Johnny Sauter won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race of the season Saturday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway in the 15th annual Careers for Veterans 200, but it likely won’t be his last.
The Necedah, Wisconsin native is prone to winning races with ThorSport Racing, in fact, the 36-year old driver of the No. 98 Nextant / Curb Records Toyota Tundra kept his streak alive of winning at least one race on the tour since 2009.
Well, just a great performance,” offered Sauter who picked up his 10th NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win Saturday. “We had a great truck — especially on long runs there we started moving towards the front. I think we were third or fourth at the time and I told them, ‘I don’t know what the air pressures are or what,’ but our Toyota was really, really strong on that middle run. Whatever adjustments you made, I don’t care, they were the right ones. We ran the last 40 laps on the floor, wide-open. Just proud of this effort from everybody at ThorSport. This is a great day for us. This puts us in the point’s lead, just halfway through the season — with some really good races coming up for us.”
But as we’ve learned over the years that winning eventually leads to a championship. Sauter has been a contender for championships year after year, but has fallen short. This year, Sauter carries sweet consistency that propelled him back a top the championship standings for the first time since Kentucky Speedway in June.
Now with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in a schedule rhythm, Sauter’s win can give him the momentum to not only win again, but potentially set the bar as far as the championship is concerned.
Sure, Sauter’s closest nemesis is teammate Matt Crafton, the reigning NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and his ThorSport Racing teammate, but Sauter’s a pure racer, the perfect definition of one.
That persona, mission, drive or passion – whatever you want to call it he has it and could be the fuel for the fire to lead Sauter to back-to-back championships for Duke and Ronda Thorson.
Though Sauter says he’s isn’t’ focused on the championship (yet), instead with new crew chief Jeff Hensley they want to win races. After all, they are 1 for 1 together.
“I’m a pessimistic person, so I’m not going sit up here and tell you that we’re going to win the last nine races or 10 races in a row,” said Sauter. “I think you have to have a little bit of humility. We’re just going to do the best job we can. I’m going to try and give the best feedback I can, he’s (Hensley) gotta do the best job he can, the guys are going to do everything they can and take it one week at a time.”
Sauter hinted though the upcoming stretch of races fits his mojo.
“I do like the way that the schedule finishes. For the position we’re in right now, I like the way the schedule is laid out for the rest of the year cause it’s been pretty good tracks for us. I’ve been racing long enough to know that doesn’t mean nothing. I’ve won a race before at a racetrack and went back six months later and felt like I had never been there before, so it’s a lot of hard work, a lot of effort and you know if we stay grounded and do our job we’ll be fine.”
I don’t expect Sauter and his ThorSport Racing team to do anything less than do their job and that could be the key towards earning his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
