Johnny Sauter Bio
Jonathan Joseph Sauter, known professionally as Johnny Sauter, is an American professional stock car racing driver born on May 1, 1978, in Necedah, Wisconsin. He most recently competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing. Across his career, Sauter has raced in all three of NASCAR’s national series, including the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He is best known as the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion.
Early Life and Background
Johnny Sauter was raised in Necedah, Wisconsin, where he developed a passion for racing at a young age. He graduated from high school in 1996 and quickly moved into local competition across Wisconsin and the broader Midwest. By the end of 1997, he had collected three wins in the Sportsman Division at Dells Raceway Park and added a Late Model win at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, building a foundation for what would become a long professional career.
Growing up in a racing family gave Sauter an early understanding of the sport. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and he has followed a path first traveled by his father. His brothers, Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter, also became NASCAR drivers, and his nephew, Travis Sauter, has competed in stock car racing as well.
Path to NASCAR
Sauter joined the American Speed Association (ASA) Series in 1998, climbing the short-track ladder and earning the 2001 ASA National Tour Rookie of the Year award. By 2001, he had captured the ASA Series championship, a performance that opened the door to NASCAR’s top developmental series. Richard Childress Racing noticed his success and brought him into the Busch Series later that year.
Johnny Sauter Career
Early Career (2001-2002)
Following his ASA championship, Sauter was invited by Richard Childress Racing to drive the No. 21 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet in five Busch Series races during 2001. He posted three top-fifteen finishes, including a fifth-place run in his first start, the AutoLite Fram 250 at Richmond. The strong debut earned him a full-time Busch Series ride for 2002 in the No. 2 AC Delco Chevrolet.
In his first full Busch Series season, Sauter recorded five top-ten finishes, including his first career national-series win in the Tropicana Twister 300 at Chicagoland Speedway. He was also part of one of the largest accidents in NASCAR history that year at Talladega, where 33 of 43 cars were involved. The campaign established Sauter as a rising talent in stock car racing.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Breakthrough (2003-2008)
Over the next several seasons, Sauter bounced between the Busch Series and the Winston Cup Series while driving for teams including Childress Racing, Curb Agajanian Performance Group, Phoenix Racing, Brewco Motorsports, and Haas CNC Racing. He captured 14 top-ten finishes in 34 Busch Series starts in 2003, including a win at Richmond in the No. 43, and finished eighth in the driver standings. He also helped lead the No. 21 car to the owners’ points championship alongside Kevin Harvick.
Sauter’s best seasons in the Xfinity Series came in 2005 and 2006. Driving for Phoenix Racing with Yellow Transportation as his primary sponsor, he scored a win at his home track of Milwaukee in 2005 and finished twelfth in points. In 2006, he moved to Haas CNC Racing, where he earned one pole, nine top-ten finishes, and tied his career-best points finish of eighth. He competed in select Cup races throughout this period as well, posting three top-ten Cup finishes for his career.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2009-2015)
Sauter returned to the Truck Series in 2009 with ThorSport Racing, replacing Shelby Howard in the No. 13 FunSand truck. He won his first career Truck Series race at Las Vegas, holding off teammate Matt Crafton for the victory, and went on to win the 2009 Camping World Truck Series Rookie of the Year award. He added wins at Kansas in 2010 and Martinsville in 2011, and closed the 2011 season by winning the Ford 200, though he lost the championship to Austin Dillon by just six points.
Sauter continued to rack up wins in the Truck Series, including the 2012 WinStar World Casino 400K, which produced a ThorSport Racing one-two finish alongside Matt Crafton. In 2013, he opened the season with a win at Daytona International Speedway, marking Toyota’s one-hundredth Camping World Truck Series victory, and followed it with a win at Martinsville. He added victories at Las Vegas, Texas, and Phoenix over the next several seasons, while also racing in his home state of Wisconsin in 2015 at the Slinger Nationals and several ARCA Midwest Tour events.
GMS Racing Era (2016-2018)
On October 15, 2015, Sauter announced that he would join GMS Racing for the 2016 season, and he opened the new chapter with a win at Daytona. He added victories at Martinsville and Texas during the Chase, advancing to the championship round at Homestead, where he finished third in the race and clinched the 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. The title was the defining achievement of his career.
