The new organization, called Freedom Racing Enterprises, will field the No. 76 Chevrolet with Boyd as the driver beginning with the Feb. 16 season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
Boyd, 28, has 161 career starts in Trucks, picking up his first win in 2019 at Talladega, Ala., and has spent the past five seasons with Young’s Motorsports.
“This is a wildly proud moment for me. If you asked a wide-eyed 20-year-old me at Martinsville Speedway if I was going to start my own NASCAR team in the next decade, I might have laughed it off,” Boyd said.
“I have been blessed to be able to race cars for a living and remain part of the NASCAR family for as long as I have. I wouldn’t be here without a small group of very important people to my career, so I definitely want to thank them for believing in me through thick and thin.
“They know who they are and hope they are sharing in this feeling of pride.”
Introducing @FreedomRacing76. 🦅 @SpencerBoyd | @NASCAR_Trucks pic.twitter.com/yfK0sVwlrs
— Charlotte Motor Speedway (@CLTMotorSpdwy) January 8, 2024
Jeff Hammond, former Cup crew chief and Fox Sports analyst, will serve as general manager for FRE. Hammond brings 50 years of experience in NASCAR to help guide the new team.
“I’m motivated by the optimism and professionalism in the group of people that Spencer has assembled,” Hammond said. “The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is undergoing many changes this offseason, so it is an ideal time to form a new team.”
Veteran Greg Ely will serve as Boyd’s crew chief for the inaugural season. Rick Bourgeois will serve as car chief having worked side-by-side with Ely for several years.
FRE acquired assets throughout 2023 in anticipation of a full-season effort this year with many of the trucks coming from GMS Racing following their final season of competition.
“My parents had no idea what they were getting into when they put me in a go-kart at five years old, but I hope my father Paul and my mother Bonnie will take a moment to realize all the sacrifices they made have led us here,” Boyd said.
“This step in my career is one that allows me to build something that keeps the Boyd name in NASCAR competition for the long haul.”
