Former IndyCar race winner James Hinchcliffe is set to make his first NASCAR start, teaming up with Spire Motorsports for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race Feb. 28 on the streets of St. Petersburg, Fla.
The 39-year-old Canadian—a six-time NTT IndyCar Series victor and 2011 IndyCar Rookie of the Year—will pilot the No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado RST in the inaugural Craftsman Truck Series event on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street circuit.
The track is the site of Hinchcliffe’s first IndyCar win in 2013.
Delaware Life will serve as the primary sponsor for the Spire entry.
Hinchcliffe announced the partnership today with team officials at the Mooresville, N.C., headquarters of Spire Motorsports.
“I am super excited to run my first truck race at St. Pete,” Hinchcliffe said in a statement. “When they announced the trucks would be running there, I knew I had to try to make something happen because I just love this track and I have always wanted to try something in the NASCAR world.”
Hinchcliffe, nicknamed the “Mayor of Hinchtown” for his engaging personality and fanbase, retired from full-time IndyCar competition in 2021 after a career that included 18 podium finishes and six victories in 161 starts.
Following his retirement, he moved into broadcasting, serving as an analyst for NBC Sports and later FOX Sports, where he covers the NTT IndyCar Series and contributes to Formula One coverage.
Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson acknowledged Hinchcliffe’s open-wheel success but noted the Canadian’s limited NASCAR experience.
“I’m not even sure he’s ever watched a NASCAR race,” Dickerson said with a laugh, adding that the opportunity “seemed right on brand for all of us.”
The Craftsman Truck Series visit to St. Petersburg marks the first time in the series’ 31-year history that trucks will race on a street course, adding a unique challenge for Hinchcliffe’s debut.
He will also work in the FOX broadcast booth during the IndyCar race on the same weekend, pulling double duty as driver and commentator.
The 80-lap Grand Prix of St. Petersburg Truck race is scheduled to air live on FOX starting at noon ET and will also be broadcast on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
