At just 16 years old, Tristan McKee roared onto the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series stage this weekend at Richmond Raceway, kicking off a five‑race campaign that will see him behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports.
A Young Prodigy Steps onto the Truck Stage
McKee, a native of Williamsburg, Virginia, arrives with a résumé that already includes a victory in his ARCA Menards Series debut at Watkins Glen International and two wins in six starts this season, propelling him to the top of the East championship with one race left.
His immediate goal is to gain experience on the series’ mix of short tracks and intermediate ovals, but age restrictions will keep him out of four longer tracks, forcing Spire to seek a replacement for those dates.
The move coincides with the exit of Carson Hocevar, who is ending his Truck Series tenure to concentrate on the NASCAR Cup Series, where he is ineligible for the regular‑season finale and postseason events. Hocevar’s lone win this year came at Texas Motor Speedway in May.
McKee’s schedule will next take him to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Bristol Motor Speedway, Phoenix Raceway and Martinsville Speedway, where he will attempt to translate his early success into a future Cup Series contender narrative.