Johnny Sauter is scheuled to compete within the upcoming NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence’ TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP) with Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE) on Friday, July 19.
The 2016 Truck Sequence champion from Necedah, Wisconsin, is ready to pilot the No. 16 AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Professional for HRE, a company that claimed the 2018 sequence’ title with Brett Moffitt and spent a complete of seven seasons (2017-23) fielding at the very least one full-time entry within the Truck Sequence, the place the group gathered a complete of 14 victories and 4 Playoff appearances, earlier than scaling again to a part-time marketing campaign this season.
The No. 16 HRE Toyota group, which is led by veteran crew chief Richie Wauters, tried to qualify at North Wilkesboro Speedway in Might with veteran competitor Aric Almirola, however they had been unable to resulting from posting a gradual observe time and the on-track qualifying session being canceled amid on-track precipitation because the beginning lineup was decided by a qualifying metric method from the NASCAR Rule E-book.
With 35 rivals entered for the upcoming occasion at Lucas Oil IRP, the place all will qualify since a Truck Sequence area can go as excessive as 36, it should mark Sauter’s third Truck Sequence begin of the 2024 season after he competed within the season-opening occasion at Daytona Worldwide Speedway in February and at Texas Motor Speedway in April, each with Niece Motorsports. Along with making his first begin with HRE, Sauter can also be scheduled to make his sixth profession begin at Lucas Oil IRP. His greatest end in 5 earlier begins on the course is a runner-up end in the course of the 2004 season as he strives to enhance his earlier outcome up by a single spot.
“[Lucas Oil IRP] is a singular monitor, it has a really distinctive format with multi-groove racing,” Sauter mentioned. “I believe monitor place goes to be key and staying up entrance out of hassle is the purpose. Getting again to the truck sequence with Richie has been one thing I’ve been wanting ahead to since we first mentioned racing at Indianapolis Raceway Park a pair weeks in the past. I need to thank Shige Hattori for the chance to drive the No. 16 AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Professional for the TSport 200.”
Sauter, who grew up racing throughout the Midwest areas earlier than profitable the 2001 ASA Nationwide Tour title, made his inaugural presence throughout NASCAR’s high three nationwide touring sequence at Richmond Raceway within the Xfinity Sequence in September 2001, the place he piloted the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing to a powerful fifth place. He would acquire his first two profession victories within the Xfinity circuit over the following two seasons.
In 2003, Sauter competed in his first three Truck Sequence profession races with Fasscore Motorsports. He would make eight further begins over a four-year span (2004-05, ’06 & ’08) earlier than inking a full-time journey with ThorSport Racing in 2009. Through the 2009 season, he scored his first Truck profession victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, completed in sixth place within the closing standings and claimed the Rookie-of-the-12 months title.
From 2009 to 2021, Sauter would set up himself as a high veteran within the Truck Sequence as he would add 23 further victories to his resume, all of which he achieved between ThorSport and GMS Racing. His high accomplishment is profitable his first sequence’ title in 2016 throughout his first marketing campaign with GMS. Different accomplishments for Sauter as a Truck Sequence competitor embrace changing into the primary three-time sequence’ winner at Daytona, profitable a career-high six races in 2018, securing Playoff berths in 4 consecutive seasons (2016-19) together with the 2018 Truck Sequence Common Season Championship, recording a career-high 19 top-10 outcomes in the course of the 2016 and 2017 seasons, and notching sixth-place average-finishing outcomes as a full-time competitor in the course of the 2017 and 2018 seasons.
By way of 322 earlier begins within the Truck Sequence, Sauter has achieved 24 victories, which have him ranked in fifth place within the sequence’ all-time wins listing. He has additionally recorded 9 poles, 116 top-five outcomes, 186 top-10 outcomes, 2,695 laps led and an average-finishing results of 11.2. Along with his success within the Truck Sequence, Sauter has three Xfinity victories and 85 Cup profession begins featured to his racing resume.
Ought to Sauter win this weekend’s occasion at Lucas Oil IRP, he would be part of Brett Moffitt and Austin Hill as the one rivals to win within the Truck Sequence whereas driving for HRE.
“We’re excited to have Johnny behind the wheel of our No. 16 AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Professional at Indianapolis Raceway Park,” Shige Hattori, proprietor of HRE, added. “His expertise within the sequence, with many various platforms of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck sequence vehicles, might be invaluable. He understands the distinctive challenges of those autos and this bullring-style monitor. Johnny may also give us a fantastic understanding of the place we’re at as a group and provides us some beneficial suggestions.”
Johnny Sauter’s first NASCAR Craftsman Truck Sequence begin with Hattori Racing Enterprises is scheduled to happen this Friday, July 19, at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. The occasion’s broadcast time is slated to happen at 8:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
