Santino Ferrucci will make his NASCAR debut this year after signing a deal to run a partial season in the Xfinity Series for Sam Hunt Racing.
Ferrucci, 22, spent three years as a test and reserve driver for Haas in Formula 1 and participated in a handful of mid-season tests for the team.
Ferrucci competed full-time in IndyCar across 2019 and 2020 with Dale Coyne Racing, taking a best finish of fourth, including at last year’s Indianapolis 500.
But for 2021 he will switch focus to NASCAR and run a limited schedule, focusing on mile-and-a-half tracks, beginning with next month’s event at Homestead.
“I’m incredibly proud to join Sam Hunt Racing and Toyota Racing Development,” Ferrucci said.
“I think together we will have a ton of success. Working with Sam these past few weeks has been fantastic and his drive to put out a great race car and team is second to none.
“The transition to NASCAR will be tough especially with no practice, qualifying, or testing but I welcome the challenge.
“My limited experience before the green flag in Miami will be the Chili Bowl and my Super Late Model test.
“So far everyone at NASCAR and the people that make up the NASCAR community have been very welcoming to me, the testing that I’ve done has gone really well, and I am excited to start racing.”
