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Shigeaki Hattori, one of eight Japanese-born drivers to compete in the Indianapolis 500, died April 5 in a car accident in Huntersville, North Carolina. He was 61.
“The native of Okayama in southern Japan, Hattori competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway three times, earning a pair of starts. After serving as the first alternate to the 33-car field in 2001, he finished 20th in 2002 for Bradley Motorsports, completing 197 laps. The next year, he finished 30th driving for AJ Foyt Racing as the car’s fuel system failed. Those two races in the “500” were among Hattori’s 34 career IndyCar Series starts in a four-year span that ended in 2003. His best series finish came at Texas Motor Speedway when he finished sixth in 2002,” the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said this morning.
Hattori moved to the U.S. at age 32 in 1995. He started in Indy Lights, now known as INDY NXT by Firestone. He won races at Homestead-Miami Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway, starting in the top three on both occasions for Indy Regency Racing.
Hattori made his IndyCar Series debut in 1999, making eight Champ Car World Series starts for Bettenhausen Motorsports. In 2000, he moved to the Indy Racing League, scoring four top-10 finishes in five races for Treadway Racing.
Hattori’s IndyCar Series career featured rides with five teams using five different engine badgings.
“Hattori also had a significant career in NASCAR, driving and owning entries. He made 10 Truck Series starts before turning his attention to leading Hattori Racing Enterprises. The team fielded Johnny Sauter, Alex Bowman and Ross Chastain, among other notable drivers. Brett Moffitt won the 2018 Truck Series championship for the team,” IMS said.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Indy 500 Veteran Shigeaki Hattori Dead at 61
Click for more.
Shigeaki Hattori, one of eight Japanese-born drivers to compete in the Indianapolis 500, died April 5 in a car accident in Huntersville, North Carolina. He was 61.
“The native of Okayama in southern Japan, Hattori competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway three times, earning a pair of starts. After serving as the first alternate to the 33-car field in 2001, he finished 20th in 2002 for Bradley Motorsports, completing 197 laps. The next year, he finished 30th driving for AJ Foyt Racing as the car’s fuel system failed. Those two races in the “500” were among Hattori’s 34 career IndyCar Series starts in a four-year span that ended in 2003. His best series finish came at Texas Motor Speedway when he finished sixth in 2002,” the Indianapolis Motor Speedway said this morning.
Hattori moved to the U.S. at age 32 in 1995. He started in Indy Lights, now known as INDY NXT by Firestone. He won races at Homestead-Miami Speedway and World Wide Technology Raceway, starting in the top three on both occasions for Indy Regency Racing.
Hattori made his IndyCar Series debut in 1999, making eight Champ Car World Series starts for Bettenhausen Motorsports. In 2000, he moved to the Indy Racing League, scoring four top-10 finishes in five races for Treadway Racing.
Hattori’s IndyCar Series career featured rides with five teams using five different engine badgings.
“Hattori also had a significant career in NASCAR, driving and owning entries. He made 10 Truck Series starts before turning his attention to leading Hattori Racing Enterprises. The team fielded Johnny Sauter, Alex Bowman and Ross Chastain, among other notable drivers. Brett Moffitt won the 2018 Truck Series championship for the team,” IMS said.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.