Austin Hill to run first NASCAR Truck race of 2023 at Pocono

Austin Hill will make his return to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series on 22 July at Pocono Raceway, driving the #7 Chevrolet Silverado RST for Spire Motorsports. It will be his third start for the team and first of 2023.

“Last year with practice and qualifying getting rained out, we had to start in back, but the Spire Motorsports team brought a fast truck, and we were able to get a top-five finish,” said Hill. “I’ve had success and a chance to win in the Craftsman Truck Series at Pocono in the past, so I feel confident that we will have a shot to contend for the win.”

Hill débuted Spire’s Truck programme at Daytona in 2022 where he finished fifteenth, and returned to the team for that year’s Pocono race and placed sixth. The starts came after graduating to the Xfinity Series, where he has established himself as one of the top drivers on superspeedways and currently sits second in points with three wins.

He raced full-time in the Trucks between 2018 and 2021, winning eight times. In seven career Truck races at Pocono, he has two top fives including a runner-up in 2020, a year after claiming the pole.

“Spire Motorsports is thrilled to have a driver of Austin’s calibre behind the wheel this weekend at Pocono Raceway,” commented team manager Mike Greci. He and Hill previously worked together during the latter’s Truck tenure at Hattori Racing Enterprises. “It’s no secret that Austin and I have some history together, so I know, first hand, what kind of talent he is. His Xfinity Series results this season speak for themselves. I’’m confident anytime Austin is in our truck, we’re fully capable of running up front and winning races.”

The #7 races part-time as Spire mainly focuses on the Cup Series. All four drivers from Cup ally Hendrick Motorsports have piloted it, with William Byron and Kyle Larson winning at Martinsville 2022 and North Wilkesboro in May, while other drivers in 2023 include Spire Cup racer Corey LaJoie, Marco Andretti, and Jonathan Davenport.