Johnny Sauter enters the Built Ford Tough 225 presented by the Greater Cincinnati Ford Dealers at Kentucky Speedway on Saturday night looking to build on momentum established prior to the recent NCWTS schedule break.
Sauter has driven the No. 13 Fun Sand/Rodney Atkins-Curb Records Chevy to top-10 finishes in four of the last seven races, including an 8th place finish a few weeks ago at Memphis. He has challenged for victory in multiple races, and won the Keystone Light Pole Award at Texas. According to Sauter, however, the No. 13 team is just beginning to come into its own.
"We're starting to find our stride a little bit, and it's nice to see things coming together," Sauter said. "We had our best pit stops of the year so far at Memphis. The guys have been working their tails off, practicing like crazy, and it has begun to show. We're only eleven races into this deal, and we're finding our rhythm."
Sauter hopes that rhythm includes Kentucky, where he's had his share of problems over the years. In five career starts at Kentucky, all in Nationwide Series competition, Sauter hasn't come close to a top-ten finish. This will be his first NCWTS start at the track, and Sauter is confident it will be a 'new beginning' of sorts.
"Kentucky has been a place where, for whatever reason, I haven't run well," he said. "I love the track, in terms of the great side-by-side racing it provides. I always look forward to racing there, especially with the race being at night and the cool atmosphere that comes with it. It's a lot of fun, and hopefully we can give ourselves a strong shot to win the race."
Sauter says the requisite education that accompanies his status as a first-year, fulltime driver in the NCWTS continues.
"I feel like I'm making progress as a driver in this series, and that brings added confidence," he said. "I'm learning a lot about these trucks each time out. And again, the team is making progress, and the guys can feel it. This series has such an intense, great 'grass-roots' feel that you can't duplicate. Guys don't give an inch, and that's the way it should be. I'm enjoying the heck out of it, and just trying to get better. I'm confident we can win some races before the season is over.
