Johnny Sauter to drive No. 23 Pink and Blue for Two Toyota at Charlotte
CHINA GROVE, N.C. (October 11, 2010) – R3 Motorsports will attempt to make their first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race of the year this weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Taking the wheel will be 336-NASCAR race veteran Johnny Sauter from Necedah, Wisconsin for the practice and qualifying sessions.
The team didn’t have a Primary Marketing Partner for this race, so R3 has donated the entire sponsorship area of the No. 23 Toyota to the cancer-screening awareness cause of Pink and Blue for Two (PB42) and their upcoming fundraiser later this month. This initiative was formed by Emerson Newton-John whose aunt, nationally renowned entertainer Olivia Newton-John, is also a member of the organization that promotes breast and prostate cancer awareness and testing.
With this being their first Sprint Cup Series attempt of the year, Sauter and the Scott Eggleston –led crew will have the daunting task of qualifying on time. If Sauter can repeat what he did at in the Sprint Cup race at the 1.5-mile oval of CMS in May, there will be one happy No. 23 Pink and Blue for Two Toyota team in the garage area.
Fast Facts: Sauter has made 80 Sprint Cup Series starts in his career, four earlier this year with the most recent being at Charlotte in May. For that race, Sauter qualified 22nd driving for another team.
Track Facts: Through nine previous starts at the 1.5-mile track, Sauter had his best qualifying attempt in 2006 when he started 14th. His best finish took place in the fall 2005 race when he finished 16th.
Car Facts: Scott Eggleston, the 2001 Daytona 500 champion crew chief for Michael Waltrip at Dale Earnhardt, Inc., will be heading up the team’s Sprint Cup Series effort.
Did you know: Of his 80 NSCS starts, Sauter’s best finish was fifth place at Richmond International Raceway in the fall of 2007.
Johnny Sauter Quotes
What is your mindset when you have to get into a race on speed? “Other than the obvious pressure of having to make the race and not screw up the car in practice or qualifying – not too bad. (Laughs) The one thing you can be sure of when you have to make the race on time is your whole focus is on your qualifying set-up and how to get around the track as fast as possible for those two laps. So, you learn what you can in the practice session and then give it your all for qualifying. I’ve worked with R3 Motorsports before and we had a good run in their Nationwide car at Phoenix (finished 15th) earlier this year.”
How about the pink and blue paint scheme on the care for breast and prostate cancer screening: “When it’s for a cause as good as what they’re doing to remind men and women to get regular screenings, I’m all for it and love the idea and scheme. The colors look good on the black background, too. You won’t have trouble finding our car on the track, that’s for sure.”
For more information about Pink and Blue for Two and their upcoming fundraiser, log on to their website at www.PinkandBlueforTwo.com
