Johnny Sauter will not return to GMS Racing in 2019
After winning six races with GMS Racing during the 2018 Gander Outdoors Truck Series season, Johnny Sauter has been released from the team just a few weeks before the start of the 2019 season.
Sauter appeared on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio shortly after the announcement was made:
” I was down here at the race shop — basically just sat down with (GMS president, Mike) Beam and he basically told me we weren’t racing this year,” Sauter said. “So basically came down to financial problems, I guess. I think everybody knows that this sport is expensive and I don’t really bring any money to the table. I’m from the school where you got paid to race.”
Sauter did provide a clue as to who might be taking his place.
“Having said that, I think (Brett) Moffitt’s going in the truck from what they told me,” Sauter continue. “I don’t know exactly anything more than that. They just told me that we weren’t racing this year and it was purely financial.”
Sauter has driven the No. 21 truck for GMS Racing the past three seasons, winning 13 races for the team over that time frame and finishing no worse than fourth in points. The 40-year-old driver has a total of 23 career victories in 10 full seasons of Truck Series competition, winning his first career championship with GMS Racing in 2016.
Moffitt was released from Hattori Racing Enterprises at the end of last season after winning the championship due to similar sponsorship issues.
Moffitt and Sauter both tied for season-high six victories in 2018.
“We cannot thank Johnny enough for his contributions to the growth and success of GMS Racing,” said Beam in a written statement released by the team. “He won the first championship for us and added a lot of trophies to our shop. We wish him all the best for his future endeavors, both in and out of racing.”
No official announcement has been made by GMS Racing on whether or not Moffitt will replace Sauter.
~~~~~~~~~~
Three drivers participate in Auto Club Speedway tire test
In the first on-track activity of the 2019 season, Daniel Suarez, Martin Truex Jr., and reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano participated in the first of a two-day Goodyear tire test at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.
The test was the first time Truex and Suarez were behind the wheel of their new rides for the 2019 season.
2017 Cup Series champion Truex moves from the No. 78 of Furniture Row Racing to the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the 2019 season after FRR closed down at the end of 2018.
Suarez, the driver of the No. 19 for JGR the past two seasons, is joining Stewart-Haas Racing this season, replacing 2004 Cup Series champion Kurt Busch in the No. 41 car. Busch will race for Chip Ganassi Racing this season.
The tire test also provided an opportunity to run the new 2019 rules package, which includes a number of changes designed to reduce horsepower and increase passing.
The series will race at ACS on Sunday, March 17th.
The Cup Series will also have an organizational test session at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from January 31st to February 1st.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jeff Gordon signs multi-year deal with Fox Sports to continue as race analyst
Four-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion retired from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of the 2015 season and transitioned into a role as a race analyst with Fox Sports in 2016.
Apparently he has enjoyed this new role because, according to a report from motorsport.com, Gordon has signed a multi-year deal with Fox Sports to continue in his role as a race analyst on the FOX broadcasts.
“It was a ‘no-brainer’ for me, even more so this time around,” Gordon told Motorsport.com. “The first time, I didn’t exactly know what I was getting myself into. I didn’t know whether I was going to be any good at it, if I was going to enjoy it.
“I’ve enjoyed it a lot,” he continued. “I think it’s a great transition out of driving the car and what comes along with the competition and the teamwork that goes into being a driver.”
Gordon will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on February 1st as part of the 2019 class, along with Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Roger Penske, and Jack Roush.
~~~~~~~~~~
Several NASCAR drivers attend Justin Timberlake concert in in Charlotte
Superstar Justin Timberlake was on hand at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina performing a concert on Tuesday night, and multiple NASCAR drivers were in attendance.
Seven-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra snapped a photo with Timberlake …
… as did 2014 Cup Series champ Kevin Harvick and his wife DeLana.
2015 Cup Series champion Kyle Busch and wife Samantha enjoyed the concert as well.
However, the highlight of the night had to have been when Timberlake noticed Jeff Gordon in the crowd and reacted about as appropriately as could have been expected …
~~~~~~~~~~
Young’s Motorsports announces Gus Dean as replacement for Austin Hill
Gus Dean will be making his first start in a NASCAR national series on Friday, February 15th at Daytona International Speedway, as he begins a full-time season with Young’s Motorsports for the 2019 NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series season.
Dean, who will be driving the No. 12 Chevrolet, fills the vacant spot left by Austin Hill after he moved to Hattori Racing Enterprises over the offseason. Hill drove the No. 02 truck for Young’s Motorsports in 2018.
“I’m in one of the big three (series) with a full-time schedule, unveiling my truck at the NASCAR Hall of Fame,” Dean said on Wednesday. “The sun was definitely shining a little brighter when I woke up this morning. … If you can imagine a kid for the first time walking into Disney World, that’s about where I’m at right now.”
Jeff Stankiewicz will serve as the crew chief.
LG HVAC and Baker Distributing will be sponsoring the effort.
Dean is a two-time race-winner in the ARCA Racing Series, and finished fourth (2017) and sixth (2018) in points after running the full schedule the past two seasons.
~~~~~~~~~~
If you would like to connect with me, you can follow me on Twitter or Instagram, or you can e-mail me at [email protected].
If you would like to receive this column in your inbox, please let me know!