By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
For the first time since July of 2020, Johnny Sauter grabbed the top-five finish in the Camping World Truck Series.
The result came Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the fourth round of the 2021 season. Starting 13th in the 130-lapper, the 2016 series champion had little idea of the handling of his truck, with practice and qualifying not a part of the weekend.
However, from the drop of the rag, Sauter drove forward, passing trucks to enter into the top 10.
Finishing 10th in Stage 1, Sauter fell back in Stage 2, failing to score a point. Despite the setback, the final run to the checkered flag saw his No. 13 Thorsport Racing Toyota burst, driving inside the top five by the end.
Finishing fourth, it was his first top-10 run of 2021 and his fourth Atlanta top five in the last five years.
“This is the kind of run you need,” Sauter said. “Especially when the year has started out the way that it has.”
Leading the charge for Thorsport in Saturday’s race, Sauter left the 1.5-miler in high spirits. The veteran is currently riding a career-long winless drought that stretches back 43 races to May 2019.
“We had speed,” he said of his race. “We have a little bit of work to do but we are a long ways away from where we were in Las Vegas. I’m just really proud of everybody.”
Checkered flag for the @NASCAR_Trucks #F8Auctions200 @amsupdates:
4️⃣ @JohnnySauter
8️⃣ @Matt_Crafton
1️⃣1️⃣ @GrantEnfinger
1️⃣6️⃣ @benrhodes @MenardsRacing @GetFlexSeal @VivitarOfficial @ChampionPowerEQ @CampingWorld @ToyotaRacing— ThorSport Racing (@ThorSportRacing) March 20, 2021