Spire Motorsports looks to capitalize on its history at Martinsville Speedway as it enters the highly anticipated Truck Series Slim Jim 200, aiming for another standout performance. The Spire Motorsports Martinsville Truck Series campaign features multiple entries and star drivers, with ambitions heightened by the playoff atmosphere and ongoing charitable efforts tied to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Spire Motorsports Sets Its Sights on Martinsville Success
Since debuting in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at Martinsville Speedway, Spire Motorsports has cemented itself as a formidable force, boasting one victory, three top-five finishes, and five top-10s across eleven starts. William Byron delivered the organization’s inaugural truck series win at the Virginia short track in April 2022, leading 94 laps in a dominant performance.
The Mooresville, N.C.-based team fields three full-time entries: the No. 7, 71, and 77 Chevrolets. For the remaining races this season, the No. 7 will be driven by a rotation of high-profile drivers, while Rajah Caruth continues with the No. 71 and Corey LaJoie handles the No. 77 entry. As a show of solidarity with those fighting breast cancer, Spire is swapping its trademark Ascent Yellow for Breast Cancer Pink throughout October, with special merchandise sales benefiting research and support initiatives. Stories of employees, friends, and family members impacted by breast cancer are also highlighted across the team’s social channels.
The pivotal Round of 8 event, the Slim Jim 200, takes place Friday, October 24, at 6 p.m. EDT, airing live on FS1, the NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The race represents not only a playoff elimination round but also the penultimate event of the Truck Series season, adding intensity for teams and drivers alike.
The Field: Spire’s Truck Stars Target Martinsville
Among Spire Motorsports’ trio of entries, each driver arrives at Martinsville with unique credentials and a shared goal of victory in one of NASCAR’s most storied venues.
Brenden Queen Leads the No. 7 Charge
Brenden Queen, fresh off an impressive ARCA Menards Series championship season, steps into the No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado for the Slim Jim 200. This marks Queen’s sixth Truck Series start and his second outing with Spire. His truck debut at North Wilkesboro last May saw him finish fourth—a career-best—while his Indianapolis Raceway Park run in July concluded in 16th after starting 14th. Outside the Truck Series, Queen is also set for double duty at Martinsville, piloting Kaulig Racing’s No. 11 Chevrolet in the Xfinity Series‘ IAA and Ritchie Bros. 250.
Queen’s 2025 ARCA Menards Series season was historic: he snagged eight pole awards, eight wins, 17 top-fives, 17 top-10s, and led 843 laps—the best in every major statistical category. He became only the second driver to secure both the championship and rookie honors in the same year and the first to win all three ARCA points-based titles within one season. His versatility shines with seven wins and 25 top-10s in 36 CARS Late Model Stock Car Tour starts and three straight Langley Speedway track championships from 2020 to 2022. Queen’s accomplishments at Martinsville are extensive, including eight main event appearances in the Valley Star Credit Union 300 and a best finish of seventh in 2013.
He’s also claimed victories at short-track showcases such as the South Carolina 400 at Florence Motor Speedway, the Window World 125 at North Wilkesboro, the Battle of the Stars at New River All-American Speedway, and the Thanksgiving All-Star Classic at Southern National Motorsports Park. The No. 7 truck that Queen will drive at Martinsville, chassis SMT-062, has a reputation for consistency, accumulating eight top-fives and a runner-up finish at its last appearance with Corey Day driving at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
“I’m super excited to work with someone like Brian Pattie (crew chief) this weekend. I’ve ran a bunch of Late Model Stock races there, but the grandfather clock (trophy) has eluded me. I feel like this may be one of my best shots to get one. I can’t thank everyone at Spire Motorsports enough for all their hard work, and Gainbridge for the opportunity.”
– Brenden Queen, Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports
Brian Pattie Brings Decades of Strategy to No. 7’s Effort
Crew chief Brian Pattie, an industry veteran with 14 seasons in NASCAR’s highest division, oversees Queen’s quest. Pattie has guided five Truck Series races at Martinsville, including a runner-up finish in 2023 with Kyle Busch. His extensive experience totals 29 Cup Series events at the track, resulting in five top-fives and ten top-10s, highlighted by a runner-up finish with Clint Bowyer in 2013. This season, Pattie’s No. 7 crew has accumulated two wins, eight top-fives, and eleven top-10s, including victories with both Carson Hocevar and Kyle Busch. The team’s season was punctuated by a win at Atlanta Motor Speedway with Busch, who led 80 laps, and at Kansas Speedway with Hocevar, who led 75 laps. Last weekend, the crew finished 13th at Talladega after running near the front much of the day.
Rajah Caruth Poised and Playoff-Bound with the No. 71
Rajah Caruth returns as Spire’s No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet pilot, firmly in the playoff hunt. The Washington, D.C., native earned his second Truck Series playoff entry after nabbing a victory at Nashville earlier in the season and currently sits second in playoff points, 14 above the cutoff as the Championship 4 looms. Last week at Talladega, Caruth’s No. 71 led the playoff field with 18 stage points and survived a challenging final stage to finish ninth. At the Charlotte ROVAL, he claimed fourth, pushing his team one point clear of the elimination threshold.
Caruth’s Martinsville resume features four Truck starts, including a seventh-place finish last spring and an eighth-place result in March after leading 17 laps and completing a series of quality passes within the top fifteen. His Xfinity Series efforts at the track have also been strong, delivering a pair of 12th-place finishes for Alpha Prime Racing.
