Johnny Sauter
| Johnny Sauter | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards | 2001 American Speed Association Champion | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| Car no., team | None | ||||||
| First race | 2003 Tropicana 400 (Chicago) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| Car no., team | None | ||||||
| First race | 2001 Autolite Fram 250 (Richmond) | ||||||
| First win | 2002 Tropicana Twister 300 (Chicagoland) | ||||||
| Last win | 2005 SBC 250 (Milwaukee) | ||||||
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Jonathan 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 in various amateur series throughout Wisconsin 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 the LaCrosse Motor Speedway. Emboldened by his success, Sauter joined the American Speed Association Series in 1998. By 2001, he was the ASA Series Championship.
NASCAR
Richard Childress Racing
In 2001, following Sauter's ASA Championship, Richard Childress Racing invited him to drive the #21 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet in five Busch Series races. Sauter finished in the top 15 in three of his five Busch starts, including a 5th-place finish at AutoLite Fram 250 in Richmond.
In 2002, Childress invited Sauter to run a full Busch Series schedule in the #2 AC Delco Chevrolet. Sauter notched five top-10 finishes, including his first Busch Series win in the Tropicana Twister 300 at the Chicagoland Speedway. In 2003, Sauter for Childress Racing and Curb Racing in the Busch Series, piloting the #21 PayDay Chevrolet and the #43 Channellock / Curb Records Chevrolet. He captured fourteen top-10 finsishes in 34 Busch Series starts, including a win at Richmond. Sauter finished the 2003 season 8th in the driver standings and, together with Kevin Harvick, led the #21 car to the owners' points championship.
Despite struggling in a handful of Nextel Cup races in 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 Nextel Cup Series. However, after a disappointing start to 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 Sauter a chance to compete for a full-time cup ride. In 2006, Sauter and his sponsor 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 the 2007 Nextel Cup 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.
Looking for a Full-Time Ride
In 2008, without a cup ride, Sauter returned to his former Busch Series team, Phoenix Racing to drive the #1 Miccosukee Gaming Chevrolet in the newly renamed Nationwide Series. Sauter struggled at the start of the season and was replaced by Mike Bliss after just five races.
After being cut loose from the #1 car, Sauter bounced around in both the Nationwide and Cup Series. In nine Cup Series entries, driving the #70 Chevrolet, #21 Ford and #08 Dodge, Sauter did not crack the top 25 and failed to qualify four times. Given one-week oppurtunities to drive the #75 Chevrolet and #22 Dodge in the Nationwide Series, Sauter continued to struggle, finishing 42nd and 24th, respectively.
Personal
Sauter is married to Cortney Owen, also a Wisconsin native, and a former Miss USA pageant contestant. She might also be recognized as a former contestant on the reality TV show, Outback Jack.