Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE) announced today that the team will field an entry for Johnny Sauter for the TSport 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP). Sauter will pilot the No. 16 AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for the event.
Championship winning driver Johnny Sauter is set to make his return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2024. The veteran driver boasts an impressive resume in the series, amassing 24 wins across 21 seasons with one championship. Sauter’s dominance was on full display in 2016, where he captured the coveted NASCAR Truck Series championship title. In his title run, Sauter captured three wins, 12 top 5’s, and 19 top tens.
With 322 career starts in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Sauter has consistently proven his ability to compete at the front of the pack. Fans can anticipate seeing the accomplished driver add to his legacy as he takes on the unique .686 mile oval.
Sauter stated that he is thrilled to be back behind the wheel of a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Toyota Tundra TRD Pro at the always exciting Indianapolis Raceway Park with Hattori Racing Enterprises. “IRP is a unique track, it has a very unique layout with multi-groove racing,” Sauter said. “I think track position is going to be key and staying up front out of trouble is the goal.”
Getting to work with his former crew chief, Richie Wauters, for the TSport 200 is another exciting aspect for Sauter this weekend. “Getting back to the truck series with Richie has been something I’ve been looking forward to since we first discussed racing at Indianapolis Raceway Park a couple weeks ago,” he explained. “I want to thank Shige Hattori for the opportunity to drive the #16 AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for the TSport 200.”
Team owner Shige Hattori looks forward to veteran Sauter joining the organization for the Indianapolis Raceway Park event.
“We’re excited to have Johnny behind the wheel of our #16 AISIN Toyota Tundra TRD Pro at Indianapolis Raceway Park. His experience in the series, with many different platforms of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series trucks, will be invaluable. He understands the unique challenges of these vehicles and this bullring-style track. Johnny will also give us a great understanding of where we are at as a team and give us some valuable feedback”.
Hattori Racing Enterprises is also excited to welcome new partner Toyotetsu to NASCAR competition. Toyotetsu North America region has locations in Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, Alabama, Ontario, Canada, and Guanajuato, Mexico. HRE looks forward to welcoming a few Toyotetsu guests at the event.
The TSport 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park kicks off on Friday, July 19th at 8:30pm EST. Catch all of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racing action on FS1.
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