GMS Racing revealed on Wednesday afternoon that it has parted ways with Johnny Sauter, effective immediately.
Sauter, 40, has been with GMS since the 2016 season when he claimed the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series championship. Sauter has 23 victories in 244 series starts across 15 seasons and is widely considered one of the top drivers in the discipline.
"We cannot thank Johnny enough for his contributions to the growth and success of GMS Racing," said Mike Beam, team president. "He won the first championship for us and added a lot of trophies to our shop. We wish him all the best for his future endeavors, both in and out of racing."
Sauter immediatel immediately appeared on SiriusXM after the release came out and said he found out 30 minutes prior to the official announcement. The driver said he was called into the office and told that the team was going a different direction — just a month before teams leave for the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway.
"Obviously, I was down here at the race shop and sat down with Beam and he told me we weren't racing this year," Sauter said on the air. "He said it came down to financial problems, I guess. So, I think everyone knows this sport is expensive and I don't bring any money to the table. I come from the school where you get paid to race."
"Having said that, Moffitt is going into the truck from what I understand, and I don't know anything beyond that. I was just told that it's purely financial."
That is an interesting turn of events because Moffitt was just essentially released from Hattori Racing Enterprises, a month after winning the Truck Series championship, because he didn't have the needed funding to keep the team going. It was revealed on Tuesday that Moffitt was replaced by Austin Hill, who brough United Rentals with him to the team.
"I didn't get into financial with them, but if he's bringing something, he's bringing more than I am," Sauter said.
Sauter said he doesn't know what he's doing now, but has already made a call to one team.
"I had actually heard this rumor about a month ago at the banquet and nothing was ever mentioned about it," Sauter said. "It's definitely late in the game and you don't want it to go down like this. But there isn't a whole hell of a lot I can do about it. What's next for me? I don't have a clue. You see a lot of good drivers get sidelined. It's the nature of the beast. Team owners need sponsorship money and I can't begrudge them for that. I know what it costs. I hate it. We had our best year last year and came up just short.
All the good rides are scarce, the rides you want."
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