Spire Motorsports will make its first CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the series\u2019 21st visit to the Loudon, N.H., facility and first since 2017. Derek Kraus (Milwaukee Mile, 2023) and Connor Mosack (Phoenix Raceway, 2024) share team-best eighth-place finishes on flat, one-mile ovals. The Mooresville, N.C., organization fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets full time in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The No. 7 entry will see a rotating roster of all-star caliber drivers throughout the remainder of the season, while Rajah Caruth and NASCAR Cup Series veteran Corey LaJoie will pilot the Nos. 71 and 77, respectively.
The Team EJP 175 will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, Sept. 20 beginning at noon Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The third and final race of the Round of 10 of the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoffs, and 21st of 25 races on the series\u2019 2025 calendar, will be broadcast live on the NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.<\/p>\n
Patrick Emerling \u2013 Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado<\/p>\n
Patrick Emerling will pilot Spire Motorsports\u2019 No. 7 SciAps Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday\u2019s Team EJP 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS).
The 175-lap event will mark Emerling\u2019s fifth CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start, earning a series-best 15th place result in his Spire Motorsports debut in June at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.
Emerling made his CRAFTSMAN Truck Series debut at New Hampshire in 2017, driving a D.J. Copp-prepared Chevy to a 23rd-place finish.
Emerling will pull double duty on Saturday, and also race the Fleetworks Inc. No. 1 for his own Dale Hedquist-led team in Saturday morning\u2019s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Mohegan Sun 100.
As a full-time competitor on the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour, Emerling owns nine series\u2019 victories in addition to 55 top-five and 98 top-10 finishes in 172 starts.
The 2021 championship runner-up is currently third in the division\u2019s championship point standings, where he sits 22 points behind the leader. He claimed wins in February\u2019s season opener at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and at the tour\u2019s second of three trips to Thompson (Conn.) Speedway Motorsports Park in August. In the tour\u2019s most recent event at Oswego (N.Y.) Speedway, Emerling registered his eighth top-five finish of the season after finishing third.
Emerling has tallied 24 Whelen Modified Tour starts at \u201cThe Magic Mile,\u201d where he\u2019s collected nine top fives and 12 top 10s, including a pair of runner-up finishes.
The Orchard Park, N.Y., native adds six All-Star Shootout appearances at New Hampshire, taking the crown in the 2019 edition of the 35-lap all star event.
The 32-year-old has competed in 63 NASCAR National Touring Series events, collecting his first-career top 10 in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition in February at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
The suburban Buffalo driver has tallied four Xfinity Series starts at NHMS, and calls his 2023 14th-place finish a venue-best.
SciAps, an industry leader in handheld elemental analyzers, will serve as Emerling\u2019s primary sponsor. The Boston, Mass., company makes portable instruments that can measure any element, anywhere on the planet. SciAps X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and laser-based (LIBS) analyzers are utilized in the oil and gas, mining, aerospace, batteries, recycling, chemicals, military, forensics and law enforcement industries. Designed to examine a multitude of materials, SciAps instruments are in high demand, spanning space research and pandemic coatings to agriculture and environmental testing.
The No. 7 Silverado will also feature Granite State De-Icing, USNE, GOAT Power Bikes and Black Rhino Aluminum Trailers as associate partners.
Emerling will race Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-089 Saturday. Carson Hocevar drove the truck in its\u2019 prior two races, including a victory at Kansas Speedway in May where Hocevar led 75 laps and held off a hard charging Layne Riggs to secure the win.<\/p>\n
Patrick Emerling Quote
You will run the 100-lap Whelen Modified Tour race Saturday morning prior to the truck race. What will be the challenges in running both races back to back?
\u201cI have run back-to-back races at New Hampshire before. It\u2019s not too bad. I think the last time I did it, the Xfinity race came first and then the modified race. It was pretty hot and my cool suit had failed, so I was pretty tired when it came time to run the modified race. Once we got going, I have other things to distract me from any hint of fatigue. I am really excited to run double duty again.\u201d<\/p>\n
What did you learn at Pocono that you can apply to New Hampshire, and how do you think your experience at the track will help you get up to speed?
