Spire Motorsports heads into the upcoming NASCAR Truck Series faceoff at Bristol Motor Speedway with optimism, building on their notable record at the iconic venue. As they prepare their Nos. 7, 71, and 77 Chevrolets for the intense competition, the team is focused on extending their success at the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” in the UNOH 200 presented by Ohio Logistics, a pivotal race in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs. The event airs live on FS1 on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 8 p.m. EDT, with major implications for the team’s playoff hopes and championship aspirations.
History of Resilience: Spire Motorsports’ Bristol Performances
Across 12 previous NASCAR Truck Series races at Bristol, Spire Motorsports has achieved three top-five and six top-10 finishes. Standout moments include Kyle Busch’s runner-up drive in March 2024 and Kyle Larson’s second-place finish in April 2025, both setting the team’s benchmark at this famous short track in Tennessee. The Mooresville-based outfit operates three full-time Chevrolet entries, with a flexible driver lineup in the No. 7, Rajah Caruth committed to the No. 71, and seasoned NASCAR Cup competitor Corey LaJoie in the No. 77.
This year, the team’s competitive depth is on display, having qualified the No. 7 entry for the owner’s playoffs and currently ranking seventh, 11 points clear of a spot in the Round of 8. After 19 races, the No. 7 squad boasts two wins, six top fives, and nine top-10 finishes, underscoring their consistency and ability to perform against the best in the series.
Corey Day Returns to Familiar Ground in the No. 7 Silverado
Corey Day will strap into Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado, bringing both experience and momentum as he makes his third Truck Series start at Bristol. The 19-year-old from Clovis, California previously competed in both the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and ARCA Menards Series at Bristol last September, finishing 18th in his Truck debut on the same day he earned his first ARCA Series top-10 with a seventh-place run. In the Truck Series’ April stop at this legendary venue, Day raced in the top 10 during the first two stages and ultimately placed 15th, matching his career high to that point.
His campaign with Spire Motorsports has seen steady progress. In eight starts, Day secured a pole position at Las Vegas, added two top-fives and three top-10s, and set a personal best with a runner-up finish at Indianapolis Raceway Park in July—a performance that followed his earlier fifth place at Nashville Superspeedway. Most recently, he overcame adversity at Darlington to notch his third consecutive Truck Series top-10, demonstrating resilience that will be crucial at Bristol. As a Hendrick Motorsports development driver, Day also balances Xfinity Series duties, tackling the Food City 300 for Hendrick’s No. 17 Chevrolet later in the Bristol race weekend. Just last weekend, he captured a career-best Xfinity Series finish—ninth—at World Wide Technology Raceway.
Day’s versatility extends to the ARCA Menards Series, where he rebounded from a challenging start at Daytona with top-10 results at Phoenix and Sonoma. His final ARCA event with Spire comes at Kansas Speedway on September 26. For Thursday’s race, Day will pilot the SMT-082 chassis, a truck recently used by Rajah Caruth for two 2024 playoff top-10 results, showcasing the team’s technical strength. Day’s focus and familiarity with Bristol’s challenging oval give Spire Motorsports a confident outlook as the Truck Series playoffs ramp up.
“Super excited to get to Bristol – I’ve raced there twice now so I feel pretty comfortable going back there and know what to do. This is the first track I’ve been back to since racing on the pavement. Definitely a good feeling knowing that I have a lot of laps there. The truck was good there last time. Should be a good weekend, just got to execute qualifying in both the Truck and the Xfinity car.”
—Corey Day, Driver
Experienced Guidance from Crew Chief Brian Pattie
Pivotal to the No. 7 team’s playoff push is crew chief Brian Pattie, who brings deep experience atop the pit box. Pattie has worked with an impressive roster of talent and has directed four Truck Series races on Bristol’s concrete, notably scoring a runner-up result with Kyle Busch in spring 2024 and overseeing a third-place finish for William Byron on the dirt in 2023. His NASCAR Cup Series background is substantial—28 races called at Bristol yielding three top fives and eight top-10s. In the inaugural Cup Series Food City Dirt Race, Pattie guided Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to a strong second-place finish, highlighted by an event-leading number of quality passes.
In May, Pattie helped steer Carson Hocevar to victory at Kansas, and in February, the team repeated its Atlanta Motor Speedway triumph with Kyle Busch leading the charge. Pattie’s elite experience includes 14 years in the Cup Series garage and wins across all three of NASCAR’s premier divisions—six in Cup, 11 Xfinity triumphs, and seven Truck Series wins—making him one of only 11 crew chiefs with victories at every national touring level.
Rajah Caruth Seeks Repeat Success in the No. 71 Entry
Rajah Caruth continues to solidify his reputation in the Spire Motorsports No. 71, heading into the UNOH 200 at Bristol after securing his second consecutive Truck Series playoff berth with a victory at Nashville Superspeedway. Sitting seventh in the playoff hunt and four points above the elimination line, Caruth brings valuable experience to the fast, high-banked oval, making his sixth Truck Series start at Bristol.
