Derek Kraus, a part-time competitor in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has been tapped to compete in the Clean Harbors 175 at The Milwaukee Mile, driving for Spire Motorsports.
.@derek9kraus will pilot the #7 Silverado when the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series visits the @MKEmileNASCAR for the August 27 Clean Harbors 175. Learn more: https://t.co/BX9XxMjp9V pic.twitter.com/XOws7sl5Do
— Spire Motorsports (@SpireMotorsport) August 5, 2023
The 21-year-old driver will be the latest to get behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for the organization, as the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series returns to the one-mile facility for the first time since 2009.
Gener8tor Skills Accelerator will serve as the primary sponsor of the organization’s entry in the 175-mile contest from West Allis, Wisconsin, located approximately three hours Southeast of Kraus’ hometown of Stratford, Wisconsin.
Kevin “Bono” Manion, who was recently promoted to crew chief of the organization’s No. 77 in the NASCAR Cup Series, will skip out on the series’ event at Daytona to call the shots for Kraus, who remains in search of his first career victory.
“I’m looking forward to working with Spire Motorsports and having [Kevin “Bono” Manion] as my crew chief,” said Kraus. “I know that he is smart with the short, flat tracks, so I have a lot of confidence going into the race. It will also be cool to be racing in my home state, in front of many hometown fans. It should be a good race and I’m looking forward to it.”
This season, Kraus has only competed in a single NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event, scoring an 18th-place finish for Young’s Motorsports in the season-opening event at Daytona International Speedway.
In the meantime, the veteran of 74 NASCAR Truck Series starts has dipped his toes into the NASCAR Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing, while also getting the opportunity to practice and qualify for AJ Allmendinger, in a NASCAR Cup Series entry at Richmond.
Most recently, Kraus has competed in the ASA STARS National Tour Gandrud Auto Group 250 at the Wisconsin International Raceway, where he finished in third-place.
“Derek Kraus has an impressive pedigree and we’re excited to put him in the seat at the Milwaukee Mile,” said Manion. “The tradition of racing in Milwaukee is very well documented and some of the very best drivers from the Midwest have won races there. It’s an exciting opportunity for Spire Motorsports be able to race with someone who has a direct tie to the state of Wisconsin. We’ll have a fast gener8tor Skills Accelerator Chevrolet Silverado ready for Derek and we’re going there with one goal in mind – to bring home the trophy.”
Kraus will look to score the organization’s second victory of the 2023 season, and its third victory overall. joining a driver lineup that has included the likes of Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Marco Andretti, Layne Riggs, and Corey LaJoie throughout the season.
