By David Morgan, Associate Editor
The entry list for the inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in St. Petersburg continues to grow, with IndyCar veteran and broadcaster James Hinchcliffe becoming the latest to enter the event.
The 39-year-old native of Ontario, Canada will climb behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet for the race on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course, a track familiar to him in that it served as the site of his first NTT IndyCar Series victory in 2013.
“I am super excited to run my first truck race at St. Pete,” said Hinchcliffe. “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 was a staple of the IndyCar driving corps from 2011 to 2021, claiming six wins and 18 podium finishes along the way, along with the pole position for the 2016 Indianapolis 500. Since stepping away from full-time racing, Hinchcliffe has moved into the broadcast booth, and is currently a part of the broadcast team with FOX Sports.
He admitted that while he has experience at St. Petersburg, returning to the track in a truck will be a new challenge for him to overcome.
“It will be a baptism of fire,” Hinchcliffe continued. “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 will have some familiar company in the field with him as former IndyCar driver Dario Franchitti will also be taking part in the race.
The 80-lap race will take place on February 28 at Noon ET on FOX.
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