Former IndyCar driver and NASCAR Vehicles Collection crew proprietor Shigeaki Hattori has handed away after being concerned in a street accident on Saturday.
The Huntersville Police Division has issued an announcement revealing Hattori died on the spot after his Toyota Crown collided with a Lexus close to McGuire Nuclear Station Street in North Carolina. He was 61 years outdated.
The police will proceed to analyze the incident, however they don’t count on overspeeding to have performed a task within the crash.
The information of the Japanese driver’s loss of life was confirmed by his crew on Monday.
Born in Okayama, Hattori moved to america in 1995 to pursue his ambition of competing in open-wheel racing.
He received two races in Indy Lights (now Indy NXT) in 1998 with Indy Regency Racing earlier than transferring as much as CART and IndyCar, scoring a finest results of sixth in Texas in 2002.
Throughout his profession, he made two begins within the legendary Indianapolis 500, attaining a top-20 end with Bradley Motorsports.
After a dozen appearances within the NASCAR Truck Collection in 2005, he transitioned to the position of crew proprietor by launching the eponymous Hattori Racing Enterprises.
Whereas HRE additionally actively competed within the Xfinity Collection, it was the Truck Collection the place it actually established itself as a front-running crew, culminating in Brett Moffitt successful the 2018 title on the wheel of the crew’s #16 Toyota.
In 2023, Hattori Racing downscaled its commitments within the Truck Collection to develop into a part-time entrant.
“We’re heartbroken to verify that Shigeaki “Shige” Hattori was pronounced deceased on the morning of Saturday, April 5, in Huntersville, N.C., following a motorcar accident. He was 61,” his crew stated in an announcement.
“A local of Okayama, Japan, Shige moved to america within the Nineties to pursue his dream of turning into an open-wheel race automobile driver. He received two INDY NXT by Firestone races and made two begins within the Indianapolis 500.
“His ardour for motorsports in the end led him to NASCAR, the place he competed within the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Collection (NCTS) in 2004 and 2005. He transitioned to crew possession in 2008 and based Hattori Racing Enterprises (HRE). He received 14 NCTS races as a crew proprietor and reached the final word achievement by successful the 2018 sequence championship.
“Shige was identified for his relentless drive, focus and aggressive spirit. Staff possession by means of HRE and Hattori Motorsports had develop into each his ardour and his life’s work.
“He had a novel reward to continuously inject a light-hearted angle and one-of-a-kind humorousness into his race groups that can by no means be forgotten.
“We’ll miss you dearly. Farewell, Shige.”
Full police assertion:
On Saturday, April 5, 2025, at roughly 9:15 a.m., Huntersville Law enforcement officials responded to a two-vehicle collision on NC Freeway 73 close to McGuire Nuclear Station Street.
Preliminary investigation signifies {that a} 2025 Toyota Crown, operated by Shigeaki Hattori of Mooresville (initially from Japan), was touring westbound on NC Hwy 73 when it crossed the centerline into the oncoming lane and collided with a 2024 Lexus GX550.
Mr. Hattori was pronounced deceased on the scene. The motive force of the Lexus was transported to Novant Well being Presbyterian Medical Heart with non-life-threatening accidents.
Presently, investigators don’t consider velocity or impairment had been contributing components within the crash. The incident stays below investigation by the Huntersville Police Division’s Site visitors Security Part.
Anybody with data associated to this incident is inspired to contact Sergeant Bryan Gantt with the Site visitors Security Staff at 704-464-5371.
