INDYCAR News: Veteran Driver Shigeaki Hattori Dies at 61
Shigeaki Hattori, best known for his INDYCAR stint with A.J. Foyt Enterprises and ownership of the NASCAR Team Hattori Racing Enterprises, has died at 61. The Japanese racing mogul was reportedly in a two-car collision on NC Highway 73 in his native Huntersville. The news of Hattori’s tragic death was released in a press conference by the Huntersville Police Department on Monday.
During the press conference, investigators reported that Hattori was at fault for the incident after crossing the center line into oncoming traffic. He was pronounced dead at the scene on Saturday. According to multiple reports, the investigation into his death is still ongoing. The INDYCAR and NASCAR communities were shocked to learn of his untimely death and are rallying together to honor his memory and accomplishments.
Shigeaki Hattori’s Indy Achievements
Since arriving in the United States in 1995, Shigeaki Hattori has inexplicably impacted motorsports, most notably open-wheel racing. Hattori debuted in the Indy Lights Series, now known as INDY NXT by Firestone, in 1996, securing his first win at the Homestead-Miami season opener. He also amassed P13 and P35 finishes from 1996 to 1997 and two P1 wins in Homestead Miami and St. Louis in 1998. Unhappy with his Lights performance, Hattori joined Bettenhausen Racing in 1999 to run in the CART Series.
Unlike his stint in Indy Lights, Shigeaki Hattori’s attempt at CART was anything but a success. Hattori struggled in the series, and it seemed like in every other race, he either spun out or got caught up in an accident. Therefore, after only a year, fellow driver and chief steward Wally Dallenbach Sr. revoked his CART competition license.
Hattori then decided to shift gears and began his journey with the Indy Racing League (IRL) in 2000. Itching to find the secret ingredient for success in open-wheel racing, he continued to run in the series for 2 more years. Unfortunately, however, the highest he could finish over his career was P6 at Texas Motor Speedway in 2002. The following year, in 2003, Hattori ended his bid in the Indy Racing League for a venture in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
NASCAR Craftsman Stint and Team Ownership
Ironically, Shigeaki Hattori’s debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2004 was also at Homestead-Miami Speedway. With sponsorship from Aisin AW, Hattori’s truck debut at the venue was gravely disappointing after he failed to qualify. Even so, in 2005, with Aisin AW’s continued support, he signed and ran with Germain Racing. However, in 2008, he boldly moved from the driver’s seat to team ownership, starting Hattori Racing Enterprises.
The team competed nationally in ARCA Menards East and West and the Craftsman Truck Series. Shortly thereafter, in 2013, Shigeaki Hattori expanded his ownership experience into the Camping World Truck Series. The move was a resounding success, notching 14 wins and fielding some of NASCAR’s greatest truck series starts. These starts include Brett Moffitt (2013), Ross Chastain (2015), Ross Kenseth (2015), Ryan Truex (2016), Austin Hill (2019), Tyler Ankrum (2022), and Chase Purdy (2022).
Austin Hill, who now competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Richard Childress Racing, is honoring Shigeaki Hattori’s memory. Yet, like others in the NASCAR community, he’s struggling to grapple with his untimely death. During a press conference on Wednesday at NASCAR’s production facility, Hill made a statement to the media. He credited Hattori for his current success, for simply giving him a chance, and for helping kickstart his truck career.
“He is the reason why I’m sitting here today,” “The reason I say that is in 2019 when I came over to HRE, I didn’t have the full funding,” Hill said of his start with Hattori Racing Enterprises.
“We had some funding, but we didn’t have, like, ‘Just write a check for 2.5 million and let’s go race.’ We had a million dollars, he had to help with the rest. He did a lot of work there to get a lot of different sponsorships from over in Japan. And he was able to bring in that extra funding for us to do what we did,” he added.
Final Thoughts
Shigeaki Hattori, or “Shige” as he was affectionately nicknamed, is remembered for his infectious personality and kindness. He has left a lasting legacy in the motorsports world, from racer to owner, in INDYCAR and NASCAR. As an owner, Hattori supported and encouraged his drivers to do their best and have fun. On Wednesday, former Hattori Racing Enterprises driver Austin Hill capitalized on this by paying tribute to the former team owner. Hill noted that he plans to honor Hattori’s memory by gathering his former HRE colleagues for a toast, which is an honor he rightfully deserves.
