Stats:
Started: 10th
Finished: 7th
Laps: 134/134
Status: Running
Driver Points: 4th
Owner Points: 4th
Homestead, FL (November 21, 2015) – In his final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) start with ThorSport Racing, Johnny Sauter, driver of the No. 98 Nextant Aerospace/Curb Records Toyota Tundra, claimed his sixth top-10 finish of 2015 in Friday night’s NCWTS 200 at Homestead-Miami (Fl.) Speedway, and his 16th top-10 finish of the 2015 NCWTS season.
Starting 10th, Sauter complained of a Toyota Tundra that was, “a little loose” in the opening laps, but became, “a little snug in the center of the corner, and loose on exit,” as the run progressed. Crew chief Doug George opted to bring the No. 98 machine to pit road for scheduled stops, under green at lap 51, and under the second caution of the night, at lap 62, for four tires, fuel, and adjustments.
Restarting sixth, at lap 66, Sauter worked his way inside the top-five until a restart, following the third caution of the night at lap 78, shuffled the Nextant Aerospace driver back to the 12th position. Suffering from a loose-handling Tundra, George brought the No. 98 machine to pit road for their final stop of the night, under caution at lap 84, for four tires, a wedge adjustment, and fuel. Varied pit strategies forced Sauter to restart 16th, but four tires proved to be the right call. The ThorSport Racing driver worked his way inside the top-10 by lap 100 and into the seventh position by lap 110, which is where he crossed the stripe behind race winner, Matt Crafton.
In 23 NCWTS starts in 2015, Sauter has led 118 laps en route to seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. The ThorSport Racing driver completed 3420 of 3455 laps attempted (98.9%), had an Average Start of 11.9, and an Average Finish of 9.2 with a Best Start of third at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, and a Best Finish of third at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, KS and Gateway Motorsports Park in St. Louis.
Through Sauter’s seven full-time seasons with ThorSport Racing, the Necedah, Wisconsin native earned Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2009 followed by his first series win. Since joining the Sandusky, Ohio based team, Sauter has made 164 starts, earned five poles, and led 1138 laps en route to 62 top-five and 100 top-10 finishes. Furthermore, Sauter earned a victory in six of his seven consecutive seasons, and finished within the top-10 in points every season, including five seasons with top-five finishes.
Quote:
“I think we got behind on one adjustment and that was the difference between a top-five and our seventh-place finish tonight. But, with that being said, I’m proud of this ThorSport Racing team for continuing to fight for me tonight and this year. I’m thankful to the entire crew for all they’ve done over the past few years.”
Notes:
- Johnny Sauter was 13th-quick in the lone NCWTS practice session on Friday morning at Homestead-Miami Speedway
- The Nextant Aerospace driver started 10th and finished seventh in the 134-lap event
- In nine NCWTS starts at HMS, Sauter has led 64 laps en route to one win (2011), two top-five and six top-10 finishes
- In 2015, Sauter led 118 laps en route to seven top-five and 16 top-10 finishes
- The ThorSport Racing driver finished fourth in the 2015 NCWTS driver point standings, his third consecutive fourth-place finish
- In 175 career NCWTS starts, Sauter has 10 wins, 63 top-five and 102 top-10 finishes
- Matt Crafton won the 20th annual NCWTS 200 at HMS followed by John Hunter Nemechek (second), Tyler Reddick (third), Ben Kennedy (fourth), and Timothy Peters (fifth)
- Toyota clinched the eighth NCWTS manufacturer’s championship since entering the series in 2004 last weekend in Phoenix