Spire Motorsports looks to build on its strong history in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series as it heads to Richmond Raceway for the eero 250, the last race of the regular season, determined to secure a place in the playoffs. The team, known for its consistent performance and the depth of its driving roster, features Sammy Smith, Rajah Caruth, and Corey LaJoie, with each bringing impressive statistics and unique experiences to this pivotal event. As the race approaches, the Spire Motorsports Richmond Truck Series preview highlights the strengths of its lineup and their track record, creating high expectations for Friday night at the iconic Virginia short track.
With live coverage set for FS1 at 7:30 p.m. EDT on Friday, August 15, fans will see Rajah Caruth, Sammy Smith, and Corey LaJoie taking the wheel for the Nos. 71, 7, and 77 Chevrolet Silverados, each with ambitions to strengthen their campaign before the playoffs begin. Team strategies, recent results, and the pressure of the playoff cutoff amplify the energy and passion of the Spire efforts as they go head-to-head with the field in Richmond.
Sammy Smith Returns After Strong Run, Gears Up for Richmond
Sammy Smith will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Pilot Travel Centers Chevrolet Silverado at Richmond this Friday, entering the race on the heels of an impressive sixth-place finish at Watkins Glen after qualifying third and rallying from a setback with the Armco barrier. Smith, a young but seasoned short track racer from Johnston, Iowa, has built a reputation for strong short track and late model performances, with successes including victories at the Winchester 400, the Red Bud 400, and the Florida Governor’s Cup, plus a notable ARCA CRA Super Series/Southern Super Series win at North Wilkesboro Speedway in August 2022.
The 21-year-old’s previous visits to Richmond have included two Xfinity Series starts, highlighted by a ninth-place finish, adding to his momentum and confidence. In the Truck Series, Smith brings a 9.7 average finish in his seven Spire starts, amassing one top-five and five top-10s, reflecting the skill and consistency he has developed. With experience across the ARCA Menards Series East, including back-to-back championships and a lightning-fast 1.7 average finish in 2022, Smith has established himself as a contender on any short track and earned three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins to date.
This Friday, the No. 7 truck will use Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-089—a machine with proven credentials, having powered Carson Hocevar to victory at Kansas Speedway and running up front at Pocono before a restart penalty ended a strong campaign. As the Truck Series points tighten before the playoffs, Smith’s recent form and the No. 7 team’s strong owner points position create an enthusiastic outlook for their Richmond chances.
“I’m looking forward to racing with the No. 7 team again this weekend. Richmond is a place where you have to be aggressive, but smart. We gained some momentum last week at Watkins Glen, rebounding from damage late in the race to finish sixth. We’ll take that and look to put together a great race.”
—Sammy Smith, Driver, No. 7 Pilot Travel Centers Chevrolet Silverado
Crew Leadership, Strategy, and Results for the No. 7 Team
The No. 7 entry benefits from crew chief Brian Pattie’s tactical direction. Pattie, from Zephyrhills, Florida, has an extensive NASCAR resume, including calling two previous Truck Series races at Richmond, with a high watermark of fifth-place with Matt Mills in 2023, and orchestrating a NASCAR Cup Series win with Clint Bowyer at the Virginia short track in 2012. Pattie leads a roster that has featured a mix of high-caliber drivers across the 2025 season.
Currently, the No. 7 team is fifth in owner points, thanks to two wins, six top-five results, and eight top-10s over seventeen races. Their postseason prospects remain strong—they are eighth on the playoff grid, maintaining a 22-point buffer above the cutoff. Team highlights on the year include Carson Hocevar’s commanding win in the Heart of Health Care 200 at Kansas and a dominant performance with Kyle Busch at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where the Las Vegas native led 80 laps and controlled the field.
Pattie’s career spans 14 seasons atop a NASCAR Cup Series pit box, earning six Cup victories, eleven in Xfinity, and seven in the Truck Series. He remains one of the select crew chiefs with wins in all three of NASCAR’s main touring series, offering steady guidance amid the playoff chase energy.
Rajah Caruth’s Homecoming: Drive and Dedication
Rajah Caruth, driving the No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado, returns to his home track on Friday, carrying memories and motivation after making his National Series debut at Richmond in 2022. Caruth’s Richmond history includes three Truck Series starts, with a team-best 17th last year, and his 2022 Xfinity Series debut at the venue after years of climbing the NASCAR ladder.
The Washington, D.C., native has already clinched his place in the playoffs with a convincing win at Nashville Superspeedway earlier this season, where his team executed a flawless final stop, giving him track position for the closing laps and allowing him to outpace Corey Heim and Layne Riggs down the stretch. Caruth’s 2025 campaign shows substantial progress: one win, three top-fives, nine top-10s, and 189 laps led over 17 races—more than tripling his previous laps led tally. His path mirrors a growing presence in NASCAR’s upper ranks, notably becoming the third African-American driver to win a National Touring Series event, following legends Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace with his Las Vegas triumph last season.
Richmond holds sentimental value for Caruth, as it is both the site of his first NASCAR race as a spectator and the place where he made his National Series debut. Local support and the backing of Events DC, the premier events organization in the nation’s capital, further energize his efforts at his home race, as does continued sponsorship from HendrickCars.com.
“It is great to return to Richmond. That is a really special place for me. Not only is it my home track, it is the place I saw my first NASCAR race and the site of my first national series start. Those are both memories I will cherish forever. So many people come out to support me that it is impossible to find time in the day to interact with every one of them. The volume of people that comes out is crazy. It is always good to get back to my roots.”
