By Caleb Whisler, Staff Writer
The summer stretch is not a time for Johnny Sauter and his No. 21 GMS Racing team to get complacent going into the Playoffs.
In just the first eight races, Sauter has scored four victories and two stage wins. As of Texas Motor Speedway, Sauter has 12 more playoff points over second place Noah Gragson, who has 10 playoff points.
With the regular season being halfway through, Sauter is a locked for the playoffs. However, the biggest challenge will be not to become complacent with their position.
“The biggest thing we have to do now is not getting complacent. We have to keep our nose to the grindstone. We have a long way to go. We have to stay hungry,” Sauter said.
“I am a very competitive guy. All the guys on the No. 21 team are competitive. Four wins are awesome, but we have to keep going. We have to cross our T’s and dot our I’s week in and week out. We have to stay hungry and be in good shape.”
With winning half of the race run, Sauter could be seen as a lock in the final four at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November. However, Sauter does not feel that way.
“I have been racing my whole life and nothing is ever a lock. It would be arrogant to say that we are a lock going into Homestead. Anything can happen. Racing is one of the most humbling sports in the world. We have to stay hungry,” Sauter said.
Despite downplaying the idea of being locked into the final four, the veteran driver does not have a clue who will be his biggest competition when the playoffs begin in August at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park but was reminiscent on his championship run in 2016.
“You just never know who is going to get hot when. A couple of years ago, we were having a consistent but by no means were we the favorite. We got hot when it counted at the end of the 2016 season. We reeled off a couple wins,” Sauter continued.
At the end of the day, he wants to be the one hoisting the championship trophy at Homestead.
As of Texas, Sauter’s competition to hoist the championship trophy at Homestead includes Gragson, Brett Moffitt, Grant Enfinger, Matt Crafton, Ben Rhodes, Stewart Friesen and Justin Haley.