The Victoria’s Voice Foundation presented by Westgate Resorts will mark the first time Spire Motorsports will field a NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) entry at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (LVMS).
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 Victoria’s Voice 200 presented by Westgate Resorts from Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Friday, March 1, beginning at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The third 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, the defending winner of the Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200, will make his second of five starts for Spire Motorsports Friday night at LVMS. The Las Vegas native led a race-high 84 laps en route to his fourth career NCTS victory at the 1.5-mile tri-oval. Additionally, Busch has one Cup Series win and two NASCAR Xfinity Series triumphs at LVMS.
- The 38-year-old driver opened his 2024 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series campaign last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway by picking up his series-record extending 65th career victory in his Spire Motorsports debut. It was his first NCTS victory for a team other than his own since Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) originated in 2010.
- KBM collected a series’ record 100 wins, seven owner’s championships and two driver’s championships (Erik Jones 2015 and Christopher Bell 2017), before selling its assets to Spire Motorsports at the end of the 2023 season.
- Busch will get behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet for three additional races in 2024: Bristol Motor Speedway (3/16), Texas Motor Speedway (4/12) and Darlington Raceway (5/10).
- Group 1001 will serve as the primary sponsor on Busch’s Chevy 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. As of September 30, 2023, Group 1001 had combined assets under management of $59.8 billion. It 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, Busch also leads the series all-time with an average finish of 6.4 and ranks second in laps led (7,820).
- “Rowdy” has won 38 percent (65/171) of the Truck Series races he has entered going into the 2024 season and has finished first or second in 57.3 percent (98/171). Over his last 32 NCTS starts, he has posted an average finish of 3.03, while registering 17 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 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.
- The No. 7 Silverado, which competed in 11 NCTS events in 2023, graduated to a full time-effort in 2024 with multiple drivers competing for an owner’s championship. Veteran crew chief Brian Pattie leads the team. Details regarding the rest of the No. 7 team’s driver lineup are forthcoming.
- All three of Spire’s NCTS wins have been registered by the No. 7 team. In addition to Busch’s win last weekend, William Byron collected the organization’s first-ever Truck Series win at Martinsville Speedway in April of 2022 and Kyle Larson was victorious last May at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
Kyle Busch Quotes
Coming off a win last weekend at Atlanta, what’s your outlook heading into Friday night’s race at Las Vegas?
“It’s always cool to be able to run in multiple series going back to my hometown track and having multiple shots to get to Victory Lane. Last year at KBM, the Las Vegas race was probably the best truck, handling-wise, that we had all year, so I’m confident that (Brian) Pattie and my team will be unloading another really fast Group 1001 Chevy Silverado Friday night. It’ll be a brand-new truck, so I’m sure after having a year of being in the Truck Series under his belt he has observed and learned a lot that he’s put into making this newest piece even faster than what we had last year. Obviously, my goal every year in the Truck Series is to go five-for-five with the races that I can run. You can’t be perfect if you don’t win the first one, so we’ve got that one under our belts, now it’s on to the next one,”
Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
- Rajah Caruth will make his second NCTS start at LVMS in Friday’s Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200 where HENDRICKCARS.COM will be featured as the No. 71 team’s primary sponsor for the third consecutive week.
- HENDRICKCARS.COM has extended its partnership of Caruth and Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 NCTS team to include the entire calendar of races on the 2024 schedule.
- 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 Washington D.C. native opened the season with a third-place finish at Daytona International Speedway and backed it up with an eighth-place showing last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
- Caruth will be answering questions about his season in the LVMS Media Center Friday, March 1, at 1 p.m. local time.
- Race fans can meet the 21-year-old on Friday at 3:30 p.m. while he signs autographs in the LVMS neon garage.
- The rising star has one prior NCTS start and three NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval and looks to better his venue-best 20th-place effort in Friday night’s 200-miler.
Rajah Caruth Quotes
A top five and a top 10 to start the year. How do you keep the momentum going into Las Vegas?
“I don’t think we will do anything different, necessarily. I think we’ve had a solid start and we’ve got good chemistry flowing so we won’t change any of the ingredients. We’ll just adjust the process to a different racetrack but otherwise we keep doing the same things the same way and adjust accordingly. So, there’s no reason why we can’t go to Vegas and do a little bit better than what we’ve done so far this year.”
You mentioned how it’s a different racetrack, and you’ve had two superspeedways to begin the year. How do you feel heading into Vegas with a different track setup?
“I feel prepared. I know there’s a lot of things out of my control but honestly, I’m relieved to get out of two of the wildcard races so far with having a solid amount of points and being in a good position. Going into Vegas, the Spire Motorsports equipment is really good. You’ll see it on the racetrack this weekend.”
As the season progresses, are there any upcoming tracks that you’re particularly excited about or anticipate will be especially challenging?
“I think each one probably for different reasons. I think about the tracks where I had speed last year and then I think about the tracks where I needed to be a little bit better. Overall, I’m just excited to go racing with my team every week. I know we’re going to elevate each other.”
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 Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200.
- Purdy comes into Round 3 of the 2024 NCTS campaign 21st in points.
- In five NCTS starts at LVMS, Purdy has earned an average starting position of 15.6 and a 17th-place average finish. The Meridian, Miss., driver has completed a total of 667 of 670 laps (99.6 percent) contested over that stretch.
- Purdy started third and finished eighth in last season’s Victoria’s Voice Foundation 200.
- Last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Purdy started ninth, raced inside the top-10 for most of the event, but ultimately came home 15th after battling an ill-handling Chevrolet Silverado in the late stages of the race.
- Purdy’s crew chief Jason Trinchere is looking to capitalize on his previous NASCAR Xfinity Series success at LVMS. In six previous Xfinity Series races, leading the effort for Kaulig Racing, Trinchere has called one win and six top-10 finishes with four different drivers. The Penn State University graduate led A.J. Allmendinger to the checkered flag in the 2021 Alsco Uniforms 300.
Chase Purdy Quotes
Las Vegas Motor Speedway presents a very different style of racing than Daytona and Atlanta. How do you prepare differently for a more traditional intermediate track?
“Going to Vegas is going to be a test for everyone. It’s the first non-speedway track, so I’m excited to get there and see how everything plays out. I love this track and have run well there in the past, so hopefully we can have a solid showing on Friday night.”
You’ve run well during the races but haven’t had the finishes to show it. How do you stay confident knowing that you can run well?
“I think the biggest thing is focusing on what I can control. I know that I have the ability, tools, and the right people around me. I will just stay working at it, doing the best I can. The stars will align for our team soon if we keep putting in the work.”
How do you rate your Atlanta race?
“I’d say my race at Atlanta was eventful. We started the weekend on a positive note with our qualifying effort, but we struggled during the race. My team really worked hard to fix the balance, so we’ll take the positives and use those to our advantage in Las Vegas.”
From the Top of the Box
Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado
- Brian Pattie comes to Spire Motorsports from Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM), where he earned two victories last year, both with team owner-driver 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.
- Pattie’s lone start at Las Vegas in the Truck Series resulted in a win with Busch in last year’s event.
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.
