By: Spencer Neff
April 7, 2025

Former INDYCAR driver Shigeaki Hattori passed away on Saturday at age 61. The native of Okayama, Japan moved to America in 1995 after winning the Formula Toyota Championship.

Hattori ran three seasons in the Indy Lights (now Indy NXT) Series, winning at Homestead and Gateway in 1998. The following year, he made seven starts in the CART FEDEX Championship Series for Bettenhausen Racing.

His best start was 24th (Motegi and Milwaukee) with a best finish of 15th (Gateway).

The following year, he moved on to the Indy Racing, where he would compete for the next four seasons between Treadway Racing, Vertex-Cunningham Racing, Bradley Motorsports and A.J. Foyt Enterprises.

In 28 starts, Hattori earned a best start of fifth (Atlanta and Texas-June 2001) and a best finish of sixth (Texas-June 2002), a race in which he led 28 laps. It would be the only time he led a race in his career.

Hattori also made the best run of his Indianapolis 500 efforts, starting 27th and finishing 20th.

He would later move on to NASCAR and become a successful Car Owner with Hattori Racing Enterprises. The organization has won 14 races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, as well as the 2018 Championship with Brett Moffitt.

IndyCar1909 thanks Shigeaki Hattori for his contributions to IndyCar and motorsports. We extend our condolences to his family and friends.

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