Former IndyCar Series driver Shigeaki Hattori has been killed in an auto accident in North Carolina, his race team announced Monday. He was 61.
Hattori, a native of Japan, competed in 33 IndyCar races, including the Indianapolis 500 in 2002 and '03. He won two Indy NXT races in 1998.
He drove in the NASCAR Truck Series in 2004-05 before founding Hattori Racing Enterprises in 2008. His Trucks team has won 14 races and a 2018 series championship.
"Shige was known for his relentless drive, focus and competitive spirit," a team news release said. "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."
Huntersville, North Carolina, police reported Hattori was pronounced dead at the scene of a two-car accident.
We are saddened to learn of the passing of Shigeaki Hattori.
— NTT INDYCAR SERIES (@IndyCar) April 7, 2025
The Japanese-born racer was a two-time INDY NXT by Firestone race winner in 1998 and competed in 33 INDYCAR SERIES events over multiple seasons, including starts in the Indianapolis 500 in 2002 and 2003. He was 61. pic.twitter.com/kWFPWQN9rF
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Former Indianapolis 500 driver Shigeaki Hattori dies in car crash