His stats at Bristol include one top-five, four top-10s, a stage victory, and a career total of 94 laps led on the Bristol concrete. Last April, after a mid-race spin, Caruth recaptured the lead during a stage break and led for a career-high 85 laps, eventually rallying from a late pit stop for a ninth-place finish. In last September’s UNOH 200, he started strong from third, earned a stage win, and led laps—climbing from outside playoff contention to a sizable points cushion by race end.
Caruth’s 2025 season features one win, three top-fives, and nine top-10s, with 189 laps led—more than tripling his total entering the year. A member of a select group, Caruth became the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race when he triumphed at Las Vegas last season, honoring a legacy that includes Wendell Scott and current Cup star Bubba Wallace. Caruth’s blue-and-white HendrickCars.com entry utilizes the SMT-078 chassis, which he piloted to Nashville victory lane. The truck, previously successful with Nick Sanchez at Charlotte, is a proven performer for high-pressure playoff scenarios.
“I remember we qualified well and just ran our race. We were in the top three pretty much all night long, won a stage, and led some laps. We just didn’t make a mistake and kept ourselves up there through the end. That is all you can ask for. We did that last week as well. We didn’t really have the track position to get up to the front, so we just took what the track gave us and let everyone around us make mistakes. We just need to do more of that and the points should shake out in our favor.”
—Rajah Caruth, Driver
“Honestly, I might cry. If I had to pick one track in the playoffs to go win at, I’d pick Bristol. That place is just so cool, and it would be very special to be on the list of winners. To clinch a spot in the Round of 8, it would make it mean even more. It would be a relief to put our focus on the next round. We are still racing for the big picture, and getting to Phoenix and competing for a championship on Halloween night.”
—Rajah Caruth, Driver
Crew Chief Kevin Manion Brings Championship Pedigree to the No. 71 Team
Guiding Caruth’s playoff ambitions is Kevin “Bono” Manion, a veteran who has called 11 Truck Series events at Bristol, including three top-10s and one top-five finish. Manion’s NASCAR resume is highlighted by achievements like leading Jamie McMurray to two top-fives in Cup action at Bristol in 2010 and 2011, and mentoring Martin Truex Jr. to Xfinity Series victory at this track in 2004. Celebrating more than 30 years in the sport, Manion helped launch Spire Motorsports’ Truck Series program in 2022 with immediate success—William Byron scored a maiden victory for the team in just its second start.
Manion’s career tally includes six Cup Series wins, 17 in Xfinity, and a dozen triumphs in the Truck Series, firmly establishing him among a handful of crew chiefs who have won across all three NASCAR national divisions. In a landmark 2023 season, Manion managed races in each series for Spire Motorsports, including Xfinity and part-time Cup duties, highlighting his adaptability and leadership in high-stakes scenarios.
Corey LaJoie Takes Wheel of No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet
Veteran racer Corey LaJoie will take on the UNOH 200 behind the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado. This marks LaJoie’s ninth Truck Series appearance and his fourth of the season with Spire, following a pair of fifth-place results in his previous 2025 starts. At Darlington, LaJoie was a consistent frontrunner through the opening two stages, gathering stage points before a penalty in the closing laps relegated him to 20th place. The 33-year-old driver’s history at Bristol spans multiple series and configurations, with a Truck Series top-10 from 2014 and Xfinity and Cup Series experience at the half-mile coliseum.
He also boasts starts in the UARA STARS Late Model, Whelen Modified Tour, ARCA Menards Series East, and a 604 Late Model feature at the Bristol Dirt Nationals, underscoring his adaptability across a range of machinery. In the NASCAR Cup Series, LaJoie has 14 Bristol appearances, including a best finish of 15th in 2022. For his latest Truck Series run, LaJoie will drive the SMT-079 chassis—a machine that previously captured two pole awards at Kansas and a strong result at Pocono with Chase Purdy.
Gainbridge, an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 based in Zionsville, Indiana, continues its partnership with Spire, offering financial products designed for accessibility and transparency.
“Obviously, the history involved makes it a cool place to race. It is the pinnacle of short track racing and such a demanding place to race both physically and mentally. I’m excited to get after it with our Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado and hopefully put ourselves in position for a strong run.”
—Corey LaJoie, Driver
Looking Ahead: Spire Motorsports’ Playoff Ambitions
With three competitive drivers—Corey Day, Rajah Caruth, and Corey LaJoie—taking on Bristol, Spire Motorsports demonstrates depth and determination in a season-defining playoff battle. The team’s mix of youthful enthusiasm and veteran savvy, guided by experienced crew chiefs like Brian Pattie and Kevin Manion, positions them as legitimate contenders as the NASCAR Truck Series playoffs unfold. Recent successes at venues such as Indianapolis, Kansas, Nashville, and Atlanta further reinforce Spire’s ability to perform on major stages and under pressure.
Bristol’s notoriously tight, high-speed racing challenges every competitor, but Spire’s record of adaptability and resilience points to a promising outing. As the playoffs intensify, the organization’s focus remains clear: secure top finishes, defend their standing above the cutline, and push for a championship run as the series approaches its climax at Phoenix on Halloween night. Fans and industry watchers alike will have eyes on Spire Motorsports, whose performances at Bristol could shape the trajectory of their postseason campaign.
