Full-time Spire Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar has spent much of the 2026 Craftsman Truck Series season behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet for same organization. Given the fact that he is only in his third Cup season, he is not bound by the same lower series restrictions as the Cup Series veterans.
However, the Texas Motor Speedway winner will not be making any more Truck Series starts this year, as full-time Cup drivers are ineligible to run the Truck Series regular season finale as well as all seven races on the playoff schedule.
This rule meant that there was only one more race for which he was eligible, that being the series' next race at Richmond Raceway, the penultimate race of the regular season, two Friday nights from now. But the team have confirmed a new driver of the No. 77 Chevrolet for that event, one who has yet to even make his NASCAR national series debut.
Tristan McKee set for NASCAR debut in Richmond Truck Series race
In fact, if the race were being held this weekend, he wouldn't be able to make his NASCAR debut yet, as he's still 15 years old.
Tristan McKee, who is set to turn 16 on Monday, August 3, is slated to make his Truck Series debut in the No. 77 truck at Richmond. Prior to this announcement, the team had not yet confirmed any drivers for this entry for the remainder of the 2026 season.
The Williamsburg, Virginia native, who signed with Spire Motorsports as a development driver in January 2025 as a 14-year-old, is set to run a total of five Truck Series races between now and the end of the 2026 season.
He is also set to compete at New Hampshire Motor Speedway later this month, Bristol Motor Speedway next month, and at both Phoenix Raceway and Martinsville Speedway in October. He is ineligible to compete at the other four tracks remaining on this year's schedule due to his age, as all are ovals that measure at least 1.5 miles in length.
McKee is currently second in the ARCA Menards Series East point standings with Pinnacle Racing Group. His recent DNF at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park is what is keeping him out of the top spot, as his other four results include three wins and a third place finish.
While it's still far too early, many have pointed to McKee as a potential replacement for Spire Motorsports' Michael McDowell behind the wheel of the No. 71 Chevrolet whenever McDowell decides to retire from Cup Series competition. The 2021 Daytona 500 winner's current contract is set to expire at the end of the 2026 season, but he is expected to return in 2027, alongside Hocevar and Coca-Cola 600 winner Daniel Suarez.
The Black's Tire 250 is set to be shown live on Fox Sports 1 from Richmond Raceway beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, August 14. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any of the action from the 0.75-mile Virginia short track!
Add us as a preferred source on Google