JR Motorsports has signed Spire Motorsports development driver Tristan McKee to a multi-year programme that maps his progression from selected NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races in 2027 to a full-time campaign in 2029.
JRM announced the plan on 16 October. McKee, who is 16, is scheduled to make his series debut in the team's No. 9 Chevrolet at Bristol Motor Speedway on 13 August 2027. He will then contest a partial schedule late in 2027 and through 2028 before becoming eligible for a full season in 2029 under NASCAR's age rules.
The agreement gives JRM a defined three-year development asset rather than a single-event driver booking. It also preserves McKee's existing pathway with Spire Motorsports: the driver is due to make part-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts in Spire's No. 7 Chevrolet during 2027.
JRM said the remaining races in McKee's partial programme and the complete No. 9 driver line-up will be announced later. The team did not disclose contract value, sponsorship, funding responsibility, performance options or how the entry will be divided among drivers before 2029.
McKee won the 2026 ARCA Menards Series East championship with four victories. He also became the youngest driver to earn a top-five finish in a NASCAR national series after placing fifth in the Truck race at Bristol, according to JRM and NASCAR. His earlier record includes the 2025 Trans Am TA2 title.
For JR Motorsports, the staged programme allows technical staff to evaluate and develop a young driver while working within eligibility limits. For Spire, placing McKee with an established O'Reilly Series team adds experience to the pipeline while retaining Truck Series activity.
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