IndyCar driver set for NASCAR debut at Charlotte
By Asher Fair
IndyCar driver Marco Andretti is set to make his NASCAR debut in this Saturday afternoon’s Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
Former full-time IndyCar driver Marco Andretti is set to make his NASCAR debut this Saturday afternoon with Big Machine Racing at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
Andretti is set to drive the #48 Chevrolet in this 67-lap playoff race, the Drive for the Cure 250, at the 17-turn, 2.28-mile (3.669-kilometer) Concord, North Carolina track.
It’s a move that had been discussed for a few years, and after it was confirmed over the summer, it is finally set to come to fruition this weekend.
Joining forces with @bigmchnracing in the @NASCAR_Xfinity series at the Charlotte Roval Oct 8th. pic.twitter.com/NQtUjAYgXs
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) August 7, 2022
Fit and ready for @NASCAR_Xfinity . #48. #bigmachineracing @SpikedCoolers @bigmchnracing @NASCAR pic.twitter.com/pqmSaNpO2p
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) September 6, 2022
Andretti stepped away from full-time IndyCar competition after the 2020 season, his 15th season in the sport, and while he still competes in the Indy 500, he has embraced other forms of racing since his full-time “retirement”.
Most notably, he made the move to Tony Stewart’s SRX last summer and won a race at Slinger Speedway in its inaugural season en route to a fourth place finish in the standings. He returned in 2022, and while he didn’t win a race, he earned three runner-up finishes in six starts and won the championship.
He also competed in an IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship race last year for Andretti Autosport, the 6 Hours of Watkins Glen at Watkins Glen International. Along with Jarett Andretti and Oliver Askew, he finished in 18th place overall and fourth in the LMP3 class behind the wheel of the #36 Ligier JS P320.
As for Big Machine Racing, they only entered the Xfinity Series last year, but they have made substantial progress since 2021, when they earned just one top 10 finish in 33 races.
A total of eight drivers have spent time behind the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet at some point through the 2022 season’s first 28 races.
Tyler Reddick earned the team’s first victory at Texas Motor Speedway back in May, and the #48 Chevrolet has since finished in the top five in three other races at Atlanta Motor Speedway (Reddick, fourth place), Watkins Glen International (Kaz Grala, fifth), and Kansas Speedway (Ross Chastain, fifth).
Next. Strange streak ends at Talladega. dark
The Drive for the Cure 250 is set to be broadcast live on NBC from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval beginning at 3:00 p.m. ET this Saturday, October 8. Start a free trial of FuboTV today and don’t miss it!