IndyCar, Indy 500 veteran to make NASCAR Truck debut
By Asher Fair
IndyCar and Indy 500 veteran Marco Andretti is set to make his NASCAR Truck Series debut in this weekend’s race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
One season after making his NASCAR debut driving for Big Machine Racing Team in the Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval, IndyCar and Indy 500 veteran Marco Andretti is set to make his Truck Series debut at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.
Andretti is set to pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in his coming Saturday afternoon’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio. The No. 7 truck is a part-time entry that has been fielded in five of the season’s first 13 races. Kyle Larson drove it to victory lane at North Wilkesboro Speedway back in May.
Andretti’s truck is set to carry sponsorship from Gainbridge parent company Group 1001 in this 67-lap race around the 13-turn, 2.258-mile (3.634-kilometer) natural terrain road course in Lexington, Ohio, where IndyCar just held a race this past Sunday.
Gainbridge is a long-time sponsor of the Andretti Autosport IndyCar team.
Coming to Mid Ohio this weekend with @SpireMotorsport ! Can’t wait. Thank you @Group_1001 & @GainbridgeLife for the fun opportunity. My cup friends say I’m going to love it. pic.twitter.com/FjpsYKuDQh
— Marco Andretti (@MarcoAndretti) July 5, 2023
The Gainbridge deal with Spire Motorsports, which also includes a primary sponsorship agreement for both of the team’s Cup Series cars, comes amid rumors that Michael Andretti may be looking to bring his Andretti Autosport team to NASCAR at some point in the near future. Andretti Global still have plans to enter Formula 1 with Cadillac in the coming years as well.
Marco, who last competed full-time in IndyCar in 2020, has six career top 10 finishes in 15 starts at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, including a top finish of sixth place back in 2009.
The 36-year-old Nazareth, Pennsylvania native continues to compete in the Indy 500 every year and currently has no plans to stop doing so. He now competes full-time in Tony Stewart’s SRX and is the reigning series champion.
Andretti crashed out of his NASCAR debut last October and was scored in 36th place after starting in 30th behind the wheel of the No. 48 Chevrolet.
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The O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio is set to be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 from Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET this Saturday, July 8. Begin a free trial of FuboTV now and don’t miss it!