In four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) starts at Bristol Motor Speedway (BMS), including both pavement and dirt surfaces, Spire Motorsports has notched one top-10 and three top-15 finishes. Chase Elliott drove the team’s No. 7 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado to a seventh-place finish in the 2022 Truck Race on Dirt at BMS. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NCTS. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.
The Weather Guard Truck Race from Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, March 16, beginning at 8 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The fourth of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Kyle Busch – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
- Kyle Busch will be making his third of five NCTS starts for Spire Motorsports in Saturday night’s Weather Guard Truck Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. This will be his first NCTS start at Bristol since he led a race-high 109 laps en route to victory in August of 2017.
- Across NASCAR’s top three series, Busch has accumulated 22 victories at “The Last Great Colosseum,” including five in the NCTS. In August of 2010, Busch made history when he won the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, NASCAR XFINITY Series and NASCAR Cup Series races at Bristol, becoming the only driver to sweep all three of NASCAR’s top-three series at one track on the same weekend. He repeated the feat at Bristol in August of 2017.
- The 38-year-old driver opened his 2024 Truck Series campaign at Atlanta Motor Speedway by picking up his series-record extending 65th career victory in his Spire Motorsports debut. It was his first Truck Series victory for a team other than his own since Kyle Busch Motorsports originated in 2010. Most recently, Busch started fourth and led 13 laps at Las Vegas Motor Speedway before being relegated to a 15th-place finish after the team received a safety violation late in the race and he was forced to complete a pass-thru penalty on pit road.
- The Las Vegas native will get behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet for two additional races in 2024: Texas Motor Speedway (4/12) and Darlington Raceway (5/10).
- Group 1001 will serve as the primary sponsor on Busch’s Chevy Silverado this weekend. Group 1001 is a collective that empowers companies to create positive growth. Our insurance and annuities are easy to understand and accessible to all. Our online investing platform gives individuals control over their savings. Our technology and innovation help companies succeed. And our strategic partnerships bring people together through education and sports. Group 1001 comprises the following brands: Delaware Life, Gainbridge®, Clear Spring Health, Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group, Clear Spring Life and Annuity Company, and RVI Group.
- In addition to being the winningest driver in NCTS history, he also leads the series all-time with an average finish of 6.4 and ranks second in laps led (7,833).
- ‘Rowdy’ has won 37.8% (65/172) of the Truck Series races he has entered going into the 2024 season and has finished first or second in 56.9% (98/172). Over his last 31 Truck Series starts he has posted an average finish of 2.9, while registering 16 wins and nine runner-up finishes.
- With his win at Atlanta, he extended his series-best streak of winning at least one race to 12 consecutive NCTS seasons (2013-2024).
- Busch will be pulling double duty this weekend, as he heads into his second season behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Kyle Busch Quotes
It’s been a few years since you’ve raced a truck at Bristol. Are you looking forward to it?
“With having the dirt on Bristol for the first race of the year the last few seasons and the pavement race moving into the Truck Series playoffs, it’s been a while since I’ve raced there in the truck, so I’m looking forward to Saturday with (Brian) Pattie and my No. 7 Group 1001 team. Obviously, I have a lot of fond memories of running a truck at Bristol with being able to start the weekend sweep back in 2010 with the truck win and then being able to repeat it the last time I was in the truck race back in 2017. It won’t be a triple this weekend, but my goal is to go sweep the weekend and add to the Bristol trophy collection.”
Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
- Rajah Caruth heads to Bristol Motor Speedway for Saturday’s Weather Guard Truck Race with momentum on his side after picking up his first NCTS victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. HENDRICKCARS.COM will serve as the primary sponsor for Caruth and Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado throughout the 2024 season.
- Caruth earned his first pole position at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and went on to lead 38 of 134 laps, securing the win by 0.851 seconds.
- After 30 NCTS starts, Caruth joins NASCAR Hall of Famer, Wendell Scott and current NASCAR Cup Series regular Bubba Wallace as the third African American to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race. Caruth currently sits fourth in the NCTS driver standings, three races into the 2024 campaign.
- HENDRICKCARS.COM is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protections programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
- The Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University senior has finished all 370 laps contested this season and boasts three consecutive top-10 finishes. His current average finish in 2024 is fourth place.
- Fans can meet Caruth on Saturday, March 16 at 1 p.m. for a question-and-answer session at the Food City Fan Zone Stage.
