Johnny Sauter
| Johnny Sauter | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards | 2001 American Speed Association Champion | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| Car no., team | None Best_Cup_Pos = 30th - 2007 | ||||||
| First race | 2003 Tropicana 400 (Chicago) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| Car no., team | None Best_Busch_Pos = 8th - 2003, 2006 (Busch Series) | ||||||
| First race | 2001 Autolite Fram 250 (Richmond) | ||||||
| First win | 2002 Tropicana Twister 300 Presented by Sam's Club (Chicagoland) | ||||||
| Last win | 2005 SBC 250 (Milwaukee) | ||||||
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Johnathan Sauter (born May 1, 1978, in Necedah, Wisconsin) is a NASCAR driver from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Sauter is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and the brother of NASCAR drivers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter.
Early Career
After graduating high school in 1996, Sauter began competing at in various amatuer series throughout Wisconisn and the Midwest. By the end of 1997, Sauter had collected three wins in the Sportsman Division at the Wisconsin Dells Motor Speedway and a win in the Late Model Division at LaCrosse Motor Speedway. Enboldened by his success, Sauter joined joined the American Speed Association Series in 1998. By 2001, he was the ASA Series Championship.
NASCAR
Richard Childress Racing
Taking notice of Sauter's ASA preformance, Richard Childress Racing invted him to drive five Busch Series races in the #21 PayDay Chevrolet. Sauter finished in the top 15 in three of his five starts, including a 5th-place finsih at AutoLite Fram 250 in Richmond.
In 2002, Sauter ran a full Busch Series schedule notching five top-10 finishes, including his first Busch Series in the Tropicana Twister 300 at Chicagoland Speedway.
In 2003, Sauter drove the #21 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet and the #2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. He captured fourteen top-10 finsishes in 34 starts and a win at Richmond. He finished the season 8th in driver standings and, together with Kevin Harvick, led the 21 car to the owners' points championship.
Despite struggling in a handful of cup race for the #4 Kodak EasyShare Pontiac in 2003, in 2004 Sauter was named by Childress as the full-time driver of the #30 AOL Chevrolet in the Nextell Cup series. However, after struggling to start the season, Sauter was replaced by Jeff Burton. Unhappy with being replaced, Sauter cut ties with the Childress team.
Phoenix Racing
After a brief stint in the #27 Kleenex Chevrolet for Brewco Motorsports, Sauter joined Phoenix Racing in 2004. Driving mainly the #1 Yellow Transportation/Miccosukee Gaming Dodge Charger in 2004 and 2005, Sauter collected nineteen top-10 finishes and a win at his hometown track, the Milwaukee Mile.
Haas CNC Racing
After making 10 starts in the #70 for Haas CNC Racing in the 2005 Nextel Cup Series, Haas promised Johnny a chance to compete for a full-time cup ride. In 2006, Sauter and his sponser Yellow Transportation left Phoenix Racing for Haas CNC Racing. Driving the #00
Chevrolet in a full Busch Series schedule, Sauter earned $1.2 million in purse money and returned to the top-10 in the drivers standings, finishing the season at number 8. In late 2006, Haas CNC Racing asked Sauter to drive the #70 Chevrolet for handful of Nextel Cup races. At the end of the season, Sauter was named the full time driver for the #70 car in 2007 Nextel Cup Series.
Unable to compete with the larger teams, Sauter struggled during his rookie season, with an average finish of 27. He did however, grab two top-10s and finished the season in the important top-35 in the owners' standings. Nonetheless, Haas CNC (Racing) dropped Sauter at the end of the season.
Return to Phoenix Racing
In 2008, without a cup ride, Sauter returned to his former Busch Series team, Phoenix Racing. Driving the #1 Miccosukee Gaming Chevrolet, Sauter struggled at the start of the season and was dropped by Phoenix Racing after just five races. In his only Sprint Cup Series entry, Sauter replaced John Wood in the #21 Ford at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. However, Sauter crashed during his first qualifying lap. Sauter is currently without a ride in either series.
Personal
Sauter is married to Cortney Owen, also a Wisconsin native, and a former Miss USA pageant contestant. She might also be reconginzed as a former contestant ontthe reality TV show, Outback Jack.