In the team’s lone NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) start at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado to Victory Lane. Byron started 32nd in the 2022 Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 200, led 94 of the race’s 200 laps and went on to earn the Mooresville, N.C. organization’s first checkered flag in NCTS competition. 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 Long John Silver’s 200 from Martinsville Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Friday April 5, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The sixth of 23 NCTS races on the 2024 schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.Sammy Smith – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
Sammy Smith will steer Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet in Friday night’s Long John Silver’s 200 at Martinsville Speedway in his first of four NCTS starts this season. Smith’s lone NCTS start of his career came in last year’s season opener at Daytona International Speedway where he started 20th and raced his way to a respectable 14th-place finish.
Smith, 19, is the full-time driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet Camaro for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) and will be pulling double duty this weekend. He has logged four top-10 finishes in six races and earned a season-best eighth-place effort at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Johnston, Iowa native has three previous NXS starts at the legendary Virginia speedway where he finished second and third, respectively last season.
In addition to Friday night’s 200-lap Martinsville tilt, Smith will be in the cockpit of the No. 7 Chevy Silverado May 18 at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway, July 19 at Indianapolis Raceway Park and August 25 at the Milwaukee Mile.
TMC Transportation will serve as Smith’s primary sponsor on Friday night. TMC Transportation, celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022 and is the nation’s largest employee-owned open deck transportation company. TMC provides expert transportation services and supply-chain management solutions throughout the 48 contiguous states. Founded in 1972, TMC is headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, and is known for its integrity, innovation, superior safety record, and dedication to quality and customer service. The company’s claim-free, on-time delivery record is the best in the business and is consistently recognized by its customers. For more information about TMC Transportation, please log on to tmctrans.com.
Smith is a six-time ARCA Menards Series national tour race winner, who has won eight times in the ARCA Menards Series East and once in the ARCA Menards Series West. The talented teenager earned a CARS Pro Late Model Tour victory in 2021 at Jennerstown (Pa.) Speedway and four pavement super late model wins that same season. A year later, he picked up another super late model victory in a combination ARCA CRA Super Series/Southern Super Series race at North Wilkesboro. He has also earned wins in some of the United States’ most notable late model races including the Winchester 400, Red Bud 400 and Florida Governor’s Cup.
After five races, the No. 7 team ranks second in the 2024 NCTS owner point standings. The team sits eight points behind the series-leading No. 11 team. The No. 7 team has complied an average starting position of 3.8 and an average finish of 8.4 while leading 156 laps this season. Kyle Busch led a race-high 33 laps en route to the team’s victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February. Most recently, 17-year-old Connor Zilisch captured the pole and finished fourth in his NCTS debut at Circuit of the Americas.Sammy Smith Quotes
Talk about the opportunity to get behind the wheel of the No. 7 Silverado for four races this year.
“I’m very excited for the opportunity Spire gave me to get behind the wheel of the No. 7 Silverado for these four races and thankful to TMC, Pilot Flying J and Golden Harvest for coming onboard and making it possible. Any time you can get extra seat time it is always helpful, especially now with the new format in NASCAR with not getting much practice time each week. Obviously, Spire has top-notch equipment, and the goal is to go out and try and win all four races.”
How have you prepared for your first NCTS start with Spire?
“With not having much Truck Series experience I’ve been coming around the shop and hanging around with Brian (Pattie, crew chief) and the guys asking a lot of questions and getting familiar with how they set up the trucks. Martinsville is a track that I’ve had a lot of success at, so I feel good about it. I know they’re going bring me a fast TMC Transportation Silverado, it’ll just be my job to go out and execute all day.”
How will racing the truck at Martinsville be different than what you’ve experienced racing there with the Xfinity cars and Late Model Stocks?
“I don’t really know what to expect other than I think it’s going to definitely be way different than racing an XFINITY car there. I think with having the Ilmor engines and the similar amounts of downforce it’ll feel a lot like an ARCA car, which is a series I had a lot of success in, but I’ve never raced at Martinsville in that series. But yes, I’m excited to get in the No. 7 truck this weekend and then for three more this season.”
