NASCAR driver Austin Theriault running for state legislature in Maine
The Fort Kent native and 2017 ARCA champion has five NASCAR Cup Series starts
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1 min read
Austin Theriault, a NASCAR driver with whose racing resume includes the 2017 ARCA Menards Series championship as well as five starts in the NASCAR Cup Series, has announced that he is running for state legislature in his native Maine. According to a report by Leela Stockley of the Bangor Daily News, Theriault announced his bid for office last weekend at a sled dog racing event.
Theriault will run for legislature representing state District 151, which includes his native Fort Kent and Aroostook County. Theriault was motivated to run for office by recent state political issues, expressing a desire to bring "common sense" to the state capital of Augusta.
"Recent events have made it painfully clear that some misguided policies are making life unaffordable for the average Aroostook County family," Theriault said. "I am confident that we can work together to get Maine back on track and strengthen Aroostook County so that my parents and grandparents can rest assured that the community will be a flourishing place for the next generation."
Theriault, 28, has made 24 career starts across NASCAR's three national touring series. Beginning in 2014 when he made three starts in the Xfinity Series driving for JR Motorsports, Theriault's most extensive NASCAR action came in 2015 when he competed part-time in the Camping World Truck Series for Brad Keselowski Racing with a best finish of fourth at Daytona.
Theriault's greatest achievement in racing came in 2017, when he won seven races in ARCA -- including at Daytona -- en route to the series championship. Despite that accomplishment, a lack of sponsorship has limited Theriault's opportunities.
His last racing action came in 2019, when he made five Cup Series starts for Rick Ware Racing.
While he has put his driving career on hold, Theriault has remained involved in racing through driver development. According to a January report by Larry Mahoney of Bangor Daily News, Theriault is currently mentoring 13-year-old Fort Kent racer Carson Brown while also working as a consultant for Xfinity Series driver Howie DiSavino III.
