Nearly one year after the fiery fallout in North Wilkesboro, a 50-year-old stock car racing veteran is looking for a grand comeback. Despite the sponsorship woes troubling the driver, he is determined and hell-bent on making his NASCAR Cup Series debut, proving his versatility as a driver on the grandest of stages.

Akinori Ogata, who kick-started his stock car racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock in 2003, is eyeing a comeback to the promotion in 2024. While the driver got his breakthrough in 2009 when ENEOS struck a deal with him to sponsor him in the All-American Series, the veteran is still on the lookout for a sponsorship tie-up that could get the ball rolling.

Akinori Ogata gears up for a comeback, eyeing a NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2024

Ogata currently drives the #46 Toyota Tundra for G2G Racing in a part-time role. While most of his significant starts have been based in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, with former experience in the K&N Pro Series East and Xfinity Series, he has been a great addition to the team. The Japanese, who was a successful motocross racer in Japan, owing to his fascination with stock cars, moved to America with his family in 2010 so that he could devote more time to his passion and work on his dream to make it big in NASCAR.

However, after 14 years in the promotion, working his way up from the grassroots level and being proud to be a part of the promotion, Ogata is yet to have a Cup Series ride, which he would like to have in the upcoming season. Amidst the silly-season updates, popular enthusiast Joesph Srigley shared the veteran’s Facebook post that revealed his desire to be in the elite division.

The post from Akinori Ogata Racing goes like this: “Akinori Ogata has the potential to win races in the NASCAR series. With more sponsorship support, he can enter more NASCAR races and learn the handling of the cars better by gaining more experience and racing more often in the NASCAR events. He is looking to continue his success and race more in the NASCAR XFINITY SERIES and is currently looking for 2024 sponsors.”

“NASCAR fans’ exceptional passion and loyalty make sponsorship a great marketing tool for companies doing business in the United States. There are opportunities for more races in the XFINITY SERIES 2024 season, and he is hoping to secure funding for a full-time ride. Ogata’s team is also pursuing opportunities for a potential NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2024,” revealing his ambitions to be at the top of the game in the Cup Series despite the funding crunch standing between him and his aspirations.

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Ogata’s fiery, narrow escape in NWB

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Now, racing a fire-breathing monster of a machine against a field of super-competitive drivers does not always end up with a feel-good ending. Even though NASCAR has evolved over time to spread its wings, making major strides in the safety department, at the end of the day, you’re still in a ridiculously powered race car going at mind-bending speeds when the slightest of miscalculations can turn deadly.

Akinori Ogata, making his second NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start of the season for G2G Racing in 2023, had a scary moment during a practice session at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Running his 19th lap of the 50-minute practice, heading into the third corner, Ogata’s #46 Toyota burst into flames, sending the driver hard into the wall.

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While the driver was able to climb himself out of the vehicle in the raging fire, the incident would mark the end of practice for the Japanese driver and G2G Racing.