\u201cPocono and New Hampshire are obviously very different places, but I did get to learn a few things like nuances about the truck and how they drive. What to do and what not to do. With the few mistakes I made at Pocono, I feel a little bit better knowing what to expect Saturday.\u201d
Atop the No. 7 Box \u2013 Crew Chief Brian Pattie<\/p>\n
Brian Pattie stands atop of the No. 7 pit box, an entry that has seen an abundance of all-star caliber drivers behind the wheel throughout the 2025 season.
The No. 7 team qualified for the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series owner\u2019s playoffs and, with one race remaining in the Round of 10, sits seventh on the grid, 12 points ahead of the Round of 8 cutline. Through 20 races, the crew tallied two wins, seven top fives and 10 top 10s.
While the Zephyrhills, Fla., native is yet to call CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at New Hampshire, he has stood atop the box for 25 NASCAR Cup Series races and four Xfinity Series events at the \u201cMagic Mile.\u201d In Cup Series competition, he earned four top-five and five top-10 finishes, highlighted by third-place results with both Juan Pablo Montoya (September 2009) and Clint Bowyer (July 2012).
In May, the team and driver Carson Hocevar claimed victory in the Heart of Health Care 200 at Kansas Speedway. Hocevar led 75 of the event\u2019s 134 laps and survived last-lap contact en route to his fifth victory in the series and first aboard a Spire Motorsports- prepared Chevy Silverado.
The No. 7 team defended its 2024 victory in the Fr8 208 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in February with Kyle Busch behind the wheel. The Las Vegas driver spent all 135 laps in the top 15 while leading a race-high 80 laps and recording a field-leading average running position (3.2) and driver rating (124.6).
The 24-year industry veteran spent 14 seasons in NASCAR\u2019s premier division. As a crew chief, he\u2019s amassed six wins in Cup Series competition, 11 in the Xfinity Series and seven in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. He stands as one of 11 crew chiefs to win races across all three of NASCAR\u2019s national touring series.<\/p>\n
Rajah Caruth \u2013 Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado<\/p>\n
Rajah Caruth will handle the driving chores for Spire Motorsports\u2019 No. 71 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday\u2019s Team EJP 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Caruth secured his second CRAFTSMAN Truck Series playoff appearance by claiming victory at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway in May. Entering the third and final race of the Round of 10, the 23-year-old sits eighth on the playoff grid 14 points above the Round of 8 cutline.
Caruth will make his first CRAFTSMAN Truck Series appearance at New Hampshire, but has experience at the facility in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. While logging his first laps at the flat one-mile oval, an oil line failure forced him to retire after just 47 laps.
Through 20 races, the Washington, D.C., native has registered one win, three top fives and nine top 10s. He has led 189 laps, tripling his 57 career laps led entering the year.
In the No. 71 team\u2019s first playoff appearance in 2024, Caruth and Co. advanced to the Round of 8, but mechanical issues stalled their Championship 4 hopes in the season\u2019s penultimate event at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
With his first career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last season, Caruth became the third African-American driver to win a NASCAR National Touring Series race, joining 2015 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee Wendell Scott and current Cup Series star Bubba Wallace.
HendrickCars.com is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop more than 30,000 new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.
The blue and white HendrickCars.com colors will wrap Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-087. Kyle Larson drove the truck to Victory Lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway in March and a runner-up finish at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway two races later.<\/p>\n
Rajah Caruth Quotes
Will you be leaning on your 2023 Xfinity Series start, or are you entering the weekend with a clean slate?
\u201cI think my Xfinity start at New Hampshire will be great for some of the small things, like knowing where the tunnel is, the garage flow and the overall setting. It was great to get a little experience, and even though I had some mechanical issues, I was able to get a full practice and qualifying session and all of Stage 1. It was good to get the experience and to have that under my belt to validate things we have worked on in the simulator. At the same time, I am taking my experience with a grain of salt. The trucks will drive differently.\u201d<\/p>\n
You are currently 14 points ahead of the Round of 8 cutline. What do you need to do this weekend to maintain the advantage and advance to the next round?
