Kyle Larson has been named the new driver of the No. 7 Spire Motorsports entry for next weekend's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Alex Bowman, Larson's Hendrick Motorsports teammate in the NASCAR Cup Series, was originally scheduled to run the race for Spire, but a fractured vertebra suffered in a sprint car crash on April 25th has forced Bowman to skip the event.
As a result, Larson will get a chance to log laps on the iconic 0.625-mile short track in an effort to prepare for the NASCAR All-Star Race. While he's excited about the opportunity, Larson is bummed it came due to his teammate being injured.
“I’m excited about the opportunity to run the (NASCAR CRAFTSMAN) Truck (Series) race at North Wilkesboro next weekend with Spire Motorsports," said Larson. "It’s a shame that Alex (Bowman) won’t be able to compete. We wish him a speedy recovery so he can return to the track soon. Since I’ve never raced at North Wilkesboro, I think it could be beneficial to get some additional laps in at the track. I’m looking forward to double-duty All-Star weekend.”
NASCAR has not had a sanctioned event at North Wilkesboro Speedway since the 1996 season, so next weekend's racing action at the track is a massive deal.
Spire Motorsports began racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series a season ago when it announced a part-time No. 7 truck. The No. 7 Spire entry has competed in 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series events and has one win, which came with William Byron behind the wheel at Martinsville Speedway last season.
Larson will look to notch a win at North Wilkesboro Speedway next weekend in the Tyson 250, and who knows, perhaps the experience gained in that race will give him the advantage he needs to score the win in the NASCAR All-Star Race.
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