Kris Wright Secures Full-Time NASCAR Truck Seat for 2026 Season

Kris Wright secures a full-time 2026 NASCAR Truck Series seat with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing, driving the No. 81 Chevrolet, as the team finalizes its expanded lineup.

The move follows his mid‑2025 exit from Our Motorsports in Xfinity, after which he completed selective Truck and ARCA outings to reset his program.

Wright enters 2026 with 49 Truck starts, including two 2025 runs for MHR: 26th at the Charlotte Roval and 11th at Talladega.

He frames the step as a reset with upside, calling MHR the most resourced organization he has raced for to date.

Crew chief Darren Fraley, who led his late‑season 2025 outings, stays on the No. 81, providing continuity intended to accelerate race‑to‑race adaptation.

MHR fields Tyler Ankrum in the No. 18 and Christian Eckes in the No. 91, creating an immediate benchmark for Wright within a multi‑truck structure.

Ankrum’s 2025 run to the Championship 4 underlines the program’s baseline pace and operational depth that Wright now accesses.

Team owner Bill McAnally emphasizes the support structure around Wright, with Fraley leading the effort and the organization geared toward measured, sustainable gains.

For Wright, a defined schedule removes the variability of part‑time racing, allowing consistent debrief cycles, simulator work, and setup learning across short tracks, intermediates, and superspeedways.

Results will hinge on qualifying execution, pit‑cycle discipline, and race‑trim balance, areas where MHR’s recent form suggests competitive potential.

The switch follows a fragmented 2025 that mixed Xfinity uncertainty with Truck and ARCA opportunities, making 2026 a clearer barometer of progress.

With stable leadership and proven teammates, Wright enters 2026 positioned to convert experience into consistent top‑20s, with upside on drafting tracks and road courses.

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John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.