Hattori Racing Enterprises will have a significant change for the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series season. Scott Zipadelli will depart the organization after six seasons.
Zipadelli announced the news on Twitter on November 14. He issued a statement and confirmed his departure from Hattori Racing Enterprises. Zipadelli confirmed that he will take on a new role in 2023, but he did not yet reveal what it will be.
“Most good things come to an end and after six incredible seasons at HRE, it’s time for me to do something different in 2023,” Zipadelli said. “I am incredibly proud of the accomplishments our No. 16 team achieved together since 2017, and that’s a testament to the effort, dedication, and sacrifices made by each one of our team members.
“We couldn’t have done any of it without the support from our families during that time and sharing the successes with them made all the accomplishments even sweeter. I’m looking forward to 2023 and am excited to share those plans soon!”
Zipadelli Helped Capture Numerous Wins
GettyScott Zipadelli (right) celebrated 3 Xfinity Series wins.
Zipadelli worked with a variety of drivers at Red Horse Racing in 2015 and 2016, but he moved over to Hattori Racing Enterprises for the 2017 season. He joined forces with Ryan Truex and kicked off a six-year tenure with the organization.
While Zipadelli and Truex did not win any races together, they still ended the season with two poles, 13 top-10 finishes, and eight top-fives. Truex finished ninth in the championship standings.
2018 was Zipadelli’s best season in the Truck Series. He served as the crew chief for Brett Moffitt in a reunion from the Red Horse Racing days, and he guided the Iowa native to six wins and the championship.
Moffitt moved over to GMS Racing for 2019, so Zipadelli began working with Austin Hill. They spent three seasons together and captured eight wins while reaching the playoffs each season.
Once Hill moved up to the Xfinity Series and joined Richard Childress Racing, Zipadelli began working with another driver. He was the crew chief for Tyler Ankrum in 2022 as they combined to secure eight top-10 finishes.
Along with the time in the Truck Series, Zipadelli also has extensive experience in the Xfinity Series. He was a crew chief for 272 races while working with such names as Ward Burton, Travis Pastrana, Boris Said, Kyle Larson, Kenny Wallace, and Justin Allgaier among others. This run included one win with Said and two with Larson.
HRE Has News To Announce
Zipadelli’s news on November 14 is the latest update about HRE that has created some questions. The team actually has multiple announcements to make before the 2023 Craftsman Truck Series season.
Prior to the end of the 2022 season, HRE and driver Chase Purdy announced that they would mutually part ways after one season together. This set up Purdy’s move to Kyle Busch Motorsports for the 2023 season.
HRE still has to address its driver lineup. The team will have to reveal whether it will run one or two entries and if Tyler Ankrum will return to one of the Toyota Tundra TRD Pros. Additionally, HRE will also have to provide some information about the crew chief that will replace Zipadelli.
Comments
Hattori Racing Enterprises Loses Championship-Winning Crew Chief