Johnny Sauter basks in the Victory Lane celebration at Homestead-Miami Speedway after winning a rain-shortened season finale in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. - Photo Credit: John Harrelson, Getty Images for NASCAR

Talk about the win tonight. Did you leave anything on the table?

JOHNNY SAUTER: “Yeah, what an eventful day. This place here during the daytime typically doesn’t — your truck doesn’t handle very well, and last year same deal, and I knew the racetrack was going to come to us, or at least I thought it was, and sure enough, it did. Joe made a great change on that first pit stop and that thing came to life. Phenomenal year. I’ve always wanted to have two wins in the NASCAR series in the same year, and to some people that probably doesn’t mean much. I’ve been fortunate to win some Nationwide races and some Truck races but never two in a year, so that was a huge accomplishment.”

“To come out of here six points back is kind of a bummer with some of the problems we had or whatever throughout the course of the year, but I couldn’t be more proud of Joe and everybody at ThorSport, Duke and Rhonda Thorson. This is essentially the race that I consider you thank everybody, and Safe Auto Insurance, Curb Records. Mike Curb has been a huge supporter, Mud Jugs, UCoat It, Carrier Heating and Cooling, Chevrolet, ECR Engines, Goodyear Tires, everybody that helps get this deal to the racetrack. It’s a pleasure to drive this truck.”

Crew chief Joe Shear, Jr., talk about the effort out there tonight by the No. 13 truck.

JOE SHEAR, JR.: “Just like Johnny said, we came here knowing we had to do what we did tonight. We had to dominate. We had to lead the most laps. And I can’t thank my guys — my guys worked hard all year, and it showed tonight. We had awesome pit stops. You know, we chased the track and everything and we made some adjustments, and we worked very hard to get where we were. It’s just awesome to be here. Really, I’m kind of lost for words. Working as hard as we do, and we’re working on it, and I think we’re pretty strong, and I can’t wait until next year.”

For both you guys, with what Duke and Rhonda’s organization has done this year, looking ahead and moving ahead, would you guys consider yourselves the championship favorite for next year, and why would that be?

JOHNNY SAUTER: “Well, first of all, I don’t think it’s any secret Duke and Rhonda’s commitment to not only NASCAR but to the Camping World Truck Series, 16 seasons full-time. There’s not a lot of people that can say that, whether they were sponsored or unsponsored. I know Duke and Rhonda spend a lot of their own money to make sure I get to the racetrack every weekend. I couldn’t appreciate that more first and foremost. Built a brand new 100,000 square foot shop, we moved into it in August up in Sandusky, Ohio, which is an anomaly in this business, being outside the Charlotte hub, so to speak. I think it’s a huge accomplishment, but I also know what I have for a team, and those guys work hard, and I guarantee you they work harder than anybody in the garage, and I guarantee you that we are a championship team. Even though we’re not champions right now, we are a championship team, and I do believe we’re the favorites for next year.”

At what point did you know the rain was going to be an issue?

JOHNNY SAUTER: “I had no clue until there was rain on the windshield. That’s the only time I knew. We went down into turn 3 there, the lap before, and it started to sprinkle pretty hard, and I came on the radio and I probably was yelling so loud that they probably didn’t even understand what I was saying, and I said, “it’s raining, it’s raining,” and we went down into turn 3 and it was pouring by the time I got to the back stretch, and I knew this was no good.”

“So I just knew that Denny was running the high line, so I knew that I needed to run the high line, but I got really loose getting down in there and just washed up the racetrack. It’s a good thing he’s as good of a driver as he is, or that could have been ugly. He’s amazingly talented and drove a hard race. I’ve gotta thank him for that.”

Race Recap:

Date: November 19, 2011

Track: Homestead-Miami Speedway

Race: 25 of 25

Started: 5th

Finished: 1st

Championship Point Standings: 2nd (-6)

Up Next on the Truck Series Schedule:

Date: November 22, 2011

Loew’s South Beach Hotel & Resort

Event Name: NCWTS Awards Banquet

Broadcast: SPEED at 8pmET

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records Chevrolet Silverado

NO FEAR, NO TEARS: Sauter sits 20 points back from competitor Austin Dillon in the points standings, yet he knows that the points differential isn’t a mountain to climb. Going into the season finale, his thoughts are set first to a pole position on the grid; second to leading laps; and third to winning the race – the strategy he and longtime crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. have employed during the entire 2011 season. While the statisticians can keep to the “mathematically possible,” Sauter and team 13 look to show old-school, aggressive truck racing on track at Homestead-Miami.

