Akinori Ogata Bio
Akinori Ogata (尾形 明紀, Ogata Akinori; born 14 August 1973) is a Japanese professional stock car racing driver. He is best known as the first Japanese driver to win at Hickory Motor Speedway, a milestone that helped put him on the map in American short-track racing. Ogata most recently competed part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 63 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro for his own team, Akinori Performance. Over the years, he has also raced in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
Early Life and Background
Akinori Ogata was born on 14 August 1973 in Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan. Growing up in Japan, he was exposed to motorsports at a young age and developed a passion for competitive driving. His early years in Yokohama laid the foundation for what would become a long career in racing.
Ogata began his racing career in motocross in Japan in 1987, where he quickly found success and won thirty feature races. The skills and race craft he built during his motocross years helped shape his aggressive driving style. He eventually transitioned to dirt track racing and quarter midgets, adding another layer of experience on oval tracks.
One of his early achievements on the dirt came at Twin Ring Motegi, a respected Japanese racing facility, where he earned a victory. These formative years in motocross and dirt track racing prepared him for the move across the Pacific to compete in American stock car events.
Path to NASCAR
Ogata made the leap to NASCAR-style competition in 2003, when he began racing in the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stock division. He competed at tracks such as Concord Motorsports Park, learning the nuances of American stock car racing and adapting to the heavier, higher-horsepower machinery compared to what he had driven in Japan.
In 2009, Ogata secured a sponsorship deal with ENEOS, marking the company’s first involvement in NASCAR. The partnership gave him a more stable platform to compete and helped raise his profile within the late model community. His persistence on the short-track circuit eventually paid off with a historic win at Hickory Motor Speedway, making him the first Japanese driver to claim victory at the legendary North Carolina short track.
These accomplishments in the Whelen All-American Series opened the door for Ogata to move into NASCAR’s national touring divisions, beginning with the K&N Pro Series East in 2012 and eventually reaching the Truck Series and Xfinity Series.
Akinori Ogata Career
Early Career (2003–2011)
Ogata spent his earliest NASCAR years in the Whelen All-American Series, racing Late Model Stock cars across short tracks in the United States. Competing at Concord Motorsports Park and other venues, he built a reputation as a consistent and determined competitor. His experience in motocross and dirt track racing in Japan gave him a distinctive background compared to most of his peers in the late model ranks.
The 2009 ENEOS sponsorship represented a major step forward for Ogata, providing financial backing and visibility. During this developmental phase, he honed his oval racing skills and earned the Hickory Motor Speedway victory that would later define his place in NASCAR history.
K&N Pro Series East Breakthrough (2012–2014)
Ogata made his NASCAR K&N Pro Series East debut in 2012 at Gresham Motorsports Park, driving Jennifer McDonald’s No. 49 Dodge and finishing fifteenth. He competed in three additional events with McDonald that season, switching to a Toyota, though two of those races ended in crashes. The 2012 campaign was a learning year as he adapted to the higher speeds and competition level of the series.
In 2013, Ogata split his time between Sherry Kuykendall’s No. 44 and Ronald Faison’s No. 39, running three races with Kuykendall. He failed to qualify in the No. 44 at Dover International Speedway, highlighting the challenges of making the field on a part-time schedule. The following year, he stepped into a more independent role as an owner-driver in the No. 56 Toyota with Dale Quarterley serving as crew chief. He qualified for three of five races in 2014 but only completed the event at Iowa Speedway, reflecting the steep learning curve of running his own operation.
Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2014–Present)
On 5 November 2014, Win-Tron Racing announced that Ogata would make his Camping World Truck Series debut at Phoenix International Raceway in the Lucas Oil 150, driving the No. 35 Toyota. It was his first career race at Phoenix, and he qualified 28th with a lap time of 28.388 seconds at 126.814 miles per hour. His debut ended early when his rear gear broke on lap 45, leaving him with a 29th-place finish.
