seven wins.
NASCAR Cup Series On June 29, 2019, it was announced that Theriault would make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, driving the No. 52 for Rick Ware Racing. After qualifying 36th, he finished 35th in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 upon retiring with a rear end issue on lap 185. The following week, he stayed with RWR for the Gander RV 400 at Pocono Raceway.
Driver development Theriault has not raced in any major series since 2019. He now owns a driver development business where he teaches aspiring drivers to become better racers.
Political career Maine legislature In March 2022, Theriault ran for the state legislature in Maine as a Republican in the 1st state house district. He won an uncontested Republican primary and was later elected with 71% of the vote. He assumed office on December 7, 2022.
2024 U.S. House election
Theriault won the 2024 Republican primary in Maine's 2nd congressional district. His state house district covers much of the congressional district's northern portion. He was defeated by Democratic incumbent Jared Golden in the November 2024 general election.
Motorsports career results
NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)
Monster Energy Cup Series Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 2019 Rick Ware Racing 52 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL MAR TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV KAN CLT POC MCH SON CHI DAY KEN NHA35 35th 17 Ford POC34 GLN MCH32 BRI DAR IND LVS 51 Chevy RCH32 CLT DOV Ford TAL35 KAN MAR TEX PHO HOM
Xfinity Series NASCAR Xfinity Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Pts Ref 2014 JR Motorsports 5 Chevy DAY PHO LVS BRI CAL TEX DAR RCH TAL IOW15 CLT DOV MCH ROA KEN DAY NHA21 CHI IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ATL RCH CHIKEN18 DOV KAN CLT TEX PHO HOM 40th 78 2016 Obaika Racing 77 Chevy DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC MCH IOW DAY KEN NHA IND IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA DAR RCHDNQ 120th 01 25 RCH37 CHI KEN DOV CLT KAN Rick Ware Racing Chevy TEX29 Team Kapusta Racing PHO27 HOM
Gander Outdoors Truck Series NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 Pts Ref 2015 Brad Keselowski Racing 29 Ford DAY4 ATL MAR KAN14 CLT DOV TEX5 GTW10 IOW12 KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP CHI13 NHA8 LVS31 TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM12 24th 279 2016 2 DAY27* ATL MAR KAN DOV CLTDNQ TEX IOW GTW KEN ELD POC BRI MCH MSP CHI NHA LVS TAL 53rd 21 Young's Motorsports 02 Chevy MAR20 TEX PHO HOM 2018 On Point Motorsports 30 Toyota DAY ATL LVS MAR DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN ELD POC MCH BRI MSP LVS8 TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 63rd 29 2019 RBR Enterprises 92 Ford DAYDNQ ATL LVS MAR22 TEX DOV KAN CLT TEX IOW GTW CHI KEN POC ELD MCH BRI MSP LVS TAL MAR PHO HOM 107th 01
K&N Pro Series East NASCAR K&N Pro Series East results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Pts Ref 2012 Go Green Racing 38 Ford BRI GRE RCH IOW BGS JFC LGY CNB COL IOW NHA19 DOV GRE CAR 69th 25 2016 Hattori Racing Enterprises 1 Toyota NSM24 MOB4 GRE14 BRI15 VIR3 DOM5 STA7 COL2 NHA5 IOW2 GLN20 GRE NJM DOV 13th 383
ARCA Racing Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Racing Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts Ref 2014 Venturini Motorsports 66 Toyota DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH1 ELK WIN CHI IRP POC BLN ISF MAD DSF SLM KEN KAN 69th 240 2015 55 DAY MOB NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH CHI WIN IOW IRP POC4 BLN ISF DSF SLM KEN KAN 88th 210 2017 Ken Schrader Racing 52 Chevy DAY1 TAL4* 1st 4735 Ford NSH4 SLM5 TOL6 POC9 MCH2 IOW2 IRP4 POC8 WIN3 ROA1 SLM1* CHI2 KEN1* KAN25 Toyota ELK1 MAD1* ISF2 DSF1
CARS Super Late Model Tour (key) CARS Super Late Model Tour results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Pts Ref 2017 Steve Theriault 57T Ford CON11 DOM DOM HCY HCY BRI AND ROU TCM ROU HCY CON SBO 41st 22 2018 N/A 57 N/A MYB NSH ROU HCY BRI AND HCY18 ROU SBO 47th 15
Season still in progress Ineligible for series points
References
External links
Austin Theriault at Ballotpedia