SHOW US YOUR CANS, FANS: The No. 13 Chevy Silverado welcomes back an associate sponsor from earlier this year – Mud Jug Portable Spittoons – for the Homestead-Miami race. A sponsor from Bristol’s race, Mud Jug looks forward to being a part of the championship weekend with contests for fans on Facebook and onsite. The “Show Us Your Cans” contest encourages fans to post pictures of current snuff brands and a reason why the fan needs a Mud Jug Portable Spittoon.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 039 this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Considered one of the most successful chassis in the 13 fleet, it showed its speed at Texas just two weeks ago, as well as many of the intermediate tracks on the circuit in 2011. Its last appearance was in Texas on November 4th, where it finished seventh at the checkered flag.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a seventh place finish at Texas Motor Speedway after starting in the 12th spot for the day. Sauter led laps, was fastest in practice and heavily raced in the top five most of the day. The top ten finish, 15th of his 2011 season, also bumped his championship points position to second behind leader Austin Dillon.

Johnny Sauter

Does Homestead-Miami Speedway put a smile on your face?

“It’s a really good racetrack for me – a lot of guys say that, but I mean it. Since it was repaved a few years back, it’s a lot of fun to race. There are just so many different grooves you can run. Last year, we had a little trouble in the pits at the end after leading most of the race; then getting a little caught up with Kyle (Busch). We feel like we can capitalize on that third place finish from last year – this is a track I’m confident running.”

The championship hunt, for you, is very much alive – is it not?

“All you can ask for is a shot, and I’m privileged right now. It’s a pretty tall order, 20 points, but there are a lot of competitive trucks out there. It’s a full field and a tough road for anybody to hoe. We just need to sit on the pole, lead laps and win. That’s the coolest thing about racing – you just never know how it’s all going to turn out.”

Are you looking to be more aggressive in Homestead?

“We are in a position to be aggressive here. I love to be the underdog, most people know that about me. Aggressive is the way I like to race, and it’s the way my team likes to race. We’ve had such effort this year from all the guys – they’ve killed it on their pit stops, just nailing them every time for me; and we have great sponsors in Safe Auto and Curb Records who live with us right in the trenches. There is less pressure, not being on top of the mountain. We have some freedom to just get out there and race and see what happens as the night unfolds. It’s the best spot for me to be in – no nerves, no pressure. Just great racing ahead.”

Safe Auto/Curb / Mud Jug Chevrolet Silverado Race Info:

November 18, 2011

Homestead-Miami Speedway

1.5-Mile Oval

Ford 200

134 Laps/201 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 8:00 p.m. EST

Radio: MRN will broadcast live at 7:45 p.m. EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 2nd (-20)

Crew Chief: Joe Shear Jr.

Chassis: 039

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

Starts: 4 (2 w/TSR)

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top 5: 1

Top 10: 2

Average TSR Start: 5 (best p3)

Average TSR Finish: 3 (best p3)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records Chevrolet Silverado

Early race tire strategy by crew chief Joe Shear, Jr proved nerve-racking but successful for the driver – knowing that at Martinsville, it’s a place to trust track position and the ones who have the eyes to make the calls. “Ultimately, it all worked out,” Sauter said after the race. “We found our way to the front. This was fun racing and anytime we see Martinsville on the schedule, I’m a happy guy. While I wanted to be a little closer to the front here, it worked out and we’re already working forward to Texas.”

Johnny Sauter

Sauter, while keeping the championship attitude, wishes he had a repeat visit to Victory Lane at Martinsville; but knows that the top five bodes well going into Texas next week. “I think we can go there and win the race, for sure,” he said. “We ran second there in both races last year, plus led something like 56 laps back in the Spring there but got the penalty. It’s a strong track for us historically and I’m looking forward to keeping up this momentum. To win this championship, we’re going to have to prove the underdog and race really, really hard. It’s going to be a battle to the end.”

Race Recap:

Date: October 29, 2011

Track: Martinsville Speedway

Race: 23 of 25

Started: 4th

Finished: 4th

Championship Point Standings: Tied for 3rd (-15)

Up Next on the Truck Series Schedule:

Date: November 4, 2011

Track: Texas Motor Speedway

Event Name:

Broadcast: SPEED at 7pm CST

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto Insurance / Curb Records Chevrolet Silverado

GREEN CLOVERS, BLUE DIAMONDS…OR OTHER LUCKY CHARMS: Sauter will have a little lucky charm or two on his side at Martinsville this weekend. At his first appearance this year, he had to rush home post-race for the birth of his daughter Paige. This time around, he’ll have the support of wife Cortney and son Penn on the pit box, as they watch dad run for the win.

