Former INDYCAR Driver James Hinchcliffe Set to Make NASCAR Debut in Truck Series

James Hinchcliffe, it’s time for you to start your engine again. The former INDYCAR driver turned FOX Sports broadcaster is set to compete in the inaugural NASCAR Truck Series race at St. Petersburg on Feb. 28, marking his official NASCAR debut. Hinchcliffe will drive the No. 77 Chevrolet for 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. I have been in the Spire family for a long time, so it just made sense to run with them. I can’t thank Dan [Towriss], Jeff [Dickerson], Bill [Anthony] — really everyone at Spire – enough for making this come together.” Hinchcliffe, 39, won six races in his 11-year INDYCAR career before stepping away at the end of the 2021 season. He shifted into a broadcasting role shortly after his retirement and joined FOX Sports to be a part of its INDYCAR coverage when it acquired its broadcasting rights in 2025. “It will be a baptism of fire,” Hinchcliffe added. “Having 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’s 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.” Hinchcliffe recently tested at Sebring International Raceway, doing so on the same day as Dario Franchitti. When Hinchcliffe heads to Sebring, that’ll mark the first shift of a double-duty weekend for him. He’ll continue to be a part of FOX Sports’ INDYCAR coverage and is set to call the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg a day later as the 2026 INDYCAR season opens on Sunday, March 1. “James had an amazing open-wheel career with wins and poles across all kinds of formulas, but I’m not even sure he’s ever watched a NASCAR race,” Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson joked in a statement. “I 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’t be the first time we’ve been out on a ledge together. We’re all really grateful to Delaware Life for coming along for the ride and giving us a weekend to remember.”