For Immediate Release
HRE Names Austin Hill as Driver of the No. 16 Toyota Tundra
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE) team owner Shige Hattori announced today that the organization is pleased to welcome Austin Hill to drive the No. 16 Toyota Tundra in 2019. Hill, a native of Winston, Georgia, joins HRE’s team, led by crew chief Scott Zipadelli, to compete for the organization’s second consecutive NASCAR Gander Outdoor Truck Series (NGOTS) championship.

As a graduate of the 2014 and 2015 NASCAR Next classes, Hill has accumulated 51 NGOTS starts over five seasons, and completed his first full-time year of competition in 2018. The 24-year old brings a wealth of success in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (NKNPSE), where he captured five victories in 39 career starts with his family-owned team. In 2018, Hill notched a career-best fifth place result at Texas Motor Speedway and earned six top-10 finishes.

Hill will pilot the No. 16 Chiba Toyopet Toyota Tundra for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and will be joined in his championship quest with sponsorship from United Rentals for multiple races. 
“I’m thrilled to join HRE this season,” Hill said. “Shige has built a great team and what they accomplished last season has me extremely optimistic heading to Daytona. I’ve had the pleasure to work with great teams in the past, including my family’s team in the K&N Series, but this is an opportunity of a lifetime at HRE. Scott and the team proved what they’re capable of last season, and I can’t wait to get to work and see what we can accomplish this season.”

Coming off the first championship in the organization’s history, Hattori is pleased to return in 2019 with the addition of Hill and United Rentals.

“We’re proud of what all of our team members did last season, and I’m looking forward to having Austin drive our trucks and work with United Rentals and all of our partners,” Hattori said. “Austin had a great career in the K&N Pro Series and did well in his first full-time truck series season last year. I’m looking forward to what we can do together this season.”

Zipadelli shares Hattori’s eagerness to start the season and continue the team’s success with Hill behind the wheel.

“I’m really looking forward to racing with Austin and continuing our team’s success,” Zipadelli said. “Austin is a great kid and has a lot of potential. He has a great track record in the K&N Series and put together a strong year last season with Young’s Motorsports. I think he’ll transition well into our program and fit right in with our group.”

Additional sponsorship information will be announced at a later date.

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About Hattori Racing Enterprises
Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE) was founded in 2008 by Shigeaki Hattori and since then the team has fielded entries in a variety of different series, including the NASCAR XFINITY Series, NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series, and ARCA. As a former driver, Hattori captured the Japan Formula Toyota championship in 1994 and moved to the United States the following year to race open-wheel cars. He competed in the Toyota Atlantic Series, Indy Lights and IndyCar. He won a pair of Indy Lights races in 1998 and made two starts in the Indianapolis 500. In 2005, Hattori made the transition to stock cars and drove a Toyota in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. HRE's race shop is located in Mooresville, N.C.
Media Contact:
Josh Weinrich 
Public Relations  
Phone: 704.663.0020 (office), 636.236.9687 (mobile)
Hattori Racing Enterprises | 161 Knob Hill Rd, Mooresville, NC 28117