This season, Caruth boasts one win, four top-fives, twelve top-10s, and 199 laps led through 23 races—almost quadruple his previous career total. His playoff journey last year was cut short at Martinsville by mechanical woes in a critical elimination race. Historic achievements already highlight his career: Caruth became the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR national touring series event when he triumphed at Las Vegas last season, joining icons Wendell Scott and Bubba Wallace. The No. 71 truck for Martinsville, chassis SMT-070, is proven, with three previous victories under Chandler Smith and a field-leading 9.1 average finish in 22 starts.
“Similar to Talladega, we have to treat it like a normal race. Obviously, the stakes are higher, but you can’t psych yourself out of it. I think my mindset in the Round of 8 has been good to keep it calm and focus on the big picture. Anything can happen and take you out of the game. If you can keep yourself in it and not self-sabotage your day, you will have the opportunity to capitalize on other’s misfortunes and gain points wherever you can find them. We are in a good spot, and I know there are six other drivers that would love to be in the position we are right now. Those 14 points can vanish quickly, so we have to be ready to go off the truck to preserve that point cushion.”
– Rajah Caruth, Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports
“Winning at Martinsville would be a magnificent and monumental win in my career for so many reasons. For starters, to punch a ticket to Phoenix with an exclamation point would help carry momentum into next week. Getting in on points is nothing to scoff at, but if you are able to capitalize and ride the wave of momentum on the short week with the long travel day, it could mean a lot heading into the finale. But, you can’t create any enemies to achieve that. We saw that last year with the No. 19, and it can negatively affect you when you are racing for the championship and you have a lot more to lose than they do. That win would mean so much and would be such a big deal.”
– Rajah Caruth, Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports
Crew Chief Kevin Manion Steers the No. 71 Team
Veteran crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion calls the shots for Caruth’s playoff push. Manion has 13 Truck Series starts at Martinsville on his résumé, with two wins, seven top-fives, and nine top-10s. He helped propel Zane Smith into the Championship 4 by claiming a must-win race in November 2021 and played a crucial role as Spire secured its first Truck Series win at Martinsville with William Byron in 2022. Manion’s storied career encompasses victories across all of NASCAR’s national touring series—six in Cup, seventeen in Xfinity, and twelve in Trucks. In 2023, he maintained a unique schedule, leading Spire’s trucks, guiding Carson Hocevar’s limited Xfinity Series starts, and handling Cup Series duties for Ty Dillon.
Corey LaJoie Adds Veteran Grit with the No. 77 Entry
Corey LaJoie, a seasoned NASCAR Cup Series competitor, takes the wheel of the No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports at Martinsville. His recent performance at Talladega produced an eighth-place finish after contending in the top five for much of the afternoon before the overtime run changed the late stages. His lone short-track outing in 2025 to date, at Richmond, saw him rally from 26th on the grid to finish fifth under the guidance of crew chief Chad Walter.
LaJoie’s previous accomplishments in Virginia include a NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour win and a coveted Martinsville grandfather clock trophy (2022), plus successes at Langley Speedway in the K&N Pro Series East (2012) and the Aaron’s Pro Challenge Series at South Boston Speedway (2006). Over 14 Cup Series appearances at Martinsville, his best results were consecutive 18th-place finishes in 2019 and 2020. LaJoie was runner-up for the ARCA Menards Series East championship in 2012, tallying five wins and 10 top-fives. The No. 77 chassis, SMT-058, brings winning pedigree, with four prior victories via Kyle Busch and John Hunter Nemechek.
“I think it’s going to be a really good race overall. The weather looks great, so the track should lay some rubber down, and you’ll see a mix of guys rolling the curb or diamonding the corner to find grip. Martinsville is always about rhythm and patience. Cool to have Sherri and the whole Garner family riding along with us this weekend.”
– Corey LaJoie, Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports
Community, Partnerships, and Charitable Action
Beyond racing, Spire Motorsports partners with organizations such as Gainbridge—a subsidiary of Group 1001—offering financial solutions tailored for wide accessibility and powered by intuitive online platforms. The 2025 campaign also sees support from Garner Trucking, a landmark woman-owned business celebrating 65 years in Findlay, Ohio, whose accolades include industry-best fleet honors. HendrickCars.com carries forth its role as a major team backer, connecting customers with automotive services and supporting community initiatives across its vast network.
In line with socially conscious pursuits, October’s “Spire Goes Pink” initiative features specialty merchandise, with proceeds donated to breast cancer research. These collective efforts live both on and off the racetrack, underlining the team’s commitment to meaningful causes and those affected by breast cancer.
Playoff Drama and the Road to Phoenix
The Slim Jim 200 at Martinsville Speedway takes on added pressure as the concluding race in the Truck Series Round of 8, where the stakes are high for drivers like Rajah Caruth who are locked in tight battles for the chance to advance to the championship finale at Phoenix. Members of the Spire Motorsports organization—including leaders, drivers, and crew chiefs like Brian Pattie and Kevin Manion—bring a wealth of experience to one of the most pivotal stops on the annual racing calendar.
As Spire Motorsports marshals resources and talent for this decisive showdown, its storied run at the Martinsville short track continues to fuel hopes for another win and a lasting mark on the 2025 season. Fans, partners, and the community will be watching closely to see if the team can achieve Martinsville glory, with the ultimate goal of racing for the championship just within reach.
