MOORESVILLE, N.C.\u00a0\u2014 Six-time NTT IndyCar Series winner James Hinchcliffe will make his NASCAR debut Feb. 28 in the inaugural NASCAR Cratsman Truck Series race in St. Petersburg, Fla.<\/p>\n
Hinchcliffe, an Ontario, native and 2011 IndyCar Rookie of the Year, will pilot the No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Spire Motorsports on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course, the site of his first IndyCar victory in 2013.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s the second former Indy car driver to be named to a ride for the event, as three-time Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti will drive for TRICON Garage.<\/p>\n
Delaware Life will serve as the team\u2019s primary sponsor for the Craftsman Truck Series inaugural visit to the \u201cStreets of St. Pete.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am super excited to run my first truck race at St. Pete,\u201d said Hinchcliffe. \u201cWhen 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. I have been in the Spire family for a long time, so it just made sense to run with them. I can\u2019t thank Dan (Towriss), Jeff (Dickerson), Bill (Anthony) \u2013 really everyone at Spire \u2013 enough for making this come together.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt will be a baptism of fire,\u201d Hinchcliffe continued. \u201cHaving my first race in a truck being on a street course with no room for error, but these races always look like so much fun, so I am really looking forward to the opportunity. Plus, I love that it\u2019s going to be shown on FOX Sports, with some of my IndyCar colleagues joining the broadcast, so that should add an extra layer of fun to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJames had an amazing open-wheel career with wins and poles across all kinds of formulas, but I\u2019m not even sure he\u2019s ever watched a NASCAR race.\u201d quipped Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson. \u201cI know it means a little more to (Co-Owner) Dan (Towriss) and I, personally, to be able to do this with him and when he called Dan and wanted to give it a go it seemed right on brand for all of us. This definitely won\u2019t be the first time we\u2019ve been out on a ledge together. We\u2019re all really grateful to Delaware Life for coming along for the ride and giving us a weekend to remember.\u201d<\/p>\n
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