Spire Motorsports announced today that eight-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race winner Austin Hill will steer the team‘s No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado in the February 18 NextEra Energy 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway where United Rentals will serve as Hill’s primary sponsor.
The team announced in November that it will expand its NASCAR footprint and field a NCWTS team in select races in 2022 and is led by championship-winning industry veterans Mike Greci and Kevin “Bono” Manion.
Hill is a veteran off 119 NCWTS starts and has been a consistent front runner and race winner over the past three seasons. The Winston, Ga., native will be reunited with Greci after the pair spent 2019-2021 working together at Hattori Racing Enterprises where Hill drove the team‘s No. 16 entry and Greci served as general manager. Hill earned a spot in the NCWTS playoffs all three years, finishing as high as fifth in 2019.
Manion spent the last two years at GMS Racing and will handle the team‘s crew chief responsibilities.
“I‘m excited to work with Spire Motorsports at Daytona,” said Hill. “It‘s a lot of fun to go to a track where I‘ve have had success and won a race in the past. Hopefully we can put on a good show for United Rentals and get back to Victory Lane.”
Hill snared the checkered flag in the 2019 NCWTS annual Daytona Beach season opener and has a pair of top-six finishes in five Truck Series starts at “The World Center of Racing.” Over those same five starts, the 27-year-old has earned a 14.2 starting average, coupled with a solid 14th-place average finish. Meanwhile, Hill has recorded one NASCAR Xfinity Series Daytona start and one in the ARCA Menards Series.
In addition to his duties for Spire Motorsports during Daytona‘s annual February festival of speed, Hill will also be at the wheel of Richard Childress Racing‘s No. 21 NASCAR Xfinity Series entry, where he‘ll pursue championship honors this season.
With nearly 1,300 locations across the globe, United Rentals, Inc. is the largest equipment rental company in the world. The company employs over 20,000 people, and services industrial and commercial markets and homeowners both domestically and internationally.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with Austin Hill in the Truck Series,” said Craig Schmidt, Vice President, United Rentals. “Austin is a proven performer, and we‘re proud to have him represent the United Rentals brand, on track and off. We look forward to a great race at Daytona.”
”When the opportunity to have Austin Hill drive for Spire Motorsports in the Truck Series‘ race at Daytona presented itself, it was an easy decision,” said Greci. “It was really a no-brainer and to have United Rentals on board is the icing on the cake. Austin is an exceptional driver and speedway racer. His work ethic is second-to-none, and he has the desire its takes to be successful. He‘s not someone who just goes through the motions. He‘s there to win. We have a great history with one another so we‘re hoping to add another hash mark to our win column in Daytona.”
The NextEra Energy 250 from Daytona International Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Friday, February 18 beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The first of 23 races on the 2022 NCWTS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90).
— Spire Motorsports —
