NASCAR Truck Series championship team signs Austin Hill for 2019

The reigning NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship-winning team revealed its new driver for the 2019 season on Tuesday.

Hattori Racing Enterprises made headlines last month when it was revealed by Autoweek that it had parted ways with Brett Moffitt in the aftermath of winning the championship together. The team needed funding to remain operational, and Moffitt brought very little independent funding.

Hattori Racing found a driver with funding in the form of Austin Hill, who will join crew chief Scott Zipadelli in the pursuit of a second straight championship with sponsorship from United Rentals. The 24-year-old is a graduate of the NASCAR NEXT program and a five-race winner in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Hill is something of an overachiever, having won his K&N starts for his modest family team while also elevating Young’s Motorsports in the Truck Series over the past two seasons.

"I’m thrilled to join HRE this season," Hill said. "Shige (Hattori) 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."

Zipadelli is looking forward to working with another under-heralded talent after leading Moffitt to the championship in 2018.

"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."

Meanwhile, Moffitt has yet to reveal any plans for the 2019 season. The 2018 champion is said to be looking at options and is hard at work on the hunt for sponsorship. He was told the week after winning the championship that the team had found a funded driver, ultimately revealed to be Hill.

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