Honoring a mentor’s legacy is a dream for any driver, but for Martin Truex Jr., it’s a reality rooted in gratitude. His earliest and most influential mentor was Dale Earnhardt Jr., who gave Truex his big break by signing him to the Busch Series in 2003. The 2017 NASCAR champion doesn’t shy away from crediting the veteran, saying, “I wouldn’t be here today without him. My path would surely be different.”

While the former champion has had the privilege of seeing his mentor in action throughout his career, the story takes a more poignant turn for his younger brother, Ryan Truex. At the inaugural Grand Bash National Awards on Sunday, Ryan stepped forward to honor his own mentor, a moment that quickly became a heart-wrenching, unforgettable tribute.

Ryan Truex pays ultimate tribute to Shigeaki Hattori

On Sunday night, on behalf of Shigeaki Hattori, Ryan Truex accepted the former team owner’s first Racing Legacy Award, and Truex couldn’t be prouder of his mentor.

“I was very honored to accept this award on Shige’s behalf last night. Will always be thankful for everything he did for me and my career, he is missed!” posted Truex on X.

Shigeaki “Shige” Hattori was the man, the myth, and the legend of Hattori Racing Enterprise, who passed away in a disturbing motor vehicle accident in April this year.

The NASCAR community had gone silent, and this loss hit Ryan Truex much more than others.

For years, Hattori was fixated on the Xfinity Series, and it wasn’t until 2016 that Shige chose to dedicate himself more fully to the truck series, aiming to run a few of the races.

He entrusted the No. 81 truck to Ryan Truex for what was meant to be a full-time season. That partnership nearly began with a fairytale moment at Daytona International Speedway.

The younger Truex led the field heading for the white flag, only for a last-minute crash to tear his lane apart, allowing Johnny Sauter to slip by under caution and snatch the win. It was a heartbreakingly close glimpse of what could have been.

Sponsorship constraints forced Ryan Truex into a part-time schedule in 2016, but he returned in 2017 for a full season with Hattori Racing Enterprise in the renumbered No. 16 Truck. Victory Lane remained elusive, but he earned two pole positions and quietly built a foundation.

The team could lean on for the seasons to come. Yet, as with Truex and much of the team’s Truck Series history, funding remained an ever-present challenge.

For a small team with limited resources, simply making the playoffs and chasing a win or two would have been a triumph, a testament to the hard work, persistence, and the legacy quietly forged in the shadows of the sport’s biggest stages.

The NASCAR community was definitely shaken by his uncalled passing this year. And being recognized at the inaugural event was a great honor to Hattori’s legacy. And that’s precisely what the Awards aimed to do.

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The Grand Bash Nationals celebrates Shige’s achievements!

Tommy Joe Martins captured the very essence of the Grand National bash with a simple yet powerful idea: effort definitely deserves recognition even when the spotlight doesn’t shine as brightly.

Team owners, drivers, and team members in the Xfinity and Truck Series work just as tirelessly as those in the NASCAR Cup Series, yet their achievements often go overlooked.

Martins recognized the disparity and created a way to honor those unsung heroes, with HRE standing as a shining example.

Under the leadership of former Japanese racing star Hattori, the team, founded in 2008, has steadily risen through the ranks of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

The team achieved 14 victories, culminating in a defining moment in 2018 when Brett Moffitt captured the series championship. That triumph not only marked a pinnacle for HRE but also solidified Hattori’s legacy as a visionary team owner.

Shige’s passion for motorsports was evident long before he became an owner. As a driver in the IndyCar Series, his best finish was sixth at Texas Motor Speedway. He made his NASCAR debut in 2004, competing in the truck series for two seasons before stepping away in 2005.

His journey through Formula Toyota, Indy Lights, and NASCAR was never a series of disconnected stops; it was a deliberate path that laid the foundation for the team he would one day lead to success.

From Suzuka to Charlotte, every lap, every challenge brought him closer to a title he would ultimately win not for himself but for the next generation of racers who only needed someone to believe in them.

This award definitely honors all that Hatori has worked toward.