Sauter followed the championship with strong seasons in 2017 and 2018. He won at Dover, Chicagoland, Texas, and Phoenix in 2017, finishing second in the final standings by a single point to Christopher Bell. In 2018, he opened the year with his third career Daytona win, added victories at Dover, Charlotte, Texas, Bristol, and Martinsville, and captured the 2018 Truck Series Regular Season Championship.
Return to ThorSport Racing (2019-Present)
On January 9, 2019, GMS Racing announced that it had parted ways with Sauter, and he soon rejoined ThorSport Racing to drive the No. 13. He won his first race of the season at Dover in May 2019 and returned to the Xfinity Series for select starts that year. He finished sixth in the final Truck Series standings in 2019. He was demoted to part-time status with ThorSport after the 2021 season and has run limited schedules since, including a 2022 start for G2G Racing at Daytona and the 2023 announcement that he would drive the No. 04 for Roper Racing.
Driving Style and Strengths
Sauter has long been recognized for his short-track and intermediate-track race craft, with a particular fondness for demanding venues such as Martinsville and Dover. He is known for his willingness to lean on fenders when needed and for his ability to capitalize on late-race restarts. His consistency in the Truck Series helped him post 186 top-ten finishes in 24 wins across the series.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Sauter’s most memorable moments are his 2016 Truck Series championship, his 2009 Rookie of the Year title, his first Truck win at Las Vegas, and his three career victories at Daytona. He also delivered Toyota’s one-hundredth Truck Series win in 2013 and tied a Truck Series record by winning back-to-back season openers in 2013 and 2014.
Johnny Sauter Career Wins
Across his career, Johnny Sauter has built a strong record in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with 24 wins, 186 top-ten finishes, and 9 poles. He has also recorded 3 wins, 50 top-ten finishes, and 4 poles in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly the Busch and Nationwide Series). He captured 3 top-ten finishes in limited NASCAR Cup Series action.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Sauter’s first Truck Series win came at Las Vegas in 2009, where he held off teammate Matt Crafton. His most recent Truck Series win came at Dover in 2019. He is the 2016 Truck Series champion, the 2018 Truck Series Regular Season Champion, and a 2009 Rookie of the Year.
Other Wins and Performances
Sauter is a former ASA National Tour Champion, capturing that title in 2001, and he also won the 2017 Oktoberfest event. He has competed in ARCA Midwest Tour events and short-track races throughout the Midwest, including wins at Madison International Speedway and State Park Speedway in 2015.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 24 | 186 | 9 |
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 3 | 50 | 4 |
| NASCAR Cup Series | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Johnny Sauter Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Johnny Sauter comes from one of NASCAR’s well-known racing families. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Jim Sauter, and his brothers Tim Sauter and Jay Sauter have also competed in NASCAR. His nephew, Travis Sauter, has followed the family into stock car racing, continuing a multigenerational connection to the sport.
Personal Life
Sauter lives in Necedah, Wisconsin, with his family. Outside of racing, he enjoys flying, fishing, and playing the banjo, and he is of the Catholic faith.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into 2025, Johnny Sauter has continued in a part-time role with ThorSport Racing, driving the No. 66 Ford F-150 in select NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events. His last recorded start in the series was the 2025 Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona, and he currently sits 49th in the series standings. With limited starts scheduled, his focus has been on serving as a veteran presence for the team.
As a former series champion and three-time Daytona winner, Sauter brings experience to ThorSport’s part-time program. While the team has not announced a full season plan, he remains eligible to compete at superspeedways and tracks where his short-track and intermediate-track experience are most valuable. His role has been defined more by mentoring and selective starts than by a full championship push.
Looking ahead, Sauter’s legacy as the 2016 Truck Series champion and the 2009 Rookie of the Year remains secure. Any 2025 appearances are expected to lean on his track craft at venues such as Daytona, Martinsville, and Dover. Regardless of how many races he runs, his career numbers place him among the most accomplished drivers in modern Truck Series history.
