The 2016 Craftsman Truck Series champion is making a return for more events in 2023. Johnny Sauter will make more starts while joining forces with a new team.
The news broke late on April 19. Roper Racing announced that Sauter will drive for the No. 04 Carquest Ford F-150 Craftsman Truck Series team. The veteran will take over for Kaden Honeycutt, who made five starts in six attempts to open the 2023 season.
Roper Racing did not provide many details about this partnership with Sauter. For example, there was not a specific race set for his debut. Though the next event on the schedule will be at Kansas Speedway on May 6.
The other missing detail is the size of the schedule that Sauter will face. Roper Racing did not reveal if he will take on the remainder of the season in the No. 04 Ford F-150 or if he will only make select starts.
Sauter Made Limited Starts During the 2022 Season
GettyJohnny Sauter prepares for a race at Talladega Superspeedway.
A full-time driver between 2009 and 2021, Sauter stepped back in 2022. He only made select starts while suiting up for three different Craftsman Truck Series teams.
Sauter kicked off the year with G2G Racing at Daytona International Speedway. He finished 34th due to an electrical issue in the No. 47 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.
Sauter was set to make up to 13 starts for G2G Racing while sharing the No. 47 with two other drivers. However, he never returned to the team. Instead, he reunited with ThorSport Racing for four races before joining Young’s Motorsports for the season finale.
The veteran driver’s first two starts for ThorSport Racing were his best performances of the season. He finished second at Martinsville Speedway and fifth at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Sauter will now join a new team, Roper Racing, while making his 318th start in the Craftsman Truck Series. He will continue the pursuit of his 25th career win and his first since Dover Motor Speedway in 2019.
Kaden Honeycutt Delivered Solid Performances in Limited Starts
GettyKaden Honeycutt practices at Circuit of the Americas.
Roper Racing made its debut at Martinsville Speedway during the 2018 season. Cory Roper made six starts before making nine more in 2019. He added 12 starts in 2020 and 16 in 2021 while posting three top-10 finishes and one top-five.
Roper Racing, which did not compete in 2022, worked with two other drivers prior to the 2023 season. Roger Reuse made one start in 2019 while Chase Briscoe made three in 2021. The Indiana native delivered a top-five finish at Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt).
Honeycutt joined Roper Racing on a six-race deal ahead of the 2023 season. He did not qualify at Daytona International Speedway, so he ultimately made his season debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Honeycutt finished 25th in Nevada and then 33rd at Atlanta Motor Speedway before delivering his first top-15 finish of the year at Circuit of the Americas. He then went on to finish ninth at Bristol Motor Speedway (dirt). Honeycutt’s final Truck Series start was at Martinsville Speedway as he finished 28th.
The Texas native informed racing fans that he will no longer drive for Roper Racing. Instead, Sauter will take over the No. 04 Ford F-150.
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Johnny Sauter Is Back for More NASCAR Events