The date was August 8, 2025. The ARCA Menards Series race at Watkins Glen was about to go green, and everyone’s eyes were on three drivers.
First, Brenden Queen, who dominated the 2025 ARCA season. Five of the opening twelve races saw a victory from Queen, and he had a commanding championship lead.
Second was Alon Day, a four-time NASCAR Euro Series champion who served as a road ringer in the NASCAR developmental series in the mid-2010s.
Third was Brent Crews. The Hickory, North Carolina native, now full-time in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, entered this race with five career victories. He was a road racing superstar, as he showed with a top-10 in the Craftsman Truck Series at Lime Rock Park earlier in the year and a near-win in his ARCA debut in 2023 at Watkins Glen.
Crews dominated the race, but an issue with his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota cost him the win. This issue allowed Tristian McKee, a then unknown prospect making his first career ARCA start, to do what Crews was unable to in 2023 and win his ARCA Menards Series debut at Watkins Glen. McKee might have been an unfamiliar name to most then, but his name would become very well known 14 months later.
On October 16, 2026, JR Motorsports announced that McKee has signed a three-year deal with the organization. The 16-year-old, a development driver for Spire Motorsports, will pilot JRM’s No. 9 Chevrolet part-time in 2027, starting with the summer race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The teenager will then run an expanded schedule in 2028 followed by a full O’Reilly season in 2029.
The Opportunity
“I can’t wait to get started at Bristol next year with JRM,” said McKee. “It means the world to have the opportunity to compete in one of their cars and I can’t thank Dale (Earnhardt Jr.), Kelley, LW and everyone at JRM and Spire for this chance. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we can build together.”
JRM CEO Kelley Earnhardt-Miller shared in McKee’s enthusiasm.
“Adding a driver like Tristan to our organization for multiple years is a testament to how we operate as a company,” said JRM CEO Kelley Earnhardt-Miller. “JRM has always looked to help the growth of young, up-and-coming drivers and Tristan fits that mold. His accomplishments at such a young age behind the wheel speak for itself and I’m really looking forward to watching him develop and mature over these next three years while competing for race wins and championships.”
On top of his O’Reilly schedule, McKee will pilot the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports part-time in the 2027 FedEx Freight Truck Series. In three Truck starts so far, McKee is three-for-three in finishing inside the top-10. Notably, Bristol saw him become the youngest top-5 finisher in series history.
On top of that, McKee earned three ARCA wins in nine starts as well as the ARCA East championship in 2026. He earned an additional four victories and seven podiums in the East Series.
“We’ve been really fortunate to be a part of Tristan’s development and felt that this next step to JRM was the best thing for him as we look ahead to the future,” said Spire Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson. “JRM has been the benchmark of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series for years and I can’t think of a better place for Tristan to go and to learn from than with the best that the series has to offer.”
McKee’s full 2027 schedule will be announced at a later date.
