Spire Motorsports Black's Tire 200 Race Advance

Spire Motorsports will make their first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearance at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway this weekend. The Mooresville, N.C., organization fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Nos. 07 and 7 entries will see a rotating roster of all-star caliber drivers throughout the season, while Rajah Caruth and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Andres Perez de Lara will pilot the Nos. 71 and 77, respectively, for the full slate of races.
The Black’s Tire 200 will be televised live on FS1 Friday, April 18 beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The seventh of 25 races on the 2025 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series calendar will be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
Friday’s event marks the third and final of three events in the Triple Truck Challenge program. “The Trip” rewards the highest-finishing driver in an event who’s declared to collect CRAFTSMAN Truck Series points with a $50,000 bonus. Both Rajah Caruth and Andres Perez de Lara are eligible for the bonus.

Sammy Smith – Driver, No. 07 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

Sammy Smith will drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 07 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway.
The Johnston, Iowa, native will pull double duty this weekend, also piloting JR Motorsports’ No. 8 Pilot Chevrolet in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series North Carolina Education Lottery 250 presented by Black’s Tire.
Smith was eight-years old when the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series made their last trip to Rockingham Speedway in April 2013. He was not yet born when the NASCAR Cup Series made their final stop at the historic oval in February 2004.
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The 20-year-old made four CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearances aboard Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Silverado in 2024. He collected one top-five and three top-10 finishes while maintaining a 9.0 average finish. Smith’s four starts were highlighted by a fifth-place result at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway where he registered the second-most green flag passes (78) and fifth-most quality passes (43) in the field.
In 84 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts, Smith has earned 16 top fives and 38 top 10s, claiming victories at Phoenix Raceway (March 2023) and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Oct. 2024).
The two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion has racked up eight wins across 15 starts in the regional stock car series. He claimed his second-consecutive East Series title in a dominant 2022 campaign, winning five of the seven races while maintaining an average finish of 1.7.
The young phenom doubled-up in 2022, earning the ARCA Menards Series Sioux Chief Showdown crown. Smith emerged victorious four times in the series, did not finish outside of the top five in all 10 events and maintained a 2.2 average finish.
The short track ace has earned wins in some of the country’s most notable Late Model races including the Winchester 400, Red Bud 400 and Florida Governor’s Cup. He snagged a CARS Pro Late Model Tour victory in 2021 at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway and four pavement super late model wins that same season. In 2022, Smith was victorious in a star-studded combination ARCA CRA Super Series/Southern Super Series race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.
The black and yellow Gainbridge colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-073. The truck was last on track at Las Vegas for an 11th-place result with Justin Haley. Chase Purdy earned a chassis’ best runner-up finish at Texas Motor Speedway in 2023 when it was property of Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Sammy Smith Quotes
Talk about returning to Spire after four successful outings with the team in 2024.
“I’m excited to get back with Spire. I really got comfortable in the truck in my few starts last year, so I’m hoping it will come back to me as we get rolling. I’m excited for the opportunity to work with Allen (Hart) and all the guys on the No. 07 team. Hopefully we can get a win for all the people who help make this happen.”

What does it mean to race at a venue as rich in history as Rockingham?
“It’s really cool to race at a track like Rockingham with so much history, and to have the opportunity to go back in a truck and Xfinity car is really neat. With the repave, it will be very different from when the trucks were last there in 2013. At the test, I was able to get a ton of laps in both the truck and Xfinity car. While the two don’t drive anything alike, the track is still super fast and has a lot of grip for both. I’m looking forward to getting out on track Friday.”

Atop the No. 07 Box – Crew Chief Allen Hart

Allen Hart calls the shots for the No. 07 team, an entry that will see a rotating roster of drivers throughout the 2025 campaign.
Last time out at Bristol Motor Speedway, the No. 07 team rebounded from a pit-road speeding penalty to secure a runner-up finish with Kyle Larson behind the wheel.
Hart earned his first career win in a crew chief role during last month’s Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. After a spin midway through the Final Stage, Larson made an impressive run through the field over the event’s final 40 circuits, chasing down the leaders with two laps remaining to make the winning move.
Through six races, No. 07 team sit fifth in the division’s owner’s championship point standings. They have collected one win, two top-five and two top-10 finishes on the 2025 campaign.