Partnering with MB Motorsports for 2015, Ogata ran three races and scored his first top-twenty finish, an 18th-place result. His only Truck Series start in 2016 came with MB Motorsports, but a crash with Josh Wise early in the UNOH 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway ended his day in 31st. After a few years away from the series, Ogata returned in July 2020 with Reaume Brothers Racing, driving the No. 33 Toyota at Texas Motor Speedway. He remained with the team through the 2021 season and was involved in a serious crash at Darlington with Timmy Hill and Tanner Gray. In 2022, he drove the No. 43 for Reaume Brothers Racing at Darlington before eventually moving to his current No. 63 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro with Akinori Performance.
Xfinity Series Debut (2018–2022)
On 31 October 2018, Ogata announced his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut, which came nearly two weeks later in the Whelen Trusted to Perform 200 at ISM Raceway. He drove the No. 66 Toyota Camry for MBM Motorsports, marking his first national-level start in the series.
In 2021, Ogata made a single Xfinity Series start each with Jimmy Means Racing in the No. 52 and B. J. McLeod Motorsports in the No. 78. He returned to MBM Motorsports in 2022, driving the No. 13 at New Hampshire and Texas in September. These part-time opportunities reflected his ongoing commitment to competing at the national level while running his own team.
Driving Style and Strengths
Ogata’s background in motocross and dirt track racing gives him a fearless approach to short-track and intermediate ovals. He is known for his perseverance and willingness to race on a part-time schedule, often building his own equipment with limited resources. His experience across late models, K&N Pro Series East, Trucks, and Xfinity cars gives him a well-rounded understanding of modern stock car machinery.
Notable Races and Milestones
His most significant milestone is becoming the first Japanese driver to win at Hickory Motor Speedway, a moment that secured his place in American racing history. Other notable moments include his Truck Series debut at Phoenix in 2014, his first top-twenty Truck Series finish in 2015, his Xfinity Series debut at ISM Raceway in 2018, and his dramatic multi-car crash at Darlington in 2021.
Akinori Ogata Career Wins
Ogata’s career wins are rooted in his early motocross success and his landmark victory at Hickory Motor Speedway, where he became the first Japanese driver to win at the historic North Carolina short track. While his national touring division starts have been part-time, his willingness to compete across multiple NASCAR series has been a defining feature of his career.
Craftsman Truck Series Highlights
Across his Craftsman Truck Series career, Ogata has competed for Win-Tron Racing, MB Motorsports, Reaume Brothers Racing, and his own Akinori Performance team. His best Truck Series result was an 18th-place finish in 2015 with MB Motorsports, while his 2021 crash at Darlington with Timmy Hill and Tanner Gray remains one of the most dramatic moments of his national touring career.
Other Wins and Performances
Before moving into NASCAR’s national series, Ogata won thirty feature races in motocross in Japan and earned a victory at Twin Ring Motegi in dirt track competition. His success in the Whelen All-American Series Late Model Stocks, including the historic Hickory Motor Speedway win, laid the groundwork for his later opportunities in the Truck and Xfinity Series.
Akinori Ogata Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ogata’s son, Ryo, has been part of his racing story as well, with a Legends car belonging to Ryo stolen along with his father’s pickup truck in a December 2016 garage break-in. The Ogata family has supported his long journey from Japan to the NASCAR national touring divisions.
Personal Life
Born in Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Ogata has built much of his racing life in the United States while staying connected to his Japanese roots. His partnership with ENEOS in 2009 reflected that dual identity, marking the company’s first NASCAR sponsorship and tying his American racing program back to a major Japanese brand.
2025 Season Performance
Entering 2025, Ogata continues to be listed as a part-time competitor in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with Akinori Performance, driving the No. 63 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro. As an owner-driver, his season is built around select starts rather than a full schedule, a model that has defined his Truck Series presence since returning to the series in 2020.
With deep experience across the Truck Series teams of Win-Tron Racing, MB Motorsports, Reaume Brothers Racing, and now Akinori Performance, Ogata brings familiarity with Toyota equipment to each outing. His focus remains on completing races, gaining track time, and building his own program from within the Truck Series paddock.
While his 2025 schedule is limited, his continued presence on the grid reinforces his status as a pioneering Japanese driver in NASCAR and a longtime short-track competitor with a unique motocross-to-stock car background.