Official: Kasey Kahne Full-Time in NASCAR Trucks in 2027

MOORESVILLE, N.C.  — Spire Motorsports confirmed Wednesday that Kasey Kahne will race full-time for them in the NASCAR FedEx Freight Truck Series in 2027.

The 18-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner and one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers will race Spire Motorsports' No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado RST full-time. Kahne will kick off his first full-time NASCAR season since 2018 with the Feb. 19, 2027 Fresh From Florida 250 at Daytona International Speedway.

Kahne hasn't raced full-time in NASCAR in almost 10 years due to health issues. However, he has kept up with the sport and even raced in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series last year at Rockingham Speedway.

“I kept up with NASCAR enough to know that Spire wins races,” Kahne said in a press release. “I saw Kyle Busch’s wins this year, I watched Rajah (Caruth) a lot last year and keep up with what he’s doing. I saw some of Corey Day’s races and Carson (Hocevar) when he won at Texas. And I just thought that’s actually a really good truck and this could be a fun way to come back into NASCAR and reunite with Chevrolet, a manufacturer I had some really great moments with over the years.”

In six career Truck starts, Kahne has five wins and a second-place finish. He earned Chevrolet's 200th Truck win at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May of 2015. 

“This is one of the coolest announcements we’ve been able to make,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson. “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.”

Kahne said in a press release that Dickerson asked him about racing for them in the series.

"I didn’t think he was serious,” Kahne said. “To be out of the sport for as long as I was and to have the opportunity to race for a strong FedEx Freight Truck Series team or even full time in NASCAR again, was a bit of a surprise. The thought of a return to pavement racing and involvement in something that I was a part of for so long was exciting. It started sounding pretty good and I’m thankful for the opportunity to come back with a team that knows how to win.”

Kahne has been racing dirt cars since exiting NASCAR in 2018. He even raced full-time in the World of Outlaws in 2022 and earned his first WoO win in May at Williams Grove Speedway.

Kahne was a popular driver at the peak of his career, which coincided with the peak of NASCAR. He appeared in commercials and was one of the top drivers in terms of merchandise sales, rivaling Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at one time.

Kahne's best season was 2006 when he earned six victories and finished eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings. 

Kahne's popularity waned as his career did. However, since he had to step away from racing in 2018, it has seen a surge with social media boosting him through the viral "Kasey Kahne Friday" video posted each Friday with career highlights, set to Limp Bizkit's "Rollin'".

Coincidentally, it was a Kasey Kahne Friday when a report indicated Kahne would go to Spire Motorsports in 2027. Spire's announcement Wednesday confirms the report.

There is no word on who else will join Kahne at Spire in 2027.