Motorsports
Spire Motorsports’ 15-year-old development driver wins ARCA race at Watkins Glen
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — Five days after turning 15 and becoming eligible to race in the ARCA Menards Series, Spire Motorsports development driver Tristan McKee won in his series debut Friday at Watkins Glen International.
McKee, who was born in 2010 — the same year Instagram debuted and the iPad was introduced — took the lead with three laps to go when Brent Crews’ car came to a stop due to an alternator issue. Crews had led the first 38 laps in the 41-lap race at the 2.45-mile road course. Crews finished ninth. Tyler Reif finished second.
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“I learned a lot,” McKee said of his maiden ARCA race. “I got better and better as we went through the race. … I feel like I learned a lot, which was the main thing we’re here to do.”
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The victory made McKee the second-youngest winner in series history. Cup driver Todd Gilliland was 15 years and 2 days when he won in his ARCA debut. McKee is scheduled to run at Phoenix later in the season in an ARCA car.
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“I would say to win in my debut is one thing, but to just win in general is another,” McKee said.
McKee, who does not have a driver’s permit, let alone a driver’s license, is home schooled and has a racing schedule that is packed through November. He races in the Cars Tour and also in a Trans Am series.
McKee won Friday driving a pair of borrowed racing shoes, which he said were a few sizes too small. McKee said he left his racing shoes at home and borrowed a pair from Connor Mosack.
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This is the second time McKee has won at Watkins Glen this summer. He won a Trans Am-2 race at this track. He’s also won in that series at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and won a Cars Tour race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, among other tracks in that series.
McKee gained attention when he won a 100-lap Cars Tour Pro Late Model race at age 12 at Dillon (South Carolina) Motor Speedway in 2023 to become the youngest winner in series history.