Spire Motorsports Darlington Truck Series preview highlights the team‘s pursuit of a breakthrough performance at Darlington Raceway, showcasing their lineup of experienced drivers ready to challenge the field in the upcoming Sober or Slammer 200, set for August 30. Mooresville-based Spire Motorsports, fielding the Nos. 7, 71, and 77 Chevrolet entries, brings fresh energy and a mix of accomplished talent aiming for success at the historic South Carolina track as the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs commence.
Team Overview and Darlington Track Record
In their four previous Truck Series appearances at Darlington Raceway, Spire Motorsports has managed a single top-10 result. Chase Purdy delivered the team‘s best Truck Series finish, coming home sixth at the uniquely-shaped 1.366-mile oval in May of the past season. With a full-time effort across three Chevrolet entries, Spire Motorsports is rotating an all-star group of drivers in the No. 7 truck, while young up-and-comer Rajah Caruth and Cup Series regular Corey LaJoie lead the charge in the No. 71 and No. 77, respectively. The Sober or Slammer 200 will air live on FS1 at noon EDT, bringing significant attention as the playoff opener is also broadcast over the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
The No. 7 Crew and Driver Spotlight: Corey Day
Corey Day, racing the No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado, brings momentum into Darlington. The Clovis, California driver is making his twelfth Truck Series start and eighth with Spire. After securing a career-best runner-up at Indianapolis Raceway Park last month and a fifth-place result at Nashville Superspeedway, Day has established himself as a competitive presence. He earned his first Kennametal Pole Award earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, further punctuating his versatility.
With experience in the NASCAR Xfinity Series—five starts and an 11th-place finish at Nashville—Day has shown adaptability across NASCAR’s ladder. In the ARCA Menards Series, he has rebounded from a slow start at Daytona by earning top-10s at both Phoenix and Sonoma. He will conclude his Truck Series schedule with Spire in two weeks at Bristol Motor Speedway, with one more ARCA appearance at Kansas Speedway later in the year.
Recently, the 19-year-old open-wheel phenom celebrated a major victory in the Gold Cup Race of Champions at Silver Dollar Speedway, securing $100,071 and the pole position. Day will run chassis SMT-083 this weekend, a truck he previously raced to a top-five at Nashville and a pole at Las Vegas.
I am definitely excited to get to Darlington [Raceway] coming off a couple pretty good runs in the Truck. I hope to continue the momentum at a place that seems to lend itself for dirt guys to be successful there. Definitely excited about that. I know Spire Motorsports will prepare a solid HendrickCars.com Chevy Silverado for this weekend. One of the key factors will be how quick I can get up to speed at and adapt.
—Corey Day, Driver, No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado
Day will benefit from crew chief Brian Pattie‘s extensive experience atop the pit box. Pattie guided the No. 7 team to the Truck Series owner’s playoffs, sitting seventh in points and two above the round cutoff. The team’s performance includes two victories, six top-fives, and eight top-10s in the regular season.
Pattie previously led William Byron to a fourth-place finish at Darlington and holds a unique record of having wins as a crew chief in all three of NASCAR‘s top touring series, including races called for Joe Nemechek and Juan Pablo Montoya at Darlington in Xfinity and Cup, respectively. This legacy, paired with recent wins for drivers like Carson Hocevar and Kyle Busch, demonstrates the team‘s ability to compete at a high level.
Rajah Caruth Chases Playoff Success in the No. 71
Rajah Caruth heads into the Sober or Slammer 200 behind the wheel of the No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado, aiming to strengthen his playoff run. This weekend, the team participates in the Honor a Cancer Hero Campaign, with Susan Mummert and Fannie Prince honored on the truck’s side rails.
Mummert endured ovarian cancer treatment after moving to South Carolina in 2017, overcoming significant adversity to become a cancer survivor and advocate for awareness and patient education. Prince, a breast cancer survivor, maintained optimism and drew strength from family during her battle. Their names and stories ride with Caruth at Darlington, offering extra inspiration as the playoffs begin.
Caruth is entering his second consecutive Truck Series playoff appearance, courtesy of a win at Nashville. Seated eighth in the playoff standings by a narrow margin, he brings previous Darlington experience, having finished a career-best sixth in his track debut before an incident derailed last season’s run. He also has an Xfinity Series start here, finishing 16th in 2023.
His season totals include a win, three top-fives, and nine top-10 finishes, leading 189 laps and far surpassing his previous career totals. Caruth’s playoff push last year saw advancement to the Round of 8, though mechanical issues ended their drive for the championship at Martinsville.
Beyond the statistics, Caruth made history as only the third African-American to secure a victory in NASCAR’s national touring series, joining Hall of Famer Wendell Scott and current Cup competitor Bubba Wallace. He will pilot chassis SMT-080, which has been competitive throughout the season, especially during a podium finish at Texas.
I like the excitement. It is cool to kick things off at Darlington and be in sync with the Cup guys. I’m just excited for the opportunity to be able to perform, and do so when it matters most. I’ve learned a lot over the last couple years, and I think it builds up to this opportunity and this final stretch of seven races. I’ve been close at Darlington the last two years, specifically in 2023. I don’t expect anything different. If anything, I expect to be running up front instead of third. Hopefully we have a good practice and qualifying session on Friday to help us start fast Saturday.