- The Washington, D.C., native has two previous NCTS starts at the famed half-mile oval and one start in the NXS. He also secured an 11th-place finish in the 2023 NCTS race on the dirt track at Bristol. Caruth looks to improve on his best track finish of sixth place in Saturday night’s 250-lap race.
Rajah Caruth Quotes
Coming off your first ever NCTS win at Vegas, what’s your outlook heading into Friday night’s race at Bristol?
“Going into Bristol, there’s not any different of an outlook than before. I feel excited because I truly enjoy racing at that place – after all, it’s the opening track from Cars. Overall though no different prep. It’s just any other race.”
What did it mean to you to win on the 50th anniversary of Wendell Scott’s first NASCAR start?
“It’s pretty special because of the relationship I’ve developed with the Scott family. It’s great to add to their legacy but in that same vein, I’m ready to start my own.”
You’ve had a fantastic start to the year. How do you keep momentum high and not lose focus?
“I think it just comes down to doing the same thing each and every week, with minor adjustments as necessary. The success I feel comes in the process and consistency, not in big swings or big moments. One step, one punch, one round at a time.”
Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
- Chase Purdy will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday’s NCTS Weather Guard Truck Race at BMS.
- In three NCTS starts at “Thunder Valley”, Purdy has logged a 15.3 average start and 22nd-place average finish, including a venue-best eighth-place finish in 2023.
- The Weather Guard Truck Race will mark Purdy’s 79th NCTS career start and his fourth as a Spire Motorsports driver. Purdy comes into the fourth event of the season 18th in the NCTS championship point standings.
- Purdy is looking to bounce back and take a step forward in the Weather Guard Truck Race. After a 15th- place finish at Atlanta, and a 16th-place finish at Las Vegas, Purdy is looking to take the confidence learned from Bristol 2023 and bring it to 2024 for another top-10 finish.
- Purdy’s crew chief Jason Trinchere earned the checkered flag in the in the 2021 Food City 300 NXS race with driver AJ Allmendinger.
Chase Purdy Quotes
What does it take well to run well at Bristol?
“In years prior to run well there, you have to stay on the apron and wrap all the way around on both ends. Discipline is key, and trusting your team and plan will help you succeed at the end of the race.”
After last year’s run on the concrete, what can you take away and apply to this weekend’s race?
“I believe being able to use last year’s notes is going to be extremely beneficial. Same truck with the same set up, we should be able to know a lot of what to expect and know what we can get out of the truck.”
What have you learned over the first three races that you’re able to take away and apply moving forward?
“I think for me, it’s just been about continuing to build and make not only myself better but as a team get better and overcome some early adversity we have faced. I believe in this Bama Buggies group and I’m looking forward to getting to Bristol.”
From the Top of the Box
Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado
- Brian Pattie earned two victories last year, both with Kyle Busch. The duo started off the 2024 campaign with a victory at Atlanta last weekend.
- In addition to his three NCTS triumphs with Busch, he also won with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999.
- Pattie was atop the pit box for six wins across 14 seasons in the NASCAR Cup Series and has 11 career victories as a crew chief in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
- Jack Wood qualified seventh but was relegated to a 36th-place finish after getting caught up in an early accident last year in Pattie’s lone start on the pavement at Bristol in the Truck Series. His best result across 28 cup starts at Bristol was fourth with Clint Bowyer in 2012 and equaled by Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2018.
Chad Walter – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Silverado
- Chad Walter has over two decades of experience and began his career with Hendrick Motorsports in 1996.
- He comes to Spire Motorsports with Caruth after spending last season in the same role with GMS Racing.
- Some of his most notable accomplishments include a pair of Daytona 500 victories (2001 & 2003) with Michael Waltrip, along with Cup Series wins with Steve Park and Terry Labonte.
Jason Trinchere – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado
- Jason Trinchere earned his Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and began his professional career in 2005 as the race engineer for the iconic No. 75 Spears Manufacturing NCTS team, owned by series’ pioneers Wayne and Connie Spears.
- Notable accomplishments include Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 wins with both Ganassi Racing and Penske Racing. He was a key member of the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series Championship team with driver Joey Logano.
- He comes to Spire Motorsports from Kaulig Racing where he began as an engineer before being promoted to crew chief in 2021, ultimately serving in that capacity for all three of the organization’s NXS teams.
About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 20, 2023, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Tyson 250 at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