NEVER, EVER GIVE UP – SUPPORTING SCRUGGS: Sauter and teammate Dakoda Armstrong will be the honored guests at the 2011 Scruggs Foundation Award Dinner for Scholarship Recipients at GR Chevrolet in Martinsville on Friday evening post-practice. Bobby Scruggs was a NASCAR Official for almost 40 years. He lost his thirteen-year battle with Cancer on January 22, 2005. His motto was “Never Give Up, Go Over, Go Under, Go Around or Go Through, but NEVER GIVE UP!” Continuing his legacy through fundraising, the foundation offers scholarships to students seeking a career in the Motorsport Industry as well as interns with Motor Racing Outreach and Wake Forest University Cancer Research Center.Forty- four Scholarships have been awarded to students from 17 high schools in Southwest Virginia.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 011 this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. A proven short track chassis for the team, it brought a successful podium finish at Martinsville earlier this year. Its last appearance was in September in New Hampshire, where Sauter powered home in fifth position.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a 15th place finish at Talladega Superspeedway after starting in the 20th spot for the day. After an unavoidable incident on lap 30, Sauter rallied from three laps down to a lead lap p15. The effort not only helped preserve precious championship points, but also earned a “shout out” from Dodge – the Guts & Glory Award.

Johnny Sauter

Martinsville – are you confident, or is it a percentage of luck?

“It’s a piece of cake! Okay, maybe not THAT easy, but it really is either you finish first, or you have trouble. Until April, I was part of the second bunch. I don’t feel any pressure, being the previous race winner. It’s just another day at the office for me and the guys. So I guess that makes us confident!”

Is there really a “checkers or wreckers” attitude on the 13 for these last three races? Go for broke?

“We don’t have a choice but to win if we’re going to pull off this championship. Being behind, you have no other option but to race aggressively. So yes, that’s the general attitude with our team going into Martinsville – we’re going to do whatever it takes to win, within reason. I don’t look out for anybody but us – especially now with just three to go.”

Daughter Paige born in Martinsville just days after your win. Sentimental track for you?

“Anytime you win at a track, it has some sentimental feel to it. Add in the birth of your second child, and it makes it that much more sentimental. Last time, Cortney was in the hospital about to give birth – this time, she and Penn will be with me in Martinsville. I’m excited to have them with me.”

Safe Auto / Curb Chevrolet Silverado Race Info:

Saturday, October 29th, 2011

Martinsville Speedway

.566-Mile “Paperclip” Shaped Oval

Kroger 200

200 laps/105.2 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 1:30pm EST

Radio: MRN & Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 2:00pm EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 3rd (-14)

Crew Chief: Joe Shear Jr.

Chassis: 011

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Martinsville Speedway:

Starts: 7

Wins: 1

Poles: 1

Top 5: 1

Average Start: 9 (best p1)

Average Finish: 12 (best p1)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

Sauter, who started the race in 20th position after experiencing transmission challenges during the end of the sole practice session, immediately dropped to the back of the pack with Crafton as the green flag fell. Successfully drafting, they proved to be the only other team than KHI to run fastest tandem laps of any NCWTS team for several laps. At lap 30, the 16 truck just ahead of the team cut a tire, leaving Crafton no choice but to lift & dive, heading him into the wall; and Sauter nowhere to go himself. After smart repair strategy from crew chief Joe Shear brought the truck down pit road during caution runs, the hammers came out & truck put back on track to run up to 2 tenths faster laps than the leaders – as he was three laps down.

Johnny Sauter

Sauter paired up with the 62 truck of Brendan Gaughan late in the race to run blistering-fast laps, bringing him back slowly but surely to the lead lap after a late caution brought him the Lucky Dog award. With 10 to go, Sauter charged 10 spots through the pack to end up 15th and on the lead lap at the checkered flag.

In a post-race interview with Hermie Sadler, upon being asked if he’s “got the moxxy” for the final three races, Sauter again displayed his signature “never quit” determination. “Now it’s time to go – I’m going to make that decision for our team. We’ve got to give it everything these last three races and never quit. That’s how championships are won, just look at how Hornaday is charging here at the end of the season. It’s how you’ve got to race right now. We’re going to be taking some chances from here on out and going aggressive. Martinsville, we won earlier this year; Texas, we had one of the strongest trucks in the field; and Homestead last year, we about won. So three very strong racetracks for us. We’ve got to race every single one of them hard and try to win.”

Sauter sits in third position in driver points after Talladega – just fourteen points out of the lead in the heavy battle for the 2011 championship title. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to the site of Sauter’s sentimental April Victory Lane visit – Martinsville Speedway – next week as the points battle continues.