—Rajah Caruth, Driver, No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado
“Things are definitely starting to ramp up. I’m already in the mindset of taking things one race at a time, focusing on one track at a time and not looking too far down the line. Looking at last year, we left some points on the table that could have prevented us from moving on to the Round of 8, and eventually kept us out of the Championship 4. Overall, we are trying to limit the mistakes and be there at the end of the race. That allows you to maximize your points and have the possibility of snagging a win to automatically advance.”
—Rajah Caruth, Driver, No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado
“It is super special. To have both HendrickCars.com and Events DC support me in one weekend is really special. Without both of those companies, I would not be here right now. Events DC has done a Late Model race, an ARCA race and some Xfinity races for me. They sponsored some races with Alpha Prime a couple years back and Dover earlier this season. It is cool to represent ‘The District’ any time you have the chance. Hopefully we can get both HendrickCars.com and Events DC to Victory Lane on Friday.”
—Rajah Caruth, Driver, No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado
Expert Guidance from Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion
Kevin “Bono” Manion, veteran crew chief on the No. 71 pit box, brings more than three decades of motorsports experience and a successful track record at Richmond. Manion helped Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to a dominant victory at this track in 2002, and he has led teams to triumphs in all three NASCAR National Touring Series, including the historic Daytona 500. He co-founded Spire Motorsports’ Truck Series initiative alongside Mike Greci in 2022, building a foundation that quickly generated results, such as William Byron’s early victory at Martinsville.
Manion’s leadership has fueled a versatile approach to team development: in 2023 alone, he managed races across all three major NASCAR series, highlighting his adaptability and strategic expertise. His directions for Caruth and the No. 71 squad focus on limiting errors and maximizing points as they seek to avoid the pitfalls that ended last year’s playoff run at Martinsville. The team will rely on Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-084, which produced a fourth-place finish at Rockingham this spring, to carry their playoff hopes at Richmond.
Corey LaJoie Takes On Richmond in the No. 77 Silverado
Corey LaJoie, experienced in both the Cup and Truck Series, rounds out Spire Motorsports’ Richmond force as he steers the No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado. LaJoie has contested six Truck Series events, four with Spire, and earned his best series finish—fifth—after surviving three Overtime attempts at Michigan. Richmond is a familiar venue for LaJoie, with 14 Cup Series starts and a best finish of 21st in both 2021 and 2023, plus a solid ARCA Menards Series East record at the track featuring consecutive third-place runs.
The Concord, North Carolina driver’s career includes anchoring the Spire Cup Series program—he made 136 Cup starts with the organization, recording a career-best fourth in the 2024 Daytona 500. LaJoie has also won in Modifieds at Martinsville and in the ARCA Menards Series East at Langley and South Boston Speedways, building a résumé that illustrates short track acumen and perseverance. He was the runner-up in the 2012 ARCA East championship, narrowly missing out on the title after a season of five wins and over 380 laps led. After Richmond, LaJoie will continue in the No. 77 through the balance of the Truck Series season, remaining a central figure in Spire’s plans.
Gainbridge, an insurtech branch of Group 1001, returns as LaJoie’s sponsor and supports his efforts to achieve strong results at Richmond and beyond. For the eero 250, LaJoie will drive Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-091, which boasts two top-five finishes and a recent spell leading laps with LaJoie at Michigan, as well as a runner-up with William Byron at Kansas. The truck’s consistency reinforces expectations of another top performance in Virginia.
“Richmond is a challenging race track. It feels like you’re going 30 miles an hour around there. Your inputs have to be precise and tire conservation comes at a premium. Chad (Walter) and I have made some gains in the simulator, so we feel like we are prepared to have a good run Friday night.”
—Corey LaJoie, Driver, No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado
Playoff Cutoff Adds Urgency for Teams and Drivers
The eero 250 represents the Truck Series’ regular-season conclusion, raising the stakes for teams fighting to secure or improve their positions ahead of the postseason. For Spire Motorsports, the Richmond showdown is a chance to strengthen their presence in the playoff grid with both individual driver and owner points on the line. The recent successes of Smith, Caruth, and LaJoie embody the team’s drive, while crew chiefs like Brian Pattie and Kevin Manion implement strategies built upon decades at the sport’s highest levels.
Key entities such as NASCAR veterans Kyle Busch, William Byron, and Carson Hocevar, as well as organizations like HendrickCars.com, Pilot Travel Centers, Events DC, and Gainbridge, remain deeply integrated into the Spire effort and the larger competitive picture at Richmond. The team’s broad network of sponsors and supporters reflects the collaborative partnerships fueling their ambitions in both the Truck and Cup Series.
Richmond’s Legacy and What’s at Stake in the eero 250
Richmond Raceway, a staple of NASCAR’s short track tradition, is the site where playoff dreams can either be realized or dashed. For Spire Motorsports, its drivers, pit crews, and entire organization, the event offers an opportunity to showcase resilience, skill, and the relentless pursuit of victory at a critical juncture in the season. As the eero 250 unfolds, attention will remain fixed on who can execute under pressure and secure vital points on the way to the playoffs.
The team’s recent momentum, supported by industry veterans and young talent alike, positions Spire Motorsports as one of the groups most likely to feature prominently in the postseason conversation. Fans, contenders, and the broader NASCAR community will watch closely to see how the Spire Motorsports Richmond Truck Series preview unfolds, knowing that the outcome on Friday night could shape the rest of the year’s championship story.