Corey Day – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

Corey Day will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Friday’s Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway.
Friday’s 200-lap event will mark the open-wheel phenom’s ninth CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start and fifth with Spire Motorsports. He made four series appearances in 2024 with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing.
The Clovis, Calif., native was seven years old the last time the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series hit the Richmond County circuit in 2013. Day was yet to be born when the Cup Series made their last trip to the historic oval in February 2004.
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Last week at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, the 19-year-old maintained top-10 track position through Stage One and Stage Two before finishing in the 15th position, tying his career-best finish in the series.
In his first CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race for Spire Motorsports at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Day secured his first career Kennametal Pole Award and led the field to the green flag. One week later, he earned a career-best 15th-place finish at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Day will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-083 Friday night, the same truck he put on the pole last month at Las Vegas. Connor Mosack scored a chassis-best third-place finish at Homestead last October.
Day will round out his eight-race slate with the organization at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway (May 30), Indianapolis Raceway Park (July 25) and Darlington (S.C.) Raceway (Aug. 30).
The talented teenager will contest two more ARCA Menards Series events in Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet SS later this season at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway (July 11) and Kansas Speedway (Sept. 26).

Corey Day Quote
What are your thoughts heading into Rockingham?
“I feel like I’m finally starting to really understand what I need to do in the trucks. I know I still have a lot to learn but I definitely am starting to feel more comfortable. While most of us haven’t raced at Rockingham Speedway before we all got to test there earlier this year. Those laps are going to be useful to help me get up to speed quicker than tracks I haven’t raced at before. I think it should be a good race.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Brian Pattie

Brian Pattie returns to the top of the No. 7 pit box, an entry that will see a plethora of all-star caliber drivers behind the wheel throughout the 2025 season.
The Zephyrhills, Fla., native has called one event at the historic Richmond County oval, a 15th-place finish in November 2002 with David Reutimann in the NACAR Xfinity Series.
The 24-year veteran spent 14 seasons in NASCAR’s premier division. As a crew chief, he has earned six wins in Cup Series competition and 11 in the Xfinity Series. He stands as one of 11 crew chiefs to win races across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.
Earlier this season, the No. 7 team defended its 2024 victory in the Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Kyle Busch behind the wheel. The Las Vegas driver spent all 135 laps in the top 15 while leading a race-high 80 laps and recording a field-leading average running position (3.2) and driver rating (124.6).

Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Silverado in Friday afternoon’s Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway.
The 22-year-old will make his first trip to Rockingham Speedway this Friday. The last time the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competed at the historic venue in 2013, Caruth was 10 years old and only 20 months old when the Cup Series made their last trip to “The Rock.”
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Last week at Bristol Motor Speedway, Caruth rebounded from a mid-race spin to take the lead. He paced the field for a career-high 85 laps before the team was forced to pit during a caution with 22 laps remaining for fuel. He utilized the fresh tires to drive through the field and collect a ninth-place finish.
After starting the season with back-to-back finishes outside the top 25 due to incidents, Caruth has rebounded with three top-10 finishes in the last four races.
The 2024 season marked a career year for Caruth where he tallied one win, a pair of Cometic Gasket Pole Awards and five top-five finishes, all of which were the first of his young career. The 12 top-10 finishes on the season tripled Caruth’s total of four in 2023, while his average starting position of 10.7 was four positions higher than 2023 and his 11.6 average finish was an impressive seven positions higher.
With his first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win last season, Caruth became the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
Caruth and the No. 71 team qualified for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs in 2024, the first such appearance for the former Washington, D.C., resident. Despite reaching the Round of 8, mechanical issues stalled his championship bid in the season’s penultimate event at Martinsville Speedway.
Caruth will be behind the wheel of Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-084. He piloted the truck in its most recent of three appearances last month at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Rajah Caruth Quotes
Rockingham Speedway has a deep history. What does it mean to be able to race on the hollowed grounds in Richmond County?
“I think it will be really cool to race at ‘The Rock.’ Personally, the last time I saw anything there was the Truck and K&N Series events in 2012-13. I have no real recollection of anything else there, aside from what I’ve read in my NASCAR Encyclopedia and watching highlights from the 2004 Cup Series race. While I don’t have a connection to the track, I’m a student of the sport and a fan of its history. It just makes it that much cooler to get the opportunity to race there. Hopefully I can add my name to the list of winners at Rockingham.”

