Mooresville, NC (June 13, 2024) – Young’s Motorsports is pleased to welcome Akinori Ogata who will make his debut with the team in Nashville in the No. 20 HIROTEC AMERICA Chevrolet Silverado, with co-sponsors New River Building Supply and Lumber Company along with Olivia Jo. This will be Ogata’s 15th truck start and first with Young’s.
Ogata grew up a race-winning Motocross racer until he was 26 but in 2010 made the decision to leave his home in Kanagawa, Japan, and pursue his dream of racing in NASCAR. “I am very excited to be racing with Tyler and the team in Nashville, and can’t thank HIROTEC AMERICA enough for coming on board to make this possible along with New River Building Supply and Lumber Company along with Olivia Jo. I can’t thank everyone enough for making this happen!”
HIROTEC AMERICA, a member of the HIROTEC Group based in Japan, is a global automotive supplier specializing in body parts, exhaust systems, and manufacturing equipment. HIROTEC AMERICA has supported Akinori throughout his career in late models and is excited to bring them on board for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race on June 28th.
Tyler Young, team principal said “We are happy to have Akinori with us in Nashville along with his sponsors, they are all really pumped to be a part of the team. He has come to the shop to work on the truck and get it fit to his liking. I’ve followed Ogata for a while now, he’s a clean racer and I know our guys are excited to have him in the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado.”
You can watch Akinori Ogata in the No.20 HIROTEC AMERICA Chevrolet Silverado concur the 1.33-mile track for the Rackley Roofing 200 on June 28th at 8:00 pm EST at Nashville Superspeedway.
More about Ogata’s co-sponsors:
New River Building Supply and Lumber Company, located in Boone and Banner Elk, has been serving the High Country of North Carolina since 1973. They have a huge selection of all building materials you need to build and maintain your home or business. In addition to providing a large selection of the best names in the building supply industry, they also have a timber and log division wherein they can assist you in planning and building the log home of your dreams. Whether you are a professional builder or a do-it-yourself homeowner, you’re sure to find the full range of materials for your building or remodeling job in one stop at New River Building Supply.
Olivia Jo is an up-and-coming bluegrass artist and versatile singer-songwriter based in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the town of Stuart, VA. She got her start in bluegrass at a young age, performing at local festivals and other venues by age 9 and recording two bluegrass albums by the time she was 12. Through the years, she has released a few country singles and a country album, all the songs written by Olivia Jo herself. She has also made a considerable number of radio and television appearances, one most recently being on the award-winning television series Song of the Mountains.
As of 2022, the rising young artist has released four bluegrass singles, working alongside some of the best and most prolific musicians and vocalists in the bluegrass music industry. Her latest single and her first released with ATS Records titled, “High Sierras,” features the renowned Queen of Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent. Olivia Jo continues to make her mark on the bluegrass genre, honing her vocal ability and songwriting craft; and she is working on a forthcoming album to be released soon.
Follow Akinori on X (formerly Twitter) @AkinoriOgata, Instagram @AkinoriOgata, and on FaceBook at @AkinoriOgataRacing and visit his website at akinoriogata.com.
