Austin Theriault had one hell of a year in 2017.
He won seven races and the ARCA points championship for Ken Schrader Racing, and he seemed to be on the way. But a problems plaguing so many drivers today hit Theriault hard -- he doesn't have a sponsor for 2018, and so far, the driver who has experience in the truck and Xfinity series hasn't found a ride.
"The business end can be a hurdle," Theriault said in an extended interview with WAGM-TV. It is also a unique opportunity and when that pays off that can mean a full time season for you as a driver and maybe multiple seasons. For me looking at 2018 I feel I am on the cusp of something and just waiting for a sponsor to sit down with us and discuss opportunities of putting together a marketing plan for them for 2018. That is what is holding us back right now, but other than that there are huge opportunities in front of me from a racing standpoint. It is the business part that struggles."
As he continues to try to find the money for a ride, he picked up some words of encouragement from NASCAR legend Mark Martin. Theriault tweeted that he's not giving up ...
Nothing to report yet on a ride for 2018. Holding on to the never give up attitude that got me to where I am. I want to thank everyone for the tremendous support!
— Austin Theriault (@AustinTheriault) January 18, 2018
... Martin responded.
Never Ever give up. Things will work out for you. https://t.co/zXYFYp9iwl
— Mark Martin (@markmartin) January 18, 2018
Sage advice, of course. Someone with Theriault's talent and track record should not give up.