Concord, North Carolina (January 10, 2017) – Ken Schrader Racing, Inc. (KSR) is preparing for this week’s ARCA test at Daytona International Speedway. The North Carolina-based team will run all 20 ARCA races in 2017 with driver Austin Theriault and crew chief Donnie Richeson.
Theriault, a native of Fort Kent, Maine, comes to the team with an ARCA victory (Michigan International Speedway, 2014) and a fifth-place finish (Pocono Raceway, 2015) to his credit. In addition, Theriault has experience behind the wheel in NASCAR’s K & N East, Camping World Truck and the Xfinity Series. Theriault’s experience in the NASCAR Xfinity Series includes two races in 2016 with Rick Ware Racing, when he competed at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway and a handful of races in 2014 with JR Motorsports (JRM), owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Driving for Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR) in the Camping World Truck Series, Theriault’s best finish was a fourth-place in 2015 at Daytona International Speedway, in his first truck series and superspeedway start. Later in the 2015 season, Theriault had a major setback when he crashed at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and suffered two compressed vertebrae in his back. After weeks of therapy, he returned to race at Homestead-Miami Speedway for BKR and finished 11th.
Ken Schrader Racing, Inc. will again campaign its #52 race cars for the upcoming ARCA season. While primary sponsorship is not yet confirmed, long-time partner Federated Auto Parts will continue to support the team’s effort. Cross Insurance Agency, based in Bangor, Maine will also lend its support. Veteran crew Donnie Richeson, who has led KSR to numerous victories, with a variety of drivers during his 15-year tenure, will continue to oversee the team and call the races from the pit box.
“We are looking forward to an exciting season with Austin. He has proven to be a fierce competitor at every level of racing since his first mini stock race at the age of 13,” team owner Ken Schrader said. “I see a great deal of potential for the 2017 season. Austin has competed at a number of the tracks on the ARCA schedule and his previous success offers a great boost for our team.”
“It’s a huge opportunity for me to be able to run my first-ever full season at a national level with KSR,” said Austin Theriault. “With the support of Kenny and Donnie, I believe we can challenge for wins race-to-race and be in contention for a championship. Returning to tracks such as Daytona, Iowa, and Michigan will allow me to build on my previous experiences. Driving at historic places like Salem and DuQuoin for the first time will be fun. Let’s go!”