Sauter claims first truck series victory

A bank of lights at Las Vegas Motor Speedway went out just moments before the green flag was to drop Saturday night for the start of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Las Vegas 350k.

It caused a 40-minute delay, but the brief darkness didn't dim the hopes of Johnny Sauter.

Sauter won for the first time in 31 career truck races, leading ThorSport Racing to a 1-2 finish with teammate Matt Crafton finishing second before an estimated 35,000 fans.

Sauter took the lead from Crafton with 17 laps left and held on for the victory.

Crafton had taken the lead following a caution period with 26 laps remaining in the 146-lap race on the 1.5-mile oval. By finishing second, Crafton cut into the series points lead of Ron Hornaday Jr.; he trails him by 197 points with five races left.

Sauter, 31, competed in 11 races over five truck seasons before driving full time for ThorSport this season. Because he had never competed in more than seven races in one season Sauter is competing as a rookie.

"Phenomenal, phenomenal. What a day for us," Sauter said of ThorSport's performance, including his move to fifth in series points.

The team owned by Duke and Rhonda Thorson is based in Sandusky, Ohio, a hamlet on Lake Erie known more for the Cedar Point Amusement Park than as a home for professional race teams.

"This team is real," Sauter said. "I hope a lot of people take note that ThorSports is for real and can contend for race wins week in and week out."

A big boost to Sauter's effort came five races ago when family friend Joe Shear Jr. joined as crew chief for Sauter's No. 13 Chevrolet. They have produced five consecutive top-five finishes.

"I can't say enough about Joe Shear," Sauter said, adding that Shear was his crew chief when they won a regional stock car championship with 10 wins in 21 races.

This is the eighth season Crafton has raced for the Thorsons.

"I think Matt Crafton got me this opportunity," Sauter said. "He was pushing for me to be his teammate."

A year ago, Sauter competed in nine NASCAR Sprint Cup and 12 Nationwide Series races when his goals were to qualify and complete a few laps before heading to the garage to pick up a check for finishing near the bottom.

"Last year I was racing a Nationwide car that I worked on in my garage as a start-and-park car," he said.

Sauter's goals have since changed.

He dominated the Las Vegas race by leading 62 of 146 laps, including the pivotal final 17.

Hornaday finished sixth.

Pole winner Todd Bodine finished fourth while Jason White placed third.

Contact reporter Jeff Wolf at jwolf@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0247.