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2010 O'Reilly (Indianapolis): Michelle Theriault NASCAR Truck Race Recap
Michelle Theriault was ready to get back in the driver seat in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at O'Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) Friday night. With no points to fall back on, she had her work cut out for her.
Theriault and her No. 48 ProGold Lubricants team worked hard on their qualifying setup during practice, as they had to qualify into the show. Theriault aimed to make it a three-woman field to join Jennifer Jo Cobb and Johanna Long for the AAA Insurance 200.
With the pressure on during qualifying, Theriault wheeled her ProGold Lubricants Chevrolet around the half-mile oval in a time of 23.877 seconds (103.430 mph). She earned the 30th starting position and her way into the AAA Insurance 200.
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Theriault's 2010 NCWTS debut marked the first time since 2004 that three female drivers competed in a Truck Series event. It also marked the 21-year-old driver's first start since Iowa Speedway, more than one year ago, and her first truck series start at ORP.
From the drop of the green flag, Theriault fought a tight condition which inhibited her climb through the field. The crew planned on making adjustments on the No. 48 ProGold Lubricants Chevrolet, but bad luck struck on lap 52. A kink in a line going to the radiator caused the motor to overheat, which relegated the rookie driver to a 32nd-place finish.
"I am really excited to get back on the track and up to speed with ProGold Lubricants and VP Parts Warehouse," said Theriault. "Everyone worked hard to get in the show, and this was an important step in the approval process so we can race next weekend at Pocono. It wasn't the finish we were looking for, but it was great to get back on the track."
Theriault will return to the track on Saturday, June 31 in the Pocono Mountains 125 at Pocono Raceway. Qualifying begins at 10:00 a.m. with the green flag for the Pocono Mountains 125 at 1:00 p.m. EST.
PaddockTalk Perspective
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