Marco Andretti will drive Spire Motorsports’ Truck at Homestead and Phoenix

Marco Andretti, the 2022 Superstar Racing Experience (SRX) Series Champion, is slated to make a return to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for the final two races of the 2023 season with Spire Motorsports.

This announcement comes after Andretti's debut earlier this season at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, where he started seventh and secured a 19th-place finish.

Marco Andretti boasts an impressive racing career with 251 starts in the IndyCar series. He's clinched six pole positions, notching two wins and an impressive 20 podium finishes.

The third generation Andretti is no stranger to the Homestead-Miami Speedway either, having contested five IndyCar races at the venue. He was the runner up in 2008.

Following the announcement, Marco Andretti expressed his enthusiasm over returning to Truck Series for the final two races of the season. Andretti stated (via Jayski):

“I had a lot of fun driving for Spire Motorsports at Mid-Ohio. The end result wasn’t reflective of the pace we had out of the gate, but I learned a lot about how these trucks handle and what to expect.”

Marco Andretti and Jeff Dickerson thrilled over Andretti's Truck return

The 36-year-old also emphasized his eagerness to broaden his experience in stock car racing, particularly on larger ovals like Homestead and Phoenix. He said:

“I want to expand my limited stock car experience and get some laps in on the bigger ovals.”

He acknowledged that these NASCAR tracks present a different challenge compared to the ones he encountered in the SRX Series and at Mid-Ohio.

Homestead and Phoenix are going to be very different from the ovals I raced with the SRX Series and, obviously, much different from Mid-Ohio, which is what I want."

The Spire Motorsports team, co-owned by Jeff Dickerson, was equally thrilled to have Andretti back behind the wheel of their No. 7 Chevy Silverado for the two races. Reflecting on Andretti's performance at Mid-Ohio, Dickerson stated (via Jayski):

"He qualified and ran really well at Mid-Ohio and if a couple things fall our way, he has a much better finish."

Dickerson recognized Andretti's extensive experience on both tracks in an Indy car, while also acknowledging the learning curve associated with transitioning to truck racing.

“Marco has plenty of experience at both tracks in an Indy car and there’s going to be a learning curve for him in the truck, but we expect him to do well and have some fun.”

Despite this, the Spire co-owner anticipates Marco Andretti to perform well and enjoy the experience, acknowledging the significance of the Andretti name in racing.

“We all know what’s at stake when the name Andretti is above the door.”