By Alex Andrejev From The Charlotte Observer MOORESVILLE, N.C.—Akinori Ogata doesn’t always understand his spotter, which at times makes driving his truck at 180 miles per hour difficult. Quick communication on the team radio is essential to competitive racing. Still, Ogata is usually able to make it through a race unscathed as spotter Randy Bradshaw feeds him quick lines and Ogata reports basic calls like “tight” and “loose” back to the Reaume Brothers Racing crew. Besides, Ogata said, even if he and Bradshaw spoke the same language perfectly, he doesn’t know all the NASCAR terminology in Japanese like he does in English, so he just figures it out during races. “I never use Japanese language about racing,” Ogata told The Charlotte Observer. “So it’s not familiar. For example, ‘Inside lane, outside lane.’ ” Slower conversations in English have been part of the norm for Ogata, 47, since he moved to …
At 47, Ogata Won’t Give Up on Being First Japanese-Born Driver To Break a NASCAR Barrier
May 30, 2021
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