SAUTER: Knows Way Around 1.25-Miler
09-10-2009 12:13 am

Johnny Sauter enters the Copart 200 at Gateway International Raceway on Saturday looking to add to consecutive top-5 finishes.

Sauter, who leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, finished in the top-5 at Chicagoland and Iowa, respectively. He hopes to drive the No. 13 Fun Sand Chevrolet to similar territory on Saturday.

"This team is brimming with confidence right now, and there's no telling what is possible," Sauter said. "When a team has that confidence, and has the momentum we have, good things happen. There's no reason to think we can't win the race on Saturday. We're taking the truck we raced at Iowa. Joe (crew chief Shear Jr.) and the guys are working their tails off for me, and the results have been a nice reward for their effort. Things are starting to come together for us. But we're far from satisfied. We want to win races."

While Saturday will mark Sauter's first visit to Gateway in NCWTS competition, he is plenty familiar with the track. He owns a pair of top-10 finishes in 5 Nationwide Series starts there.

"I'm looking forward to getting back to Gateway," he said. "It's one of those tracks where I've usually run well, but, for whatever reason, maybe haven't had the finishes to reflect it. Gateway is a big 'momentum' track, especially with these trucks. You have the two distinct corners. I think turns one and two are the key to running good laps at Gateway. You have to be on the gas and committed from turn two down that straightaway. We're excited to see what Saturday has in store for us. Hopefully, we can fight for a win, and at least come out of there with another top-5 finish and keep rolling."