Johnny Sauter has tasted success at Martinsville Speedway, and hopes for more of it in Saturday's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Kroger 250.
"I love racing at Martinsville," he said. "To me, it's the essence of short-track racing. I think the fans love it because there's lots of side-by-side racing, and you never know what's gonna happen. And there's so much history here. It's a special place."
Sauter recognizes the importance of qualifying well at Martinsville.
"It's especially important for truck races, because the races are shorter," he said. "Things happen quickly, and you don't want to have to spend all your laps just trying to catch up. Qualifying well is usually an important part of having a strong day here."
Sauter says the No. 13 Fun Sand/Rodney Atkins-Curb Records Chevy team is taking maximum competitive advantage of the time between early-season NCWTS races. After Saturday's race, the NCWTS is out of action again until April 25 at Kansas.
"We have a great group of guys on this team, and everyone is on the same page in terms of wanting to get better, looking for ways to improve," said Sauter. "That means not only being aware of our weaknesses, but also realizing our strengths. We know what we're capable of, and we saw it to some extent at Daytona. We came out of the gate well there, and it looked like we were headed for a top-10 finish at California but had an unfortunate break. That's the way it goes. You just have to focus on the next race and come back and give it everything you have."
Sauter realizes it takes time for newcomers on a team to jell.
"With any group of guys together for the first time, it takes some time for things to click, and we're getting closer," he said. "There are a lot of positives on this race team right now, and I'm confident that will be reflected in our finishes. These guys are working hard for me, and I appreciate it. Hopefully, we can come out of Martinsville with a top-5 finish and build some momentum."
