Fort Kent’s Austin Theriault will run 13 races for Brad Keselowski Racing in NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series this coming season.
Theriault, who will turn 21 on Jan. 23, had spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons as a developmental driver in the Super Late Model program for Brad Keselowski Racing before BKR dropped its SLM program.
Theriault said he is happy to be back with BKR and continue his progression in NASCAR.
“It’s a homecoming. I’m really excited to be back,” Theriault said. “When I moved down to North Carolina, [BKR] was the first one to give me a shot to compete at a high level. Even though they were Super Late Models, we still went to some of the biggest shows in the country. After being there a few years, I left on good terms because Brad decided to focus on the trucks.”
Theriault will make his debut in the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway on Feb. 20.
He will drive the No. 29 BKR Ford and will share the seat with team owner and Sprint Cup driver Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion; Sprint Cup driver Joey Logano and 2014 Truck Series runner-up Ryan Blaney.
Blaney is going to run a partial Sprint Cup schedule for Wood Brothers Racing and in the Xfinity (formerly Nationwide) Series for Team Penske.
There is a 23-race truck schedule.
The No. 29 truck will compete for an ownership championship and be one of two BKR trucks running the full schedule.
Tyler Reddick, 18, who had nine top-10 finishes in 16 races in the Truck Series for BKR last season, will drive the No. 19 Ford for all 23 races.
Theriault has never raced a truck and knows there will be an adjustment period.
But he also said he is with a good team and expects to run competitively and improve as the season progresses.
Theriault said it will take him some time to adapt to the trucks, the setups and the new tracks, and he will be relying on crew chief Chad Kendrick to help him adapt.
“I’ll get my feet wet [early], but I’m hoping to run in the top 10 and top five and, by the end of the season, have shots at winning some of these races,” said Theriault, who worked in the BKR race shop when he was with that team.
Theriault knows Kendrick and said he’s a “good guy” with innovative ideas.
Kendrick has been the crew chief for four wins, 34 top-fives and 64 top-10s over 136 races in the Truck Series.
Theriault said he is also looking forward to learning from the likes of Keselowski, Logano and Blaney as he did from the personnel at JR Motorsports.
He intends to spend a lot of time helping out in any way he can at the BKR shop and establishing relationships with the personnel.
Cooper Standard will be the primary sponsor of the No. 29 truck, but Theriault said he is seeking associate sponsors.
“One of the things I wanted to do at BKR is give talented young drivers an opportunity,” Keselowski said in a press release. “Both Tyler and Austin are perfect examples of what I’m trying to accomplish. Austin was part of our driver development program, so for him to have an opportunity to drive for us in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is pretty special.”
Theriault landed a three-race Nationwide Series deal with JR Motorsports, owned by Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., last season.
He also ran an ARCA race, winning in his debut at Michigan International Speedway, and several Pro All-Stars Series Super Late Model North races.