You took part in the organizational test in January. What did you learn to help you heading into the weekend?
“I think the test in January was a valuable tool. I got some time to work with my new group, expose myself to the rule changes and gain some data points and information on what we needed to work on in the simulator. It was significantly colder than it will be this weekend, which will be a factor of some sort. The track will have a lot of grip, and hopefully it has worn out a little bit since the test so we can move around and use some lines.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion

Veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion calls the shots for Rajah Caruth and the No. 71 team in 2025.
The 52-year-old has called one race at Rockingham, a runner-up finish with Martin Truex, Jr., in the 2004 Xfinity Series race. The event marked the last for the series at the venue prior to this weekend’s festivities.
Manion, a 31-year veteran of the sport, founded Spire Motorsports’ CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program alongside industry veteran Mike Greci in 2022. The team claimed their first victory in their second outing with William Byron behind the wheel at Martinsville Speedway.
The veteran crew chief has racked up six Cup Series victories – including the 2010 Daytona 500 – 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series triumphs and 11 CRAFTSMAN Truck series wins. Manion is also one of 11 crew chiefs to have called wins across all three of NASCAR’s national touring series.
In 2023, Manion became one of few to call a race in all three of NASCAR’s national series in a single season, all of which came under the Spire Motorsports banner. He led the part-time effort on the No. 7 Silverado in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, helped in limited starts for Carson Hocevar in the Xfinity Series and took the reigns during the second half of the Cup Series season for Ty Dillon and the No. 77 team.

Andres Perez de Lara – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

Andres Perez de Lara will pilot the No. 77 Telcel Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports in the Black’s Tire 200 at Rockingham Speedway.
Last time out at Bristol Motor Speedway, Perez de Lara spent a majority of the event in the top 15 until contact initiated by another competitor dealt front-end damage to his Silverado. After the team made adequate repairs, the rookie driver crossed the line in the 19th position.
Perez de Lara had just turned eight-years old when the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series last raced at “The Rock” in 2013, and was yet to be born when the NASCAR Cup Series made their final visit to the historic North Carolina oval.
Like nearly all drivers competing in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race this weekend, the Mexico City native will make his first appearance at Rockingham Speedway. During his time in the ARCA Menards Series, he made starts at venues of a similar speed and shape including Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway another mile-long high-banked oval. The 20-year-old picked up a fifth-place finish with the series at the “Monster Mile” in 2024.
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Perez de Lara has made eight CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts, seven of which were behind the wheel of a Spire Motorsports Silverado. He earned his first-career top 10 in his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut last June at World Wide Technology Raceway via a ninth-place result. His career-best seventh-place finish last month at Martinsville Speedway marked his second top 10 in the series.
Perez de Lara is in pursuit of Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors in 2025 and sits second in the standings for the award, 31 points behind leader Gio Ruggiero.
The 2024 ARCA champion juggled his duties while also competing full time in the NASCAR Mexico Series. In 2023, he earned the Rookie of the Year award while finishing fourth in the division’s championship point standings and reaching the series’ version of the NASCAR playoffs. His lone win in the series came at Ovalo Aguascalientes, a 0.875-mile oval.
Perez de Lara will pilot Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-082 on Friday. He drove the truck in its most recent appearance earlier this year at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Rajah Caruth sat in the chassis on three occasions in 2024, collecting a pair of top 10s.

Andres Perez de Lara Quotes
What are your thoughts heading into Rockingham?
“I am feeling confident about this weekend. I enjoyed running the track when we tested there in January. We ran a lot of laps at the test and we got our Silverado where I like it. Having track time at a place as tricky as Rockingham is key for me, and will only help me this weekend. I’m also confident this weekend because we will be on the same playing field as everyone else. Most of the drivers haven’t raced at Rockingham, like me. This is the first time this year that I can say that. I hope the fans show up for the race because Rockingham is a great track.”

You are a quarter of the way through your rookie year. How do you feel the year has gone up to this point?
“Jumping into the truck this has been a great learning experience. I feel like we have had speed but are yet to put a full race together. I know when we put a full race together and get a good result. Hopefully Rockingham will be the race everything will come together and we can start building momentum. I am proud of our No. 77 team and all the work they have put in this year.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Chad Walter

Crew chief Chad Walter will be atop the box for Andres Perez de Lara and the No. 77 team in 2025.
While he hasn’t called a race at “The Rock,” Walter was part of the No. 1 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. pit crew that propelled Steve Park to Cup Series Victory Lane at the facility in February 2001. The triumph came one week after the tragic passing of team-owner Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Between NASCAR’s Xfinity Series and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, the Albion, N.Y. native has racked up six wins, 52 top fives and 130 top 10s.

About Spire Motorsports …
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 (Fla.) 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 (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on March 21, 2025, when Kyle Larson took the checkered flag in the Baptist Health 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team will also field the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.