Theriault Tames the Lady in Black with a Darlington Masterclass

Darlington, SC  —  The Red Light Racing Checkered Flag Auto Supply Scrambler Series returned to action on Monday night with a trip to one of stock car racing’s most unforgiving venues, Darlington Raceway, for Round 2 of Season 21. Coming off a NASCAR Truck Series opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the field faced a major adjustment as they transitioned into NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts cars for a grueling 90-lap showdown at the track famously known as “Too Tough to Tame.”

While opening-round winner Sean Single entered the night looking to go back-to-back, the evening quickly became a showcase for Maxime Theriault. Driving the No. 42, Theriault delivered what the broadcast team repeatedly called a perfect race, blending speed, patience, and strategy on Darlington’s abrasive surface.

Qualifying immediately set the tone for the event. With the heavier, more powerful cars proving tricky to handle, particularly on corner exit, track position was at a premium. Theriault rose to the occasion, securing the pole with a blistering 29.72-second lap, narrowly edging out Trent Potter’s 29.74. Zach Mitchell and Chris Hammett filled out the second row, while points leader Sean Single rolled off from fifth.

At the green flag, Theriault wasted no time asserting control, guiding the field into Turn 1 and settling into the preferred high line. The slick track and cold tires quickly strung the field into a single-file rhythm. Early on, Single lost ground as Conner Blasco and Luke Logan Allen moved forward, while deeper in the pack Jason Wells and James Skelton began methodically working their way toward the front. Skelton’s charge was particularly notable after a qualifying misstep left him starting near the back of the field.

With no cautions to reset the field and only five sets of tires available, pit strategy became the defining factor of the race. Teams were forced to commit fully to their plans, choosing between short-pitting for immediate speed or stretching runs to preserve track position. Trent Potter rolled the dice first among the leaders, pitting on laps 30 and 60. The move paid short-term dividends, briefly placing him at the head of the field while Theriault stayed out longer. When Theriault finally made his last stop on lap 64, he returned to the track behind both Potter and Hammett, seemingly with work to do.

What followed was a clinical display of pace and composure. Theriault steadily erased the gap, first tracking down Hammett and then closing on a fading Potter, whose early pit strategy began to take its toll on worn tires. With smooth, deliberate inputs and relentless consistency, Theriault reclaimed the lead and pulled away, while Hammett also slipped past Potter to secure second. As the broadcast aptly summarized, Potter may have had the early advantage, but Theriault had the speed to overcome it.

Behind the leaders, several drivers delivered noteworthy performances. James Skelton recovered impressively after missing pit road during a green-flag cycle, a mistake that cost him valuable time, to still fight back for a strong fifth-place finish. Bill Benedict, the night’s spotlight driver, was locked in a late-race battle with Kenny Allen and ultimately crossed the line ninth, beating his projected finish line of 9.5. Chris Hammett’s runner-up result was built on consistency and discipline, as he noted post-race that keeping the car out of the fence was the key to surviving Darlington’s demands.

At the checkered flag, Theriault completed a dominant evening, scoring maximum points by winning the race while also leading a lap and leading the most laps. In victory lane, he credited his pole-winning qualifying effort and careful tire management during long green-flag runs for keeping him out of dirty air and firmly in control. Theriault was followed home by Hammett, Potter, Conner Blasco, James Skelton, Ethan Troutman, Sean Single, Zach Mitchell, Bill Benedict, and Kenny Allen to complete the top ten.

With two rounds complete, the Scrambler Series now turns its attention to Charlotte Motor Speedway, where the field will once again face a fresh challenge as they strap into NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen cars for Round 3 of Season 21.