Defending Race Winner, Sauter, Looking for First Win of the Season at Michigan

Team Information:

2015 Driver Point Standings: 4th (-59)

2015 Owner Point Standings: 5th

Crew Chief: Doug George

Sandusky, Ohio (August 11, 2015) –  Johnny Sauter, who is currently fourth in the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) standings, enters Saturday’s Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) in Brooklyn as the defending race winner. In 2014, the ThorSport Racing driver started a track-best fifth, and capitalized on fuel mileage to hold off teammate, Matt Crafton for his first win, and first top-five finish at the two-mile D-shaped oval in six starts.

According to NASCAR’s historical database, Sauter is ranked fifth, tied with Jack Sprague and Timothy Peters, in the “Consecutive Years with Wins” category in the NCWTS. The Necedah, Wisc. native, who has 10 career NCWTS wins to his credit, has won a race in every season, spanning from 2009 to 2014, with his last win coming at MIS in 2014. Sauter is still looking for his first win of the 2015 season, and if he can find his way to victory lane on Saturday, the NCWTS veteran driver will become the third driver to claim repeat wins at MIS. Furthermore, the ThorSport Racing driver will rank among the top-two in the “Consecutive Years with Wins” category, with seven wins.

Sounding Off – Johnny Sauter:

“We were fortunate to have a great truck at Michigan last year, and we were able to capitalize on circumstances, and win the race. The track is losing grip, and that’s what ultimately makes people search around the race track – from the bottom to the top. It’s a fast race track, and track position will probably be really important, but maybe not as important as other places, because you can move around the race track. Handling will also be at a premium on Saturday, by the end of the race.”

News & Notes:

• Chassis Chatter…The No. 98 ThorSport Racing team will unload chassis No. 45 for Saturday’s Careers for Veterans 200 at Michigan International Speedway. This chassis was last seen at Pocono Raceway, finishing sixth. This particular chassis was also run at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth this season, finishing fourth, and Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway, finishing sixth.
• Michigan Minute… Sauter is the defending race winner of the Careers for Veterans 200 at MIS. The ThorSport Racing driver held off his teammate, Matt Crafton, in the closing laps to earn his 10th career NCWTS win at the two-mile D-shaped oval. MIS was the site of Sauter’s last win, 22 races ago.
• 2015 Season in Review… In 12 NCWTS starts in 2015, Sauter has completed 1886 of 1889 laps attempted (99.8%), and led 22 laps en route to four top-five and eight top-10 finishes. The Nextant Aerospace driver has an Average start of 11.7 and an Average finish of 9.2 with a Best Start of fourth at Texas Motor Speedway and Gateway (Ill.) Motorsports Park, and a Best Finish of third at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City and Gateway.
• Previous Race Recap… Sauter started 17th and finished sixth in the Pocono Mountains 150 at Pocono Raceway. The solid run was his third top-10 at the “Tricky Triangle,” and his eighth top-10 finish of the 2015 season.

Sauter’s NCWTS Stats at Michigan:

• 6 starts since 2009
• 567 of 602 laps completed (94.2%)
• 22 laps led
• One top-five finish
• Best start: Fifth (August 2014)
• Best finish: First (August 2014)
• Average start: 8.0
• Average finish: 12.5
• According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Sauter ranks:
  • Fourth in Average Running Position (9.86)
  • Fifth in Driver Rating (92.5)
  • Fourth in Laps in the Top 15 (460)
  • Fifth in Laps Led (22)

Sauter’s Michigan International Speedway NCWTS Performance Profile:

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:

• 164 starts since 2003
• 10 wins
• 60 top-five finishes
• 94 top-10 finishes
• Five poles
• 24,771 laps completed
• 1181 laps led
• Average start: 10.7
• Average finish: 10.8