Race Recap:

Date: October 22, 2011

Track: Talladega Superspeedway

Race: 22 of 25

Started: 20th

Finished: 15th

Championship Point Standings: 3rd (-14)

Up Next on the Truck Series Schedule:

Date: October 29, 2011

Track: Martinsville Speedway

Event Name: Kroger 200

Broadcast: SPEED at 4:00 pm

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

PAYING TRIBUTE TO A CURB RECORDS TEAMMATE: The 13 team will pay homage to Curb Records teammate in the Izod IndyCar Series, Dan Wheldon, who tragically passed away during the last race of the season in Las Vegas. Team thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends at this time.

NOT JUST BROWNIE POINTS ANYMORE: Sauter has led the championship points for ten weeks this season, but he largely relishes his “underdog” status in the second spot. Five points out with four races to go, the 13 and its veteran driver know that cooler heads will prevail and strategy plays out in a superspeedway race. Look to find Sauter partnering in the two-car tandem with teammate and points pro Matt Crafton for potential success at Talladega.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 025 this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. A proven superspeedway chassis for the team, it brought a successful podium finish at Talladega last year. Its last appearance was in Daytona at the beginning of the season, where Sauter finished seventeenth after a rough ride and historical set of cautions and incidents left him in the back of the pack.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a solid fourth place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after starting in the same spot for the day. Not only did the successful appearance deliver another top five for the driver, it also earned him the Exide Start Positive, Stay Positive award once again in 2011. He also left Las Vegas in the second place points position heading to Talladega.

Johnny Sauter

Love to hate Talladega? Or do you enjoy it?

“Talladega is a great type of racing – all racing is, but superspeedway racing is different. And Talladega really is different from Daytona. Unfortunately, there’s typically a 60% chance you are going to wreck and that’s not fun. So it’s gotten a bad rap over time, and I’ve certainly been a part of a few of those wrecks before in my day.”

At this point, in a close points battle – is this fun for you, or a job?

“Anybody that is having success in a job is usually having a good time. I’m definitely having a good time right now, and it’s a lot of fun. I’m doing what I love to do, which is race. I can get pretty intense, but at the end of the day, if you’re not having fun, you’re making everyone else around you miserable.”

How does it feel to see the championship in the crosshairs? Do you have a strategy at this point?

“Joe and I never talk or have strategy – for as strange as that sounds. We grew up racers, and our mentality is to win or at least try to every week. The rest just takes care of itself when you do that. So for the next four races, we’re still about winning. The championship part just takes care of itself.”

Safe Auto / Curb / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

Race Info:

Saturday, October 22nd, 2011

Talladega Superspeedway

2.66-Mile Tri-Oval

Coca-Cola 250 Presented by Fred’s

94 laps/250 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 3:30pm EST

Radio: MRN & Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 3:00pm EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 2nd (-5)

Crew Chief: Joe Shear, Jr.

Chassis: 025

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at Talladega Superspeedway:

Starts: 2

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top 5: 1

Average Start: 12 (best p8)

Average Finish: 10 (best p3)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto Insurance / Curb Records Chevrolet Silverado

Sauter was blessed by Vegas’ own version of “Lady Luck” of sorts, when an early race incident damaged the bumper cover but team rallying and smart pitting got the 13 back into action under caution. Crew chief Joe Shear, Jr’s decision to pit early helped Sauter gain track position later in the race – at a pivotal time in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race schedule.

“The restarts there at the end absolutely killed us, and we definitely had something for Hornaday – we were running the fastest all day on timing and scoring – but we’ll take a solid fourth place finish,” said Sauter. “Our last adjustments tightened us up too much, so it was a tougher go, but we were able to pass for Bodine for the fourth spot. I’m proud of the guys, they did a lot to fix the truck there at the beginning after Carmichael got into us a little; and pit stops were fast all day. This was a solid run for us and a real points help.”

Johnny Sauter

“I was hoping get to Victory Lane again here in Vegas, but it’s okay, we literally beat the odds today. I can’t believe we tore up our truck like that all day with incidents and still ended up as high as we did. That’s a testament to how the guys set this truck up on my team. We were fast in race trim, fast in practice, fast off the hauler. I think we’ve got something for Dillon going into these last four races. This isn’t our first rodeo.”

Sauter sits just five points out of the lead in the heavy battle for the 2011 championship title. He also earned the Exide Start Positive, Stay Positive Award at the Smith’s 350. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to the famous Talladega Superspeedway next week as the points battle continues.

