Pit Stop Radio News

• In the team’s lone NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) start at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP), Layne Riggs drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to a third-place finish in 2023. 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 TSport 200 from IRP will be televised live on FS1 Friday, July 19, beginning at 8:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 15th of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. 
• Jason “LEFTurn” Leffler’s name will be displayed on the passenger-side name rail of all three Spire entries as a memorial to the late-racer. The 2007 NASCAR Xfinity Series victor at IRP was a Spire Sports and Entertainment client throughout his career. His son, Charlie, who resides in the Indianapolis area, will be a guest of the team at Friday night’s race.

Sammy Smith – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

• Sammy Smith will steer Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Golden Harvest ChevroletSilverado in Friday evening’s TSport 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
• Friday’s 200-lap event will mark Smith’s third of four NCTS starts this season, finishing eighth and fifth at Martinsville (April 5) and North Wilkesboro (May 19), respectively. He will round out his four-race slate at the Milwaukee Mile on Sunday, August 25.
• Smith, who was 17 at the time, qualified on the pole and lead 89 laps en route to a runner-up finish in the 2022 ARCA Menards Series event at the Indiana oval with Kyle Busch Motorsports. One day later, he finished fourth in an ARCA/CRA Super Series event at the facility, placing behind Erik Jones and William Byron.
• The talented teenager will be pulling double duty this weekend, piloting the No. 8 TMC Transportation Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS). It will be his first start on the oval configuration at “The Brickyard,” but participated in last year’s NXS race on the road course at IMS.
• Golden Harvest Seeds has been working with and listening to farmers with intention since 1973, offering in-depth seeds expertise combined with the local agronomic know-how of an independent Golden Harvest Seed Advisor to help identify custom solutions for every corn and soybean acre. Today, each Golden Harvest hybrid or variety is bred with the individual needs of hardworking farmers in mind. Golden Harvest® corn hybrids feature elite genetics with proven performance and the most complete above- and below-ground insect control solutions with the Duracade® and Viptera® trait stacks. Golden Harvest soybean varieties include the industry’s broadest trait choice and exclusive genetics that set a new standard for performance and yield potential.
• In 61 NXS starts, the Johnston, Iowa, native has 10 top fives, 28 top 10s and claimed his first NASCAR national touring series victory at Phoenix last March.
• The two-time ARCA Menards Series East champion has racked up eight wins across 15 starts in the regional stock car series. He won five of the seven East Series races while maintaining an average finish of 1.7 en route to his second-consecutive title in 2022.
• The short track ace has earned wins in some of the country’s most notable late model races including the Winchester 400, Red Bud 400 and Florida Governor’s Cup. He earned a CARS Pro Late Model Tour victory in 2021 at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway and four pavement Super Late Model wins that same season. In 2022, Smith was victorious in a star-studded combination ARCA CRA Super Series/Southern Super Series race at North Wilkesboro.
• After 14 races, the No. 7 team sits fifth in the 2024 NCTS owner point standings. The No. 7 team has compiled two wins with an average starting position of 9.1 and an average finish of 11.9 thus far this season. Kyle Busch led a race-high 33 laps en route the team’s first victory of 2024 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February and a race-high 112 laps in the team’s most recent triumph in Texas. In its most recent outing, Connor Mosack started 18th and finished 15th at Pocono Raceway.
• In his first season at Spire Motorsports, crew chief Brian Pattie led the No. 7 team to two victories across the first seven events this season, both with Kyle Busch (Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway). The duo also won twice across five races last year with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
• Jack Wood finished 18th in Pattie’s lone race calling the shots in Truck Series action at IRP last July. He has been atop the box for five races in the Xfinity Series at the Indiana oval, leading Reed Sorenson to third and second-place finishes in the 2005 and 2006 events, respectively.
• Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-062 will be driven by the 19-year-old on Friday night, who piloted the truck in its previous two appearances. In 19 starts, the chassis has 10 top-10 finishes including a pair of runner-up finishes with Kyle Busch behind the wheel.

Sammy Smith Quotes
You’ve made a pair of starts at IRP. The track is a different animal compared to anyone else. How do you attack getting around the track?
“I had the opportunity to run an ARCA car and a Late Model at IRP in 24 hours. It’s very low grip and restarts quickly go three and four-wide. You can run up near the wall, and you can run all the way on the apron. It provides really good racing. The trucks definitely drive differently than either of the other disciplines I’ve been in there. It will be fun to get rolling and should be a fun race. I’m excited to get back there on Friday night.”
You will be hopping out of the Xfinity car after practice at IMS and jumping right into the truck at IRP to practice and qualify just over an hour afterwards. How different will those experiences be?
“It will be different for sure. They are obviously two different vehicles at two completely different race tracks. The Xfinity cars will be going a lot faster at the big track, and the trucks will be going slower and sliding around a bit more with the low-grip surface. It will be an exciting day.”
Golden Harvest is hopping aboard as the primary sponsor for your final two truck races this season. Are you excited to build on that previous relationship?
“I’m excited to have Golden Harvest onboard. They’ve been a great associate partner the last couple years on my Late Model stuff so it’s cool to see them get a primary. I’m looking forward to continuing that relationship and having a lot of farmers out at the racetrack.”

