Johnny Sauter takes to the familiar high-banks of Bristol Motor Speedway on Wednesday with his hopes and sights set on a visit to Victory Lane.
Sauter has made numerous starts at Bristol in Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series competition. He owns a top-5 and three top-10 finishes there.
"I think Bristol is the most exciting race of the season," Sauter said. "It's just a place where it would be extra special for any driver to win. There's so much tradition at Bristol, and guys are just gunning that much harder. It's just a really cool environment, and the fans are incredible. With the newer configuration, you can run from top to bottom, and there's a ton of grip with the concrete. As much as you're competing against other drivers, at Bristol, you're also kind of racing against the track itself. To succeed at Bristol and have a chance to win the race, you first have to survive the messes, because you know there will be some. It can change your night in a hurry. You have to pick your spots as much as possible, and try to stay aware of everything happening around you. You just hope to stay out of someone else's trouble, and put yourself in position to be there when it matters most."
Sauter enters Bristol on the strength of a 6th place finish at Nashville, his 5th top-10 finish this season.
"Each guy on this team is committed to getting better, and we keep looking for ways to do that," said Sauter. "It's a matter of consistency, and we feel like things are coming together for this No. 13 Fun Sand/Rodney Atkins-Curb Records team. We know what we're capable of, and we're confident we can win a race or two before the season is said and done. We're on the right track. There'd be no better place to break thru than at Bristol. Our guys are working their tails off for me, and they just keep getting better. We'll give it everything we have at Bristol, and hopefully we'll be there at the end with a shot to win the race."
