Last Friday, it was reported that Kasey Kahne was coming out of retirement to compete for Spire Motorsports in the NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series full-time in 2027.
On Wednesday, both Kahne and Spire confirmed the stunning news.
Kahne will pilot the No. 77 Spire Chevrolet full-time in the Truck Series in 2027, the first time the 46-year-old has competed on a full-time basis in NASCAR since his final Cup Series season in 2018.
Kasey Kahne Details Story Behind Joining Spire Motorsports
Kahne appeared as a guest on “SPEED with Harvick & Buxton,” a show co-hosted by NASCAR Cup champion Kevin Harvick, to confirm that his retirement is officially on hold.
It started with a conversation with Spire owner Jeff Dickerson at the Knoxville Nationals last August, the most prestigious sprint car race of the year.
Kahne, who finished third in the event, said Dickerson proposed an idea that took him by surprise.
“He was like, ‘Yeah, we want you to come and run full-time.’ I was like, ‘Full-time?’ It was a big surprise to me,” Kahne said.
Kahne has been away from NASCAR competition for nearly a decade. Aside from a one-off O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race last year at Rockingham, the 18-time Cup Series winner left the NASCAR scene after his 2018 retirement.
When Dickerson approached Kahne with the offer to race in the Truck Series, it was one the Washington native could not turn down.
“I’ve been out for eight years — eight or nine, somewhere in there. To get that type of opportunity to run a truck and be with a team with a lot of success, I was like, ‘Man, I can’t pass this up,’” Kahne said.
It did not take long for Kahne to get eager about the opportunity. After conversations with his girlfriend, Amy Long, Kahne jumped at the chance to sign with Spire Motorsports.
“I got excited pretty quick. Talked to Amy a lot about it and this makes a lot of sense. We’re excited to do that,” Kahne said.
Kahne only has six career Truck Series starts, but five of those were wins and the other was a runner-up finish. His last Truck Series race was at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 2015, where he edged Erik Jones in a photo finish to win.
Spire Owner’s Statement on Kahne’s NASCAR Return
Spire Motorsports has come a long way in recent years. From the controversial rise of Carson Hocevar to putting two cars in the Cup Series Chase, the organization has put itself on the map in recent years.
Now, Spire is proud to welcome in one of NASCAR’s most recognizable drivers.
“This is one of the coolest announcements we’ve been able to make. Kasey is not only a legendary driver but is someone that Spire shares a long history with. Having him in one of our trucks running for a championship means a lot to our organization and we fully trust that he has the same competitive nature and drive to win that he’s always had,” Spire owner Jeff Dickerson said.
Kahne last competed for Leavine Family Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2018. It was supposed to be his final season but it was cut short due to health issues.
Kasey Kahne Makes NASCAR Return Official With Spire Motorsports