MOORESVILLE, N.C. – Hattori Racing Enterprises officials announced Wednesday that the team will field two full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entries for the first time in the organization’s history.
Tyler Ankrum, a Camping World Truck Series race winner, will take the reins of the team’s No. 16 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in 2022 and return to the Toyota family. LiUNA! will serve as Ankrum’s primary sponsor for 20 of the 23 events as the 20-year-old will be paired with crew chief Scott Zipadelli.
The team announced Tuesday that Chase Purdy would drive the No. 61 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro in 2022.
A native of San Bernadino, Calif., Ankrum brings three seasons worth of experience to HRE along with playoff berths in 2019 and 2020. He won his first Camping World Truck Series race at Kentucky Speedway at age 19 in his 12th series start to qualify for his first playoff berth. Ankrum posted a career-high 10 top-10 finishes in 2019 and earned his first Camping World Truck Series pole award at Circuit of the Americas along with a pair of podium finishes in 2021.
“This is a great opportunity to join a tight-knit team with a really strong foundation,” Ankrum said. “I couldn’t be more excited to join HRE and return to the Toyota family. To be able to work with Scott Zipadelli and his team on the LIUNA Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is a big opportunity for me. I want to get back to victory lane, be a threat in the playoffs, and continue this team’s winning ways. I think we can do that together and I’m looking forward to putting in the work to make that happen.”
“Tyler has been through the playoffs and has a lot of Camping World Trucks experience,” team owner Shige Hattori said. “Scott (Zipadelli) and our entire team have been successful the last several years and we’re looking forward to seeing Tyler rejoin team Toyota. We want to get him back to victory lane and be a strong playoff contender.”