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 Long John Silver’s 200 at Martinsville Speedway.
Caruth started 11th and finished 15th in the division’s most recent stop at Circuit of the Americas.
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Caruth started 16th and finished 25th in last season’s annual NCTS stop in Martinsville.
In two previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Caruth has earned two top-15s, completed 525 of 525 laps and logged a 12th-place average finish.
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 is currently fifth in the NCTS championship point standings after five races. He has logged one pole, one win, two top-five and five top-15 finishes. He’s recorded a 10.0 average start, a 7.0 average finish and completed 100 percent of the laps contested this season.You’ve raced at Martinsville three times in the past, one in the NCTS and twice in the Xfinity Series. How do you take these past starts and work toward bettering your previous finishes?
“I think in the Xfinity car, I’ve run, I think pretty well. I finished 12th twice. The truck race last year kind of was unknown, because we started in the rain. I definitely feel a lot better going into this weekend than I did last year, for sure, in terms of a confidence level in myself and my team and the quality of the equipment I’m driving. Moving forward, I think we have to keep up the things we’ve been doing right all year and the results will show.”
Martinsville can get heated on the track. How do you channel your competitive drive without getting caught up in incidents?
“I think I’m a pretty calm person, so I am not too worried about the track record at Martinsville. I’ve had run-ins in the past and I just try to compartmentalize things and go from situation to situation. I’m not too flashy or get too annoyed if anything happens.”
Chase Purdy – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado
Chase Purdy will Pilot Spire Motorsports’ No.77 Bama Buggies Chevrolet Silverado in Friday night’s Long John Silver’s 200 at Martinsville Speedway.
In four NCTS starts at Martinsville Speedway, Purdy has earned a 16.3 average start and a 25th-place average finish. He has completed 554 of 728 laps contested over those four races.
Purdy started eighth and finished 10th in last year’s Long John Silver’s 200.
Friday night’s 200-lap affair will mark Purdy’s 81st career NCTS start and sixth behind the wheel of the No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevy Silverado.
Two weeks ago at Circuit of the Americas, the Meridian, Miss., native qualified 16th and raced inside the top-15 for most of the race and ultimately came home 22nd. Purdy is currently 20th in the NCTS championship point standings.
On top of the box, Purdy’s crew chief Jason Trinchere has six starts in the NXS at Martinsville Speedway with Kaulig Racing. In his six starts he has five top-10s including one top-five finish. In 2022, he called a runner-up finish with driver Landon Cassil. Chase Purdy Quotes
What does it take to run well at Martinsville?
“Martinsville just happens to be another one of those track-position tracks. We need to have a good day from the start and qualify well. When you qualify well, you have a better chance of staying up front all night. We have a strong notebook from last year and are looking to maintain that success from our last time there.”
How much does the off week benefit you and allow you to reset for this two-week stint starting at Martinsville?
“The off-weekend was definitely beneficial. It gave us a chance to reset and come back stronger to a track where we know we’re good. I was able to go home and see some family for Easter and I know my guys enjoyed being able to spend time with their families, too. As a group we’re coming back with a clear mind to get back to running where I know our Bama Buggies group is capable of.”
Where does Martinsville fall in terms of one of your favorite tracks?
“Well, Martinsville finds itself in the top two of my favorite tracks. I grew up racing late models on short tracks similar to Martinsville, so I’m comfortable every time I’m out there. Every time we show up to Martinsville, I’m confident knowing I can go out and win.”
From the Top of the Box
Brian Pattie – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado
Brian Pattie earned two NCTS victories last year, both with Kyle Busch. The duo started off the 2024 campaign with a victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
In addition to his three NCTS triumphs with Busch, he also won with Ron Fellows at Watkins Glen International in 1999.
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.
In last year’s NCTS race at Martinsville, Pattie guided Busch to a runner-up finish.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.
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