(Mooresville, N.C.) – 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.
As a Top 10, global Tier One automotive supplier, AISIN knows how to move things, even at 200+ mph. That’s why we value our winning relationship with Hattori Racing Enterprises – a perennial championship contender and respected race team.
AISIN is the largest manufacturer of automatic transmissions in the world and has been a source of movement for 60 years. We’re also recognized as a leader in body, chassis, electronics, and information-related products.
Truth is the vehicle you drove to Indianapolis Raceway Park today is likely well-equipped with an AISIN product or system. Glad you made it. (We knew you would.)
AISIN. Let’s Move
Toyotetsu, whose origin dates back more than 70 years in Japan, today is made up of more than 26 plants worldwide, located in Europe, Asia and North America. Our Toyotetsu North America region has locations in Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Texas, Alabama, Ontario, Canada, and Guanajuato, Mexico. Being a full-service global manufacturer of essential automotive components, with capabilities in stamping, welding and press cooling.
We are currently recognized as world leaders in the implementation of the Toyota Production System, winning international awards for quality, excellence and innovation. This is thanks to the fact that we passionately live our philosophy: Toyotetsu Mind.
At Toyotetsu we believe that growth must go hand in hand with the development of our employees, because without their talent and passion for work we would not achieve our goals. Toyotetsu, One Dream One Team
About Hattori Racing Enterprises
Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE) was founded in 2008 by Shigeaki Hattori and has fielded entries in a variety of different series, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the ARCA Menards Series. As a former driver, Hattori captured the Japan Formula Toyota championship in 1994 and moved to the United States the following year to race open-wheel cars. He competed in the Toyota Atlantic Series, Indy Lights and IndyCar. He won a pair of Indy Lights races in 1998 and made two starts in the Indianapolis 500. In 2005, Hattori made the transition to stock cars and drove a Toyota Tundra in the Craftsman Truck Series. Hattori’s organization reached its pinnacle achievement in 2018 when Brett Moffitt and the No. 16 team captured the Craftsman Trucks championship in the team’s second full-time season.
HRE and driver Austin Hill recorded eight victories from 2019-21 and cemented the organization into a perennial championship contender. In 2024, HRE will field Toyota Tundra TRD Pro’s as the team pursues it’s second Craftsman Truck Series championship.
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