The owner of a NASCAR racing team died in a crash over the weekend in Huntersville, police said.
Shigeaki Hattori, of Mooresville, was driving a 2025 Toyota Crown at about 9:15 a.m. Saturday when he was involved in the two-vehicle wreck on N.C. Highway 73 near McGuire Nuclear Station Road.
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Hattori founded Hattori Racing Enterprises in 2008 and has fielded entries, including the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and the ARCA Menards Series, according to its website.
On Saturday, Hattori crossed the center line on Highway 73 and crashed into an oncoming 2024 Lexus GX550.
Hattori died at the scene. The driver of the Lexus was taken to Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators do not believe speed or impairment were factors in the crash.
“We are heartbroken to confirm that Shigeaki ‘Shige’ Hattori was pronounced deceased on the morning of Saturday, April 5, in Huntersville, N.C., following a motor vehicle accident,” HRE said in a Monday statement. “… Shige was known for his relentless drive, focus and competitive spirit. Team ownership through HRE and Hattori Motorsports had become both his passion and his life’s work. 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. We’ll miss you dearly. Farewell, Shige.”
Hattori, who was originally from Japan, won the Japan Formula Toyota championship in 1994 and moved to the U.S. after that to race open-wheel cars.
Hattori began his career in youth go-karts before shifting to Formula 2 and 3 racing in Japan, NASCAR officials said.
He won a pair of Indy Lights races in 1998 and made two starts in the Indianapolis 500.
The organization made the transition to stock cars in 2005.
“Shigeaki Hattori was a passionate racer and highly successful team owner, but beyond all his team’s statistics — which includes a NASCAR Truck Series championship — Shige was a genuine, beloved member of the garage who worked tirelessly to lift our sport and his people,” NASCAR said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened by his tragic passing. NASCAR extends its thoughts and prayers to his family and many friends.”
Hattori scored 14 wins as a Truck Series team owner from 2018 to 2021.
“Hattori’s organization reached its pinnacle achievement in 2018 when Brett Moffitt and the No. 16 team captured the Craftsman Trucks championship in the team’s second full-time season,” according to its website.
Scott Zipadelli and Mike Greci helped Hattori start his NASCAR truck series team.
“It wasn’t going to have a lot of levels, just Mike steers the ship and manage it … We’ll build a small race team in the back,” Zipadelli said.
It wasn’t long after when they won the championship in 2018 with Moffitt.
“We started the team in 2017,” he said. “(In) 2018, we won six races and the championship. He was very passionate. (A) lifelong Toyota TRD racer, and he wasn’t going to switch off of that.”
There were opportunities to go with a different manufacturer, but he stayed loyal to Toyota.
Zipadelli and Greci said even ...
