Theriault Saves Fuel to Steal the Title: A Strategy Masterclass at Auto Club

Fontana, CA — The season finale of the Red Light Racing Scrambler Series, the Turn 4 120, concluded at the two-mile Auto Club Speedway with a tactical finish that redefined the championship battle. The race served as the final showdown for the Championship Four: Maxime Theriault, James Skelton, Chris Hammett, and Trent Potter. While Bill Benedict started on the pole, the tension was immediate as the field fanned out four-wide in the opening laps.

The high-stakes atmosphere boiled over early when a massive incident erupted at the front of the pack. Sean Single drifted up into James Skelton, triggering a chain reaction that involved Matthew Duvall. While Theriault narrowly escaped, Skelton’s truck sustained heavy nose damage and was issued a meatball flag, effectively ending the title hopes for the four-win driver.

Following the early caution, a massive divergence in strategy began to take shape. Chris Hammett dominated the majority of the race, leading a single-file train of trucks. Trent Potter opted for a two-tire stop early to gain track position, but Hammett’s four fresh tires eventually allowed him to retake the lead. As the race progressed toward the final green-flag pit cycle, Hammett and Potter continued to push a high pace that required a late stop, while Maxime Theriault, Connor Blasco, and Tim Combs committed to a fuel-saving gamble that began during the very first caution.

With 20 laps to go, the leaders were forced to pit for fuel, handing the lead to Theriault. Hunkered down in fuel-save mode and running the extreme bottom of the track to shorten the distance, Theriault faced a closing gap as Hammett and Potter charged back through the field on fresh rubber. Despite the pressure, Theriault and his drafting partners managed to stretch their fuel to the very end.

Maxime Theriault crossed the finish line to win the race and secure the Season 21 Championship, coasting on fumes as he took the checkered flag with only one lap of fuel remaining. Connor Blasco finished second, with Tim Combs, Ethan Troutman, and Geoffrey Souza rounding out the top five. Chris Hammett’s dominant night ended in a 12th-place finish after the late-race pit stop proved to be his Achilles’ heel, while Trent Potter and the unfortunate James Skelton finished 13th and 17th, respectively. In victory lane, Theriault credited his drafting partners for the assist in a championship win defined by calculated risk.