Austin Theriault
Theriault in 2019
Member of theMaine House of Representatives from the 1st district
In office December 7, 2022 – December 4, 2024
Preceded by	Kristi Mathieson
Succeeded by	Lucien J.B. Daigle
Personal details
Born	Austin Leo Theriault (1994-01-23)January 23, 1994 (age 31) Fort Kent, Maine, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Education	Central Piedmont Community College (AA) University of Maine at Presque Isle
NASCAR driver
NASCARCup Series career
5 races run over 1 year
2019 position	35th
First race	2019Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 (Loudon)
Last race	20191000Bulbs.com 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCARO'Reilly Auto Parts Series career
6 races run over 2 years
2016 position	120th
Best finish	40th (2014)
First race	2014Get To Know Newton 250 (Iowa)
Last race	2016Ticket Galaxy 200 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
NASCARCraftsman Truck Series career
13 races run over 4 years
2019 position	107th
Best finish	24th (2015)
First race	2015NextEra Energy Resources 250 (Daytona)
Last race	2019TruNorth Global 250 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 5 0
Statistics up to date as of November 17, 2019.

Austin Leo Theriault (born January 23, 1994)^[1] is an American former professionalstock car racing driver and politician who recently served in theMaine House of Representatives for the 1st district from 2022 to 2024. As a driver he currently competes part-time inAsphalt Super Late Model competition, driving the No. 57Chevrolet Camaro for Mark Henderson Racing. He won theARCA Racing Series championship in 2017, driving forKen Schrader Racing.

He was theRepublican nominee to beU.S. Representative forMaine's 2nd congressional district in2024, and was narrowly defeated by incumbentDemocratJared Golden.

A native ofFort Kent, Maine,^[2][3][4] he made his racing debut at the age of thirteen in 2007 atSpud Speedway inCaribou, 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 firstAmerican Canadian Tour race atOxford 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 atBeech Ridge Motor Speedway en route to another third-place points finish.

Theriault started his first Pro All-Stars Series (PASS) SuperLate Model Touring Series event in 2010. He became a development driver forBrad 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 theARCA 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 theNASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

On July 20, 2013, Theriault competed in theIWK 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.^[5][6]

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.

On May 18, 2014, Theriault made hisNASCAR Nationwide Series debut atIowa Speedway, driving the No. 5Chevrolet Camaro forJR Motorsports where he finished fifteenth.^[7][8] On June 13 of that year, he won his firstARCA race, in Theriault's first start atMichigan International Speedway.

Theriault returned in the Xfinity Series, by practicing in the No. 22Ford Mustang forBrad Keselowski at Iowa. Theriault later was picked up byObaika Racing to drive the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro, starting at Richmond.

In 2015, Theriault began racing part-time withBrad Keselowski Racing, driving the No. 29Ford F-150. He is sharing the ride with Brad Keselowski,Joey Logano, andRyan Blaney. He got his career-best finish atDaytona International Speedway in February where he finished fourth.^[9] He almost won atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway, Theriault's home track where he led late in the race before fading to eighth.^[10]

On October 3, 2015, Theriault was involved in a huge crash atLas Vegas Motor Speedway when his BKR teammateTyler 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 noSAFER barriers installed. Theriault's steering wheel collided with and destroyed his helmet,^[11] and he eventually suffered acompression fracture in his lower back as a result of the crash.^[12][13] After missing the next four races, Theriault returned to racing atHomestead-Miami Speedway,^[14] finishing 12th. In 2016, he returned to BKR at Daytona, driving the No. 2.^[15]

On September 10, 2018, it was announced that Theriault returned to the Truck Series, driving the No. 30Toyota Tundra forOn 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 forRBR 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.

On February 18, 2017, Theriault won his second ARCA race in the season opener atDaytona International Speedway. The race was shortened by five laps after a red-flag was brought out forJustin Fontaine's flip, while rain forced ARCA officials to call the race. In late August, he won atRoad America after sorting through two last-lap incidents.^[16] He also won the following race atDuQuoin after taking advantage of a late restart,^[17] and won the three-peat at Salem driving aJack Bowsher throwback car.^[18] On September 22, 2017, Theriault won atKentucky Speedway and mathematically clinched theARCA Racing Series championship for 2017.^[19] He won the championship on the strength of seven wins.^[20]

On June 29, 2019, it was announced that Theriault would make hisMonster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut atNew Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, driving the No. 52 for Rick Ware Racing.^[21] After qualifying 36th, he finished 35th in theFoxwoods Resort Casino 301 upon retiring with a rear end issue on lap 185.^[22] The following week, he stayed with RWR for theGander RV 400 atPocono Raceway.^[23]

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.

In March 2022, Theriault ran for the state legislature in Maine as a Republican in the 1st state house district.^[24][25] He won an uncontested Republican primary and was later elected with 71% of the vote.^[26][27] He assumed office on December 7, 2022.

Theriault won the 2024 Republican primary inMaine's 2nd congressional district. His state house district covers much of the congressional district's northern portion.^[28] He was defeated by Democratic incumbentJared Golden in the November 2024 general election.^[29]

(key)(Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time.Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

(key)

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

• Official website
• Campaign website
• Austin Theriault at Ballotpedia
• Austin Theriault driver statistics at Racing-Reference

• 1994 births
• ARCA Menards Series drivers
• ARCA Midwest Tour drivers
• JR Motorsports drivers
• Living people
• NASCAR drivers
• People from Fort Kent, Maine
• Racing drivers from Maine
• Republican Party members of the Maine House of Representatives
• 21st-century American sportsmen
• American athlete-politicians
• Candidates in the 2024 United States House of Representatives elections
• University of Maine at Presque Isle alumni
• 21st-century members of the Maine Legislature
• CARS Tour drivers

• Articles with short description
• Short description is different from Wikidata
• Use American English from November 2025
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• Use mdy dates from June 2024