Race Recap:

Date: October 15, 2011

Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Race: 21 of 25

Started: 4th

Finished: 4th

Championship Point Standings: 2nd (-5)

Up Next on the Truck Series Schedule:

Date: October 22, 2011

Track: Talladega Superspeedway

Event Name: Coca-Cola 250 presented by Fred’s

Broadcast: SPEED at 4pmEST

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

THE HEAT IS ON, THE COOL IS COMING: Team 13 looks to keep consistent top five finishes in the last six races of the 2011 season as the hunt for a championship continues. Sauter made up six points in the deficit between himself and current leader James Buescher at Chicagoland – and he looks to continue the tick up the charts at six dominant race tracks for the seasoned driver.

A LITTLE LESS CONVERSATION, A LITTLE MORE ACTION: A primary sponsor of the No. 13 truck, Safe Auto, continues their “Race to Vegas” contest by wrapping up in Loudon. Entrants can go to www.facebook.com/SafeAuto to enter once for a chance to win a trip to Las Vegas as a guest of the No. 13 team and Johnny Sauter.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 011 this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. A proven short-track chassis for the team, it brought a pole and win in Martinsville earlier this year. It’s last appearance was in Indianapolis where Sauter started fourth – tire woes relegated him to a 24th place finish.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to an inspiring sixth place finish at Chicagoland Speedway after battling an extraordinarily loose truck all night. Smart pit strategy and sound on-track decisions delivered the truck in one piece as other championship contenders were behind the wall. His finish pushed him to third in overall driver championship points, a mere six behind leader James Buescher going into a strong track for Sauter at NHMS.

Johnny Sauter

Are you looking forward to Loudon?

“New Hampshire Motor Speedway is an awesome place to race. It is short track racing at its best. We use a lot of brakes and wear out the tires, and everyone that knows me knows I love the tires falling off and sliding and banging. The motor is just as important at a track like Loudon – almost as important as handling; it takes a lot of compromise with the truck and the driver has to feel it.”

How do you feel coming out of Chicagoland?

“Man, we had to fight for that finish all the way around in Chicago. We were fighting a loose truck from the get go, even in practice, and we were trying to find speed throughout the weekend there. I knew I was in trouble at the first caution when it was ready to turn into the fence, but we kept our cool and Joe did some diagnostics, and we were able to work it out and hold on. I’m proud of the guys for performing in a clinch – we needed a top ten to get back into the points game, and we did it, even on an off week for us.”

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

Going into Loudon, what are your thoughts for that championship run?

“It’s week to week now. We saw last week that we could move up in points and only be six down, but move down a spot in the ranks. This is close racing, folks, and it’s how it should be. Only six points divides the top three guys, and we’ve got six to go. I don’t feel pressure, this is my job and I’m ready to get to some of these tracks that I can do what I do best. We’re going to keep making smart decisions on and off the track as we move towards Homestead.”

Race Info:

Saturday, September 24th, 2011

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

1.058-Mile Tri-Oval

F.W. Webb 175

175 laps/185.15 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 3:00pm EST

Radio: MRN & Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 3:00pm EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 3rd (-6)

Crew Chief: Joe Shear Jr.

Chassis: 011

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

Starts: 2

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top 5: 1

Average Start: 7 (best p7)

Average Finish: 6 (best p5)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

ThorSport Racing

“We aren’t new to pressure, and we were working on a lot of things in practice on a new chassis. Qualifying is qualifying – there are long nights of racing that dictate that leaderboard, so we knew we’d be under loose conditions like everyone else. My truck seemed to be super loose from the get go, to the point of wanting to launch into the fence – so we’re pretty proud of the teamwork, pit box calls and saves during the race.”

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

Employing smart pit strategy, Crew Chief Joe Shear, Jr called for two right side tires and a “splash and go” gas round – keeping Sauter in sixth position for the finish just eight laps later. The cool heads that prevailed amidst other teams with major track woes earned the team a solid finish moving towards Homestead.

Johnny Sauter

He sits in third place in the the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship points lead, a mere six points behind James Buescher and three points behind second place Austin Dillon, going into New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 24th.

RACE RECAP: 18 of 25

Start: 13th

Finish: 6th

Points: 3rd (-6)

NEXT RACE:

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

F.W. Webb 175

Saturday, September 24th

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier.com Chevrolet Silverado

TOP DRIVER, TOP TRACK: The driver leads in consistency stats at Chicagoland for the NCWTS. Only Kyle Busch tops his streak of better finishes at the intermediate track with Truck Series starts. He looks to have a consistent top five finish- or the visit to Victory Lane.

