Team Information:
2015 Driver Point Standings: 4th (-22)
2015 Owner Point Standings: 5th
Crew Chief: Doug George
Sandusky, Ohio (May 11, 2015) – In the first four races on the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) schedule, Johnny Sauter, driver of the No. 98 Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff/Curb Records Toyota Tundra, has scored four top-10 finishes, including two top-five finishes in the last two races. In fact, the ThorSport Racing driver is coming off his season-best finish of third at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City. With Sauter’s consistency this season, the Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff driver sits fourth in the 2015 NCWTS driver point standings, a mere five points out of second-place.
The ThorSport Racing driver claims he hasn’t reached his full potential yet this season. With a drive and passion to get back to victory lane, you can “bet” that Johnny Sauter will be a factor for his first win at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway in Friday night’s NC Education Lottery 200.
Sounding Off – Johnny Sauter:
“We’re running ok. I don’t think we’ve reached our full potential yet. Doug George took over the crew chief role this year, and we’re finding our stride. We’re getting on the same page; working better together each race. It’s just tough to do when you only run once and then take five weeks off, so it’s hard to get in a rhythm. We’re doing well though, we’re solid. I look down the road and I see all these great race tracks coming up, Charlotte is good for us, Dover is one of my favorites, and I think we’ll be pretty good.”
“Charlotte is a place you either like or don’t. It’s a unique track. Everyone says that all mile-and-a-half tracks are the same, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Charlotte has a lot of unique characteristics to it; two very different corners, the groove changes throughout the course of the race and you have to be able to keep up with the transitions it goes through from the start of the race until the end. I like Charlotte. It’s a fast race track and we’ve got the Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff colors onboard again this week, and we need to get those guys a win.”
News & Notes:
- Chassis Chatter… The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No.39 for Friday night’s NC Education Lottery 200 at CMS. This chassis was last seen at Kansas Speedway last week, earning the ThorSport Racing driver his best finish of the 2015 season, third.
- That’s a Stat… Sauter is one of only two drivers to finish in the top-10 in the series’ first four races this season, and to complete 100% of the 655 laps attempted.
- Previous Race Recap… Starting seventh, Sauter ran as high as second, and coasted his Toyota Tundra home third in the Toyota Tundra 250 at Kansas Speedway. The third-place finish was his second straight top-five finish of 2015.
Sauter’s NCWTS Stats at Charlotte Motor Speedway:
- Six starts since 2009
- 778 of 804 laps completed (96.8%)
- 9 laps led
- Two top-10 finishes
- Best start: Sixth (2010)
- Average start: 11.2
- Average finish: 15.0
- According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Sauter ranks:
- Ninth in Average Running Position (12.3)
- Seventh in Driver Rating: 85.0
- Second in Laps in the Top 15: 613
Sauter’s Kansas Speedway NCWTS Performance Profile:
| Date | Started | Finished | Laps | Status | Led |
| 2006 | 18 | 13 | 134/134 | Running | 0 |
| 2010 | 6 | 12 | 134/134 | Running | 0 |
| 2011 | 7 | 6 | 134/134 | Running | 9 |
| 2012 | 13 | 25 | 127/134 | Running | 0 |
| 2013 | 16 | 28 | 115/134 | Crash | 0 |
| 2014 | 7 | 6 | 134/134 | Running | 0 |
Johnny Sauter’s 2014 Highlights:
- Finished fourth in the NCWTS driver point standings
- Sixth consecutive full-time season driving for ThorSport Racing
- Earned a win at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, extending his win streak to six consecutive seasons
- Earned eight top-five and 16 top-10 finishes
- 154 laps led
- Average finish: 9.3
Sauter’s Career Truck Series Stats:
- 156 starts since 2003
- 10 wins
- 58 top-five finishes
- 90 top-10 finishes
- Five poles
- 23,540 laps completed
- 1159 laps led
- Average start: 10.7
- Average finish: 10.8
Race Information:
Date: Friday, May 15, 2015
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1
Track Details: 1.5-mile quad oval
Distance: 134 laps/201 miles
Team Website: www.ThorSport.com
Driver Website: www.Johnny-Sauter.com
Sponsor Website: www.SmokeySnuff.com www.Curb.com
Twitter: @ThorSportRacing, @JohnnySauter
