HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Shigeaki Hattori, a former driver and championship-winning NASCAR team owner, died Saturday morning in a highway crash. He was 61.

Hattori died in a crash on  N.C. Highway 73 Saturday morning, the Huntersville Police Department said in a news release Monday.

Hattori's 2025 Toyota Crown "was traveling westbound on N.C. Hwy. 73 when it crossed the centerline into the oncoming lane and collided with a 2024 Lexus GX550," officials said.

The Mooresville native was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Investigators do not believe speed or impairment were contributing factors in the crash," according to a statement from Nascar. "The incident remains under investigation."

"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," Hattori Racing Enterprises said in a 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," Hattori Racing Enterprises said.

Hattori's NASCAR career started when he was first a driver and then later as team owner. After racing in both IndyCar and the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, he transitioned to team ownership. His teams competed in the Xfinity Series for several years before finding significant success in the Craftsman Truck Series, when the team won the 2018 championship.

As a team owner in the Truck Series, Hattori amassed 14 wins from 2018 to 2021 — six with Moffitt and eight with Austin Hill, who now competes in the Xfinity Series, according to officials. Throughout his career, Hattori also served as an ambassador for NASCAR in his native Japan, building partnerships between his team and Toyota dealerships, and creating a training program for aspiring Japanese mechanics.

NASCAR released a statement honoring Hattori: "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."

Hattori's racing journey began with youth go-karts before advancing to Formula 2 and Formula 3 racing in Japan. In 1995, he moved to the United States to pursue an American racing career, joining the Indy Lights Series full time the following year and securing two wins in 1998.

He reached the IndyCar Series in 2000 and competed in parts of four seasons before exploring the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2004, coinciding with Toyota's entry into NASCAR. After making 10 starts on that circuit the next year, Hattori decided to step away from driving.

Hattori's organization began full-time competition in trucks with Ryan Truex at the wheel. The next year, he reunited with Moffitt, and the duo won in just their second race back together—an overtime victory at Atlanta that set the course for their championship season.