RUNNING WITH EXTRA “FUEL”: Sauter heads to Chicagoland with a little extra “fuel” in his pocket – from little Bryson Smith, a courageous young man battling leukemia in Mooresville, NC. Sauter and wife Cortney support Brysonsfuel.org,
Bryson’s organization dedicated to help shed light on the battle against childhood cancer. The family is hosting a balloon release at the Mooresville Chik-Fil-A on September 24th. More information is available at Brysonsfuel.org.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 042 this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. Built for the 2011 season, this chassis is the latest to come off the ThorSport Racing production line. It will test at Sandusky Speedway this week before making its debut in Chicago with the 13.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a disappointing 29th place after a wild ride at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday, September 9th. He qualified 12th on the grid; then ran much of the race in the top fifteen. After contact with a competitor, Sauter encountered tire woes that relegated him to pit road for four unscheduled stops throughout the night. His finish pushed him to second in overall driver championship points, a mere 12 behind leader James Buescher.

Johnny Sauter

ThorSport Racing announced your 2012 contract. Thoughts?

“I couldn’t be happier knowing we’ve got a place to hang our hat again next year. It just puts everybody at ease when you’re going after a championship. I’m thrilled that we can go after it again next year with ThorSport Racing, and it puts us at ease to do our jobs the rest of this season. It’s been such a good home for me with great resources, great people and a great chance to win.”

How do you feel coming out of Atlanta?

“We had a hiccup in Atlanta, it’s been tough and racing in general is tough – you never know what’s going to happen. We struggled throughout the course of the weekend. I got on a plane right after the race and spent four days in Ohio, and we got our arms around where we think we went wrong. Anytime you’ve got trouble and incidental contact, it’s not good. We gambled on a few decisions, and we didn’t have the night we wanted. I know we’ve put that behind us and are ready to get to Chicago – a track I like a lot.”

Going into Chicago, what are your thoughts for a championship run?

“You can look at a million different things all year and wish you’d done things a lot differently in many cases. We’ve agreed as a team not to dwell on anything, just focus on this homestretch. We live and die by our decisions in the heat of the moment, and I trust everybody of my team. We know we’ve got to be smart going down the homestretch and be a top truck week in and week out. When we do the right things, we win races. When we win races, we get that much closer to championships. We’re hoping to be the ‘team to catch’ going into Homestead in a few months.”

Race Info:

Friday, September 16th, 2011

Chicagoland Speedway

1.5-Mile D-Shaped Tri-Oval

Fast Five 225

150 laps/225 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 8:00pm EST

Radio: MRN & Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 7:30pm EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 2nd (-12)

Crew Chief: Joe Shear Jr.

Chassis: 042

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter

Starts: 2

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top 5: 2

Average Start: 8 (best p5)

Average Finish: 4.5 (best p4)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 SafeAuto Insurance / Carrier / Tim Dugger Chevrolet Silverado

DUGGER PLAYS COOL COUNTRY DESPITE THE HEAT: The No. 13 team hosts Curb Recording artist for the weekend – Tim Dugger – both in the pits and on the decklid. Dugger will play the pre-race concerts at both the NCWTS and Cup races in Atlanta and is one of the most promising young Curb artists.

WISCONSIN ROOTS RUN DEEP: Sauter heads to Atlanta after a return to his hometown of Necedah, Wisconsin for the 4th Annual Summerfest Olden Days Car Show on August 27th, sponsored by Sauter Family Racing. The annual festival is hosted by a local school and draws race fans and local supporters from all over Wisconsin.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 039 this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Built for the 2010 season, this chassis has dominated on performance – with a potential win at Texas Motor Speedway. Its most recent appearance was at Michigan Int’l Speedway, where Sauter was caught in a spin and hit the interior wall. The chassis got a refresh at the Sandusky, Ohio shop and is game-ready for Atlanta.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a podium finish after a wild ride at Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday, August 24th. He qualified 12th on the grid; then ran much of the race in the fifth to ninth position. With fifteen laps to go, Sauter’s fuel maintenance strategy outlasted other teams, as well as driving past competitors to finish just behind winner Kevin Harvick. His second place finish preserved his points lead for the 10th week, by a narrow seven points over James Buescher.

Johnny Sauter

How do you feel going into the race at Atlanta?

“We’re starting to bear down on some serious Fall competition, and I know the guys feel it in the shop. They are working really hard, and they busted their butts to get this chassis ready right after Bristol. We all know we can make a championship run here, we’ve just got to stay clean and make smart decisions all the way around from here on out.”

What’s the biggest challenge going into Atlanta?

