How Shigeaki Hattori’s Underdog Truck Team Silenced Critics and Won a NASCAR Championship

Shige Hattori’s 2018 NASCAR Truck Series championship was more than a title — it was a proud answer to doubters. With a shoestring budget, one truck, and relentless grit, his Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE) team outdueled giants like Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Six years later, following Hattori’s sudden death in an April 5 car crash, that championship stands as a testament to a man who turned “impossible” into inspiration. Critics questioned his engines, funding, and legitimacy. His team responded with trophies.

When HRE Defied Doubters Through Rule Changes, Resilience

The 2018 season was a minefield for HRE. Brett Moffitt drove the No. 16 Toyota, winning six races while using an older Toyota-Gibbs engine — at a time when rivals had switched to NASCAR’s new NT1 spec engine. Competitors lobbied for rule changes mid-playoffs, forcing HRE to switch to the NT1 for the final three races.

“They complained about our engines and got NASCAR to make rule changes that actually hurt us, and we still won at Phoenix,” Moffitt said after the win.

“We all had an Ilmor tonight, and I’m not sure where he finished, but he didn’t beat us, so I don’t know what his excuse is now,” he added, referring to Johnny Sauter.

Sauter, a vocal critic, finished 12th in the finale. Afterward, he admitted: “They just… they had it going on. Let’s call it what it is — we sucked last week, and we sucked tonight.”

HRE’s 10-person crew worked 18- to 20-hour days. Crew chief Scott Zipadelli often kicked them out at 1 a.m. to prevent them from burning out.

“Who is happy working that long? And they just … they wanted this. And it’s been an amazing journey,” Zipadelli said. That relentless grind paid off. Moffitt clinched the title at Homestead, leading 59 laps in a dominant performance.

Shige Hattori’s Legacy Built on Grit, Not Budgets

Hattori’s team nearly folded midseason when funding ran dry. Sponsor FR8Auctions stepped in, saving the campaign. The title wasn’t just vindication — it was survival.

“We exceeded all the expectations of our peers and competitors,” Zipadelli said. “We had all the confidence we could do it. And we did it with people, not stuff and big budgets. We did it with people and heart.”

Toyota Racing Development president David Wilson stood by HRE, calling the engine complaints “excuses.” “They hung in there with our OEM engine, and we’re going to continue to support them,” Wilson said. “We know what Brett can do.”

Hattori led with a mix of hustle and humor. “He had a unique gift to constantly inject a light-hearted attitude and one-of-a-kind sense of humor into his race teams that will never be forgotten,” HRE’s statement read following his death.

The 2018 championship redefined what underdog success looks like. HRE’s Daytona win with Austin Hill in 2019 — an 11-caution madhouse —only added to the legend. “It’s surreal,” Hill said post-race, stunned by a win at NASCAR’s most iconic track.

Following Hattori’s passing, tributes poured in across social media. Fans remembered the Daytona win as “a moment of a lifetime.” NASCAR called him a “beloved garage member” who “lifted the sport.”

But the truest tribute remains the 2018 championship banner — a symbol of what happens when heart outweighs horsepower.