Johnny Sauter Earns Track-Best Finish At Atlanta

Johnny Sauter, No. 98 Nextant Aerospace/Curb Records Toyota Tundra
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Race No. 2 of 23 

Hampton, GA (February 28, 2015) – Johnny Sauter, driver of the No. 98, Nextant Aerospace/Curb Records Toyota Tundra, finished a track-best sixth in Saturday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway (AMS). Starting 13th, Sauter struggled with an “unbelievably loose” Toyota Tundra through the opening laps of the 130 lap event. Crew chief Doug George brought the No. 98 machine to pit road twice at laps 12 and 19, respectively, to make wholesale changes on the Nextant Aerospace Tundra in an effort to tighten up the No. 98 machine.

Restarting 28th on lap lap 22, Sauter would work his way inside the top-15 by lap 30 and the top-10 by lap 60, making a pit stop at lap 51, under caution, for four tires and fuel. Running as high as third, the ThorSport Racing driver would come down pit road for one last stop under green at lap 101 for four tires and fuel before settling in to the sixth position with 20 laps remaining. The Necedah, Wisc. driver would cross the stripe sixth behind race winner Matt Crafton, claiming his track-best finish in five starts at AMS.

Quote:

“Yeah, we just have always struggled here. This is as good a finish as I’ve ever had here. Man, wholesale changes during the race. I mean, we’re talking inches on the track bar and the pit stops were awesome all night long and we just raced the race track as best I could. I mean, it’s alright. It’s not what you want, but it’s a decent finish.”

Notes:

• Johnny Sauter finished sixth in the Hyundai Construction Equipment 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
• The sixth-place finish was a track best for the ThorSport Racing driver in five starts at AMS
• Sauter is up to fourth in the 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver point standings following the second race of the season, a mere eight points behind leader Tyler Reddick
• Ty Dillon (second), Ben Kennedy (third), Daniel Suarez (fourth), and Tyler Reddick (fifth) rounded out the remainder of the top-five finishers
• ThorSport Racing teammate, Matt Crafton finished first, and Cameron Hayley was 14th
• Up next: Kroger 250 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway on Saturday, March 28

Practice 1: 14th (31.35 seconds)

Qualifying: 13th (31.05 seconds)

Stats:
Started: 13th
Finished: 6th
Laps: 130/130
Status: Running
Driver Points: 4th (-8)
Owner Points: 6th (-15)