“This is probably the fastest track we’ve got on the schedule, and it has a tendency to collect even the most veteran of drivers. It’s going to be interesting to see how everyone handles the speed, especially if we have a full field. I’m pretty confident we’ve got what it takes to handle the speed this week.”

What’s it like to have country stars in your pit?

“My relationship with Mike Curb is special, and it’s great that we showcase different Curb recording artists. Tim is very talented – we had him out at the ThorSport grand opening last month, and he blew the house down and wanted to play all day. We actually met at Curb at the Nashville race a few months back when we previewed his new song. I wish him all the success in the world, he shares so many of our roots and values.”

How do you feel coming out of Bristol?

“That was a comeback, I’ll tell you. It was a testament to the team – it was a pretty phenomenal tire that you can make one stop and get that far. I knew in practice we were good on long runs, just lacking in speed so I had to be patient. It was a good last start and we had it in us, now we kept the point lead and it worked.”

Race Info:

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

Atlanta Motor Speedway

1.54-Mile Quad Oval

Atlanta 200

130 laps / 200.2 Miles

Broadcast Info:

TV: SPEED will broadcast live at 8:00pm EST

Radio: MRN & Sirius XM NASCAR Radio will broadcast live at 7:30pm EST

Team Facts:

Current Point Standings: 1st

Crew Chief: Joe Shear, Jr.

Chassis: 039

Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)

Johnny Sauter

Starts: 2 (7 NNS; 2 Cup)

Wins: 0

Poles: 0

Top 5: 0

Average Start: 12 (best p9)

Average Finish: 13 (best p8)

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto Insurance / Curb Records / Carrier Chevrolet Silverado

“I’ve said it a million times, the points can change in a heartbeat. Could be me, could be Buescher, could be Peters, could be anybody with this new system. It’s nice and it’s humbling. But tonight was about a major strategy with my team. Crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. just knew every lap on that fuel, and we were watching guys drop like flies. I was fighting our aero package and just trying to stay in there mid-race, but then I knew once we got clean air, we had a chance here. I’m so proud of the guys, we really busted tail to get this second place.”

Getting to ninth position at lap two, Sauter radioed in early that he was tight, and even tighter in the second groove. After strategy with blower fans and patience in the pits, Sauter stayed out during three cautions to hang in eighth position. Pitting at lap 60, the 13 took four tires, fuel and a trackbar adjustment. Sauter spent the next 100 laps jockeying between seventh and tenth position. With twenty to go, he passed the 3 truck of Austin Dillon, then quickly notched down the 17 of Timothy Peters to put him in shouting range of a top five at sixth.

Johnny Sauter

He keeps the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship points lead by seven over James Buescher going into Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 2nd.

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier.com Chevrolet Silverado

Under shaky weather conditions Saturday in the Irish Hills, Sauter wheeled up to 6th position in six laps, when an early lap six caution came out. Two more cautions within the first twenty laps brought some smart decision making on the pit box – staying out when field trucks pit. Sauter drafted with the 2 truck into fourth position during green flag racing. The team pit on lap 38 and took four tires and fuel with no adjustments – with Sauter moving from 20th as he re-entered the field all the way to third within 10 laps.

On lap 74, Sauter came too close for comfort to the 17 truck out of turn four and took a spin into the infield pit wall – bringing him down pit road for major corrections by the crew. Through expert calls by Joe Shear, Jr over the next 14 laps to the end, the crew was able to quickly Bondo the nose, beat fenders back into place, change tires and make trackbar adjustments to get Sauter back to a lead lap finish as the field continued to dissolve during a series of cautions.

Johnny Sauter

“We had such a fast truck in practice on Friday, and we were really happy with our setup package. Unfortunately, we didn’t start where we wanted to on the grid, but that was easy to overcome. It’s unfortunate we had the spin, but we salvaged a lead lap finish with a truck we really had to nurse across the finish line – and that’s thanks to all the hard work by my crew. To overcome everything the ThorSport Racing boys did this weekend was awesome, especially being tired after a big Grand Opening Week in Sandusky. The boys hustled all weekend, with the change, the rain, all the calls we made today – they are the reason we rally. Thanks to Joe and my boys on the 13.”

He regains the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver championship points leader going into Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday, August 24th.

“We’re proud to have such a great week of support from the Sandusky and Northern Ohio community – we had almost 8,000 people come to the Grand Opening on Wednesday, and it was unreal to watch. So much support that we never knew. That gives us a lot of momentum moving forward. Special thanks to the Dunn family on being our special guests – family of fallen Sandusky Police Officer Andy Dunn – and MIS Cares Winner Gloria Faucke.”

