James Hinchcliffe, a six-time race-winner in the NTT IndyCar Series and an analyst for INDYCAR on FOX, will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut on the Streets of St. Petersburg on February 28.
The 39-year-old driver will be partnering with Spire Motorsports for the event, where he’ll pilot the No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado RST around the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course. Delaware Life will serve as the primary sponsor of the effort.
He’s no stranger to St. Pete.@Hinchtown will pilot the Delaware Life No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado RST in @NASCAR_Trucks race at St. Pete.
?: https://t.co/ZbKizJQWzC pic.twitter.com/mkoZy65SHs
— Spire Motorsports (@SpireMotorsport) February 12, 2026
“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.”
During an 11-year career in the NTT IndyCar Series, spanning from 2011 to 2021, Hinchcliffe was able to visit Victory Lane a total of six times and stand on the podium 18 times. The first three of his six career wins came as a driver for Andretti Global, now a pillar component of TWG Motorsports.
“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.”
After stepping away from the driver’s seat at the end of the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series campaign, Hinchcliffe transitioned into the broadcast booth, calling INDYCAR events for NBC Sports from 2022 to 2024. Now, the Oakville, Ontario-native contributes to Formula 1 broadcasts and now works with FOX Sports to broadcast IndyCar Series events.
“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,” quipped Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson. “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.”
The 80-lap Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will be televised live on FOX on Saturday, February 28 at Noon ET. NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will also have radio coverage of the event.