Rajah Caruth – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

• Rajah Caruth will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado in Friday night’s TSport 200 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
• Last week, Caruth started third and finished 10th at Pocono Raceway, claiming his third top-ten finish in the last four races.
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• The Winston-Salem (N.C.) State University senior has one prior start in the NCTS at the 0.68-mile short track, qualifying fourth and finishing seventh in last year’s event. His lone ARCA start at the Indiana oval in 2022 concluded with an eighth-place finish.
• The 21-year-old has seen plenty of success on short tracks, collecting Late Model wins at Greenville-Pickens (S.C.) Speedway and Hickory (N.C.) Motor Speedway early in his racing career.
• In 11 short track starts in ARCA Menards Series (AMS) competition, Caruth has racked up five top-five and nine top-10 finishes. He also boasts four top 10’s on short tracks in a truck.
• Caruth scored his career-best finish in 19 NASCAR Xfinity Starts at a short track,crossing the line 12th at the 0.5-mile Martinsville Speedway last fall.
• The Washington, D.C., native is currently fifth in the NCTS championship point standings after 14 races. He has logged one pole, one win, seven top-10 and 11 top-15 finishes. He’s recorded an 11.1 average start, an 11.2 average finish and completed 97.5 percent of the laps contested this season.
• With his first career NCTS win and pole position earlier this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Caruth became the third African American driver, alongside NASCAR Hall of Famer, Wendell Scott and current NASCAR Cup Series regular Bubba Wallace, to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race.
• Caruth raced his first full season in NCTS in 2023, earning four top-10 finishes and coming home 16th in the division’s championship point standings.
• Crew chief Chad Walter has called the shots four prior times at IRP, all in Xfinity Series competition. During his stint at Team Penske, he guided Justin Allgaier to a top-ten finish at the track in 2010.
• Walter has seen success all across “The Hoosier City.” He helped Sam Hornish, Jr., to a runner-up finish in the inaugural Xfinity Series race at IMS.
• The No. 71 Silverado racing on Friday evening is identified as Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-003. Earlier this season, the truck finished seventh at Martinsville Speedway with Rajah Caruth behind the wheel. The chassis has been driven to victory lane twice by William Byron (Martinsville, 2022) and Kyle Larson (North Wilkesboro, 2023).

Rajah Caruth Quotes
IRP was one of your best “all-around” performances last season. How are you looking to build on your solid day at the track last year?
“I think overall we have just gotten better, both myself and Chad (Walter). We have made some improvements. I have also gotten better at short tracks, which is something I have really been focusing on. That’s a spot I know I’ve needed to improve. IRP is a track I have a little experience at between ARCA and trucks, so hopefully that correlates to a good run this weekend.”
The progressive banking at IRP opens a variety of lines drivers can utilize and make time. Does this add to your excitement as a driver and which line do you prefer to run?
“IRP is interesting because the seams determine the banking of the racetrack. Meaning, the higher you go, the more banking the racetrack has. It’s really a testament to how well your truck works. If your truck is turning well, you can take the inner line with the least amount of banking that is the shortest way around. If your truck isn’t turning, you can use the banking on the higher side of the track to help make the corner. It’s a racetrack that’s a different animal with good tools to use no matter how the truck handles.”

Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado

• Chase Purdy will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No.77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silveradoin Friday night’s TSport 200.
• The 24-year-old sits 14th in the NCTS driver points standings, 61 points behind the playoff cut line with two races remaining in the regular season.
• Last week, Purdy started 16th and finished sixth in the CRC Brakleen 175 at Pocono Raceway.
• The Meridian, Miss., native has two starts at IRP in Truck Series competition, logging a venue-best finish of 14th last year.
• In his lone ARCA Menards Series start at the Indiana oval, Purdy started and finished fourth after pacing the field for 25 laps in 2018.
• On a quest for his first win, the TSport 200 will mark Purdy’s 90th NCTS start and 15th behind the wheel of the No.77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado for Spire Motorsports.
• Purdy finished third in the 11-race Sioux Chief Short Track Challenge series within the 2018 ARCA season. He racked up six top fives and nine top 10s while achieving a sixth-place average starting starting position and a 6.9 average finish.
• While racing for Kyle Busch Motorsports in 2023, Purdy had the best statistical season of his career thus far. He racked up three top-five, 11 top-10 and 14 top-15 finishes while earning a career-best finish of second at Texas Motor Speedway (April 1) and claiming the first Truck Series pole of his career at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 8). He would snag his second pole two races later at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway (Sept.30), a race in which he led a career-high 11 laps.
• Crew chief Jason Trinchere will make his debut atop the box at IRP, but has called the shots twice in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition down the road at the road course configuration at IMS. During his time at Kaulig Racing, he helped A.J. Allmendinger to a second-place finish in 2021.
• Purdy will be piloting Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-038 on Friday evening in its 31st start. The chassis has led nearly 900 laps, maintained an average finish of 6.5 and visited victory lane seven times, most recently at Texas Motor Speedway in 2021 with John Hunter Nemechek behind the wheel.

Chase Purdy Quotes 
The playoffs are closing in and you find yourself battling at the cutline. What is your mindset heading into the weekend?
“We have one goal heading into this weekend. Win.”
The progressive banking at IRP opens a variety of lines drivers can utilize and make time. How does affect the way you can move through the field?
“The progressive banking makes it a multi-groove track. You can run as high or as low as you want, and still make speed. It makes it exciting as a driver and for the fans. The ability to move around and change lanes gives the driver a lot of options. It creates more opportunities to make passes.”

From the Top of the Box

Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado

• In his first season at Spire Motorsports, Brian Pattie has led the No. 7 team to two victories, both with Kyle Busch. The duo also won twice across five races last year at KBM.
• Pattie also collected a victory with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999 to give him five career NCTS wins.
• 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.

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.
• Walter guided Caruth to his first NCTS win March 1, 2024 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• 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.

Spire Motorsports PR