Theriault Takes the Checkered: A Charlotte Masterclass in the Scrambler Series

Charlotte, NC — The third round of the Red Light Racing League Scrambler Series brought the thunder to the high banks of Charlotte Motor Speedway for a 90-lap battle under the lights. In the first appearance of the Cup Cars this season, series points leader Maxime Theriault once again showed why he is known as “the machine,” delivering a composed and commanding performance to secure his second consecutive victory.

Two-time champion James “Bone” Skelton led the field to green from the pole, but the opening lap chaos struck almost immediately. Devin Visnaw lost traction on cold tires before the field could fully settle in, spinning into the grass and collecting Sean “Bloop” Single in the process. The incident ended the night early for Single, the season’s Las Vegas winner, and brought out what would ultimately be the race’s only caution, setting the stage for an extended stretch of green-flag racing and strategic execution.

Once racing resumed, the event quickly evolved into a chess match for clean air at the front. Skelton initially controlled the pace, but Theriault methodically worked the high lane and powered into the lead by lap 11. From there, Theriault’s primary challenger was Chris Hammet, who matched his speed lap for lap and waited patiently for an opening. Hammet later noted that clean air was a massive advantage at Charlotte, and his lone serious attempt to challenge Theriault ended with a light brush against the outside wall, forcing him to regroup and settle back into second.

The drive of the night belonged to Trent Potter. An invalidated qualifying lap left him starting 19th, but Potter wasted no time carving through the field. By lap 22, he had already gained 13 positions and continued his relentless charge, eventually reaching second before the final round of pit stops reshuffled the order.

Pit road proved decisive for several contenders. Skelton’s early momentum unraveled when he was caught speeding on pit entry, a penalty that dropped him a lap down and effectively removed him from the fight for the win. Potter also encountered trouble on his final stop when a late fuel adjustment extended his stationary time to nearly 20 seconds, well off the 14 to 15-second stops of the leaders. Even so, Potter’s pace allowed him to recover and claw his way back onto the podium in the closing laps.

In the final stint, Theriault was untouchable. Managing traffic and tire wear with precision, he stretched his advantage to nearly two seconds and cruised to the checkered flag. Chris Hammet secured second after a strong but ultimately frustrated pursuit, while Potter completed an impressive comeback drive to finish third. Zack Mitchell and Ethan “The Mountain” Troutman rounded out the top five.

Behind the podium finishers, Jason Wells stood out as one of the night’s biggest movers, advancing from 20th to ninth to secure a top-ten result. The race was not as kind to Sean Single or Jeff LeMire, both of whom suffered early exits and finished outside the top 20. Despite the challenges of dirty air and the raw speed of the Cup Cars, the field delivered nearly 80 consecutive laps of green-flag racing to close the event.

After the race, Theriault credited his victory to getting into clean air early and maintaining discipline on pit road, avoiding the penalties that derailed others. With back-to-back wins, he further extends his advantage in the Season 21 championship standings as the Scrambler Series looks ahead to a slate of upcoming road course challenges.