—Rajah Caruth, Driver, No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado
I think Darlington is a place that suits my driving style for how worn out it is and reflects the high speeds of a mile-and-a-half. The pavement reflects places like Myrtle Beach (Speedway), Florence (Motor Speedway), Richmond (Raceway) and Southern National (Motorsports Park). Those are places I raced early in my career. Darlington just clicked for me the first time I raced there. I’m excited to get out there this weekend and hopefully we can lock our No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado into the Round of 8.
—Rajah Caruth, Driver, No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado
Strategic leadership comes from veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion. With five Truck Series races called at Darlington—including a pole and second-place finish with Nick Sanchez last year—Manion boasts an impressive resume with six Cup victories (featuring the 2010 Daytona 500), 17 Xfinity wins, and a dozen in this series. Manion’s partnership with Spire Motorsports began in 2022, laying the foundation for the organization’s competitive Truck program. He has experience calling races across all three major NASCAR divisions in a single year, guiding Spire efforts with various drivers like William Byron, Carson Hocevar, and Ty Dillon.
Corey LaJoie Pursues More Top Finishes with No. 77
Corey LaJoie returns to Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado, seeking more strong results during the playoffs. This event marks his eighth career Truck Series start and third this season with Spire. LaJoie has already delivered two fifth-place finishes in 2025 and looks to build on his 16th place result in last year’s Darlington start.
The veteran driver, hailing from Concord, North Carolina, made steady gains in the field, highlighted by his performance at Richmond Raceway, where crew chief Chad Walter’s pit strategy led the No. 77 team to fifth from a 26th-place starting spot. LaJoie is no stranger to Darlington; he has 14 Cup Series starts here and captured a strong ninth-place finish in the 2023 Southern 500 while piloting the No. 7 Chili’s Chevrolet.
LaJoie’s ties to South Carolina’s racing scene are deep. He won the 2012 ARCA Menards Series East event at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and owns multiple top-fives and a pole at the half-mile track. Additionally, he bested notable competition in a UARA STARS Late Model event at Myrtle Beach Speedway, defeating names like Bubba Wallace and Matt McCall. For Darlington, LaJoie will drive chassis SMT-088, which previously earned a ninth-place finish with Andres Perez de Lara at Michigan earlier in the season.
It is really cool to be two-for-two in top fives in my Spire Motorsports reunion, including my least favorite track, Richmond. We looked really good preparing in the simulator for Darlington, and Chad (Walter, crew chief) and the whole No. 77 team has been working really hard to build us a fast Gainbridge Silverado. I really enjoy racing at Darlington with how much history it holds. I have so many great memories there as a kid watching my dad race. As we finish off the year, I would hate to think we can’t go win a couple of these last seven races.
—Corey LaJoie, Driver, No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado
Crew chief Chad Walter brings five Darlington Truck Series races worth of experience and guided Rajah Caruth to a sixth-place finish here in 2023. Walter’s history includes extensive success in the Xfinity and Truck Series, with 53 top-five and 132 top-10 finishes, alongside six victories. Early in his career, he was a pit crew member for Steve Park during a memorable 2001 Cup Series event at Darlington, reinforcing his long-standing relationship with the historic track. Walter’s broad background includes collaborations with Spire’s own Bono Manion and a significant track record with drivers in both Xfinity and Truck Series competition.
Key Players and Historic Comparisons
The Spire Motorsports Darlington Truck Series preview is further enriched by historical context. The team’s alumni and key figures, such as William Byron, Kyle Busch, Carson Hocevar, and Juan Pablo Montoya, bring winning pedigree and diverse backgrounds, emphasizing the organization’s competitive evolution. With Mike Greci helping to establish the program and leadership from crew chiefs Brian Pattie, Kevin Manion, and Chad Walter, Spire draws upon collective decades of experience and past successes at Darlington, in the Truck, Xfinity, and Cup Series.
The team’s involvement in community initiatives—including the Honor a Cancer Hero Campaign—reflects a broader commitment beyond the race results, highlighting the personal stories of Susan Mummert and Fannie Prince. These narratives connect Spire’s racing ambitions with a sense of purpose that resonates with fans and the NASCAR community.
What’s at Stake This Weekend
With the Truck Series playoffs ramping up at Darlington, every performance carries weight. Spire Motorsports’ teams are positioned near key playoff cutoffs, amplifying the importance of each point and finish. Corey Day’s adaptability, Rajah Caruth’s bid for Round of 8 progression, and Corey LaJoie’s quest for continued top-five momentum will be central to the organization’s fortunes.
Historic results at Darlington—from top-fives secured by William Byron and Nick Sanchez to hard-fought drives by LaJoie and Hocevar—suggest that Spire’s combined group of drivers and crew chiefs can leverage specialized experience at this challenging circuit.
The Sober or Slammer 200 stands not only as a test of speed and strategy, but also as a chance for Spire Motorsports to elevate its presence in one of NASCAR’s most demanding environments. The upcoming weekend will reveal if their energetic, focused approach produces the breakthrough that the Spire Motorsports Darlington Truck Series preview promises.