\u201cWe just have to execute our best race, even if we\u2019re not the fastest, a clean day will help you capitalize on other\u2019s misfortunes. Ultimately, the goal is to be competitive to where you don\u2019t have to bet on guys having issues. Unfortunately, we haven\u2019t been the fastest in the opening two races, but we have executed, and put ourselves in a position to advance. I expect for that to be the case this weekend and secure our spot in the Round of 8 to continue our fight for a championship.\u201d
Atop the No. 71 Box \u2013 Crew Chief Kevin \u201cBono\u201d Manion<\/p>\n
Veteran crew chief Kevin \u201cBono\u201d Manion has called two CRAFTSMAN Truck Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, highlighted by a third-place finish with Todd Gilliland in 2017 during his time with Kyle Busch Motorsports.
The Boylston, Mass., native led Martin Truex, Jr., to Victory Lane in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition at \u201cThe Magic Mile\u201d in July 2004. Truex made the move for the lead on Denny Hamlin with 12 laps to go, and survived both a green-white-checkered finish and a last-lap charge from Carl Edwards to seal the victory. The win marked the team\u2019s fifth of six victories on the season en route to their second-consecutive Xfinity Series title.
Manion, a 31-year veteran of the sport, founded Spire Motorsports\u2019 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program alongside industry veteran Mike Greci in 2022. The team claimed victory in its second outing with driver William Byron at Martinsville Speedway.
He has racked up six Cup Series victories \u2013 including the 2010 Daytona 500 \u2013 17 NASCAR Xfinity Series triumphs and 12 CRAFTSMAN Truck series wins. Manion is also one of 11 crew chiefs to have called wins across all three of NASCAR\u2019s national touring series.
In 2023, Manion became one of few to call a race in all three of NASCAR\u2019s national series in a single season, all of which came under the Spire Motorsports umbrella. He led the part-time effort on the No. 7 Silverado in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, helped in limited starts for Carson Hocevar in the Xfinity Series and took the reigns during the second half of the Cup Series season for Ty Dillon and the No. 77 team.<\/p>\n
Corey LaJoie \u2013 Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado<\/p>\n
Corey LaJoie will drive Spire Motorsports\u2019 No. 77 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado in the Team EJP 175 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Friday\u2019s 175-lap event will mark LaJoie\u2019s 10th career CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start and fifth of the season with Spire Motorsports. He has snagged two top-five and three top-10 finishes, while compiling a 9.8 average finish, in four 2025 starts.
Last week at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Concord, N.C., native rallied from an 18th-place starting position to secure a ninth-place result. Despite battling a tight-handling Chevy Silverado through the first two stages, a series of adjustments throughout the night allowed LaJoie to charge into the top 12 with 35 laps to go before securing his second top-10 finish of the season.
LaJoie made his NASCAR Cup Series debut at the Loudon, N.H., oval in September 2014.
The short track stalwart is familiar with Victory Lane at \u201cThe Magic Mile,\u201d where he scored a victory in the 2016 ARCA Menards Series East event. After qualifying second, LaJoie took over the top spot on Lap 39, and despite a late-race restart with three laps remaining, led the final 34 circuits en route to the win. He bested a stout field of seven current Cup Series drivers, including Spire Motorsports teammate Justin Haley, the eventual 2016 ARCA Menards Series East champion.
In seven ARCA Menards Series East starts at New Hampshire, LaJoie tallied three top fives, five top 10s and owns a 9.1 average finish.
The 33-year-old has appeared in two NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour events at New Hampshire, earning two top 10s with a best finish of seventh in 2023.
The veteran racer owns 10 starts in NASCAR\u2019s premier division at New Hampshire. LaJoie has logged a venue-best 23rd-place result on three occasions. He also made a lone Xfinity Series appearance at the venue in 2016.
The third-generation racer is carrying on his family\u2019s rich racing legacy. His father, two-time NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Randy LaJoie (Class of 2016), and grandfather, Don LaJoie (Class of 2000), are both members of the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame.
Founded in 2018, Gainbridge\u00ae is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge\u00ae is headquartered in Zionsville, Ind. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.com or follow and connect with Gainbridge on X and LinkedIn.
LaJoie will pilot Spire Manufacturing chassis SMT-091 Saturday afternoon. The truck owns three top-five finishes in three starts, scoring back-to-back fifth-place showings with LaJoie at Michigan International Speedway