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier.com Chevrolet Silverado

BITTERSWEET SYMPHONY: Sauter looks to Victory Lane in LOR after many good experiences here – to include building a truck in 2004 with current crew chief Joe Shear, Jr in the parking lot and almost winning the race. As a longtime short-track racer in Wisconsin, he hopes to clinch a win at what he calls “one of the most famous short tracks in the country, and the most fun to race for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.”

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 13 team will utilize chassis No. 011 this weekend at Lucas Oil Raceway. This is the winning Martinsville chassis for Sauter back in April, as well as a fourth place finish in Phoenix over the winter.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sauter drove the No. 13 home to a second place finish at Nashville Superspeedway in Lebanon, Tennessee on Friday night. After super stellar pit stops for track position, Sauter made the jump from eighth to first late in the race. After leading 22 laps, Sauter got loose and was eclipsed by Austin Dillon. His second place finish delivered the fifth top five of the season for the 13 team and preserved his points lead for the seventh week.

Johnny Sauter

How do you feel going into the race at Lucas Oil Raceway?

“There are a lot of short track fans in that part of the country that have grown up watching some exciting races, so I’m always looking forward to going to Indy. To win there would be really special, because the place means so much to me personally as a short track racer. Joe and I have so many memories there.”

What’s the biggest challenge going into Indianapolis?

“As are most short tracks, you’ve got to drive the fenders off these trucks at LOR. It takes a lot of handling and communication with the team to get the setup right, and you have to drive your tail off. That’s what I grew up doing, so I’m not afraid of that type of racing. But some of these guys who are used to running wide open on the fast tracks like Nashville and Kansas, it’s an eye opener. So it’s time to get back to beating and banging to get where you want to go. I’m excited.”

How do you feel coming off a successful run at Nashville?

“I’m so proud of my guys on the 13 – they had phenomenal pit stops in both cycles. It’s why we had that second place at the end of the race. I knew I was looser that Dillon, so it was a matter of time before he could reel me in. I really wanted that Gibson for Mike Curb, but we’ll take second place right now and build on it going into LOR.”

How do you feel about the handling at Indianapolis?

“I’ve always had good handling trucks at LOR, so that’s what I attribute my success at the track to – and now we’re bringing back our Martinsville chassis, so I think that says a lot right there. This is one track where it’s all about handling and in my opinion, that’s short track racing at its best. You have to get in a rhythm and be aggressive.”

- ThorSport Racing Press Release

No. 13 Safe Auto / Curb Records / Carrier.com Chevrolet Silverado

Taking the green flag from the sixth place spot, Sauter quickly navigated to third position and remained in the top five through two early cautions. He reported being loose in, tight off from race start throughout – with crew chief Joe Shear, Jr. advising on a series of blowers on and off the tires and air pressure adjustments during pit stops. Green-flag conditions dictated a pit stop at lap 56, with a stellar stop by the pit crew – taking four tires, fuel topped and a half pound out of the rear tires. Sauter restarted ninth and continued to take positions to fourth within 15 laps.

The race completion came down to pit strategy, with Sauter taking four tires, enough fuel in while tires were being changed and an air pressure adjustment – while Dillon took four. Sauter had the fastest pit cycle of the leaders once again, emerging in second place and overtaking leader Dillon for 22 laps. Holding his ground as long as he could, continued loose conditions held off the truck from staying in the first position at the checkers. Sauter finished in second position, a second off the leader but a half second in front of third place finisher Timothy Peters.

Johnny Sauter

“My guys were phenomenal here, what an amazing job by Joe and the 13 boys. They have worked their tails off to move a race shop, build these trucks, work on them all day, travel from Ohio, then go over the wall and be the best. All of the training they’ve done in the offseason is paying off. The truck is one of the fastest in our fleet – chassis 38 hasn’t had worse than a second place finish all year, and we just built it in the offseason. After leading practice all day, we knew we had a potential winner. I took four tires because I knew we had a loose truck there at the end – and you choose your tires based on track position and how the truck’s handling. Dillon just had a fast, fast truck and didn’t need four. It was great strategy for them and a good win. We did our best and came home with a good finish.”

Sauter is ready to continue his streak heading into Indianapolis. “This is one of my favorite, favorite racetracks and I love how it runs. I’ve done really well at Indy, so this is when it gets fun. It’s nice to be leading the points, sure, but again – with the new system, things change all the time. We’re focused on winning at every track, and the points will follow. That’s when you’re doing your job, and anybody who knows me knows how competitive I am – I want to be in Victory Lane.”

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series goes under the lights next Friday, July 29th for the AAA Insurance 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway.

- ThorSport Racing Press Release