Defending CARS Tour champion and current CARS Tour points leader Carson Kvapil will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut next week at Bristol Motor Speedway for Spire Motorsports, the team announced Tuesday evening.

Kvapil, the son of 2003 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion, Travis Kvapil, will pilot a No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado with sponsorship from HendrickCars.com for Spire Motorsports at the legendary half-mile oval in northeastern Tennessee.

“I’m super excited for the opportunity to drive the No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado at Bristol,” said Kvapil in the official press release. “Huge thanks to Jeff (Dickerson), T.J. (Puchyr), Mr. Hendrick, and everyone who helped me get to this point. I’m ready to hit the track for my first start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.”

The 20-year-old Kvapil has been driving for JR Motorsports in the CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car series the last few years. Kvapil has nine wins in 30 starts, including five wins so far this season, which has him on a path towards a second-straight championship. 

Kvapil takes a 41-point lead over Brenden Queen into this Saturday’s CARS Tour race at the New River All-American Speedway in Jacksonville, North Carolina with just four races left on the calendar.

The Mooresville, North Carolina native’s debut in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series comes at the challenging high-banked half-mile of Bristol Motor Speedway on Thursday, September 14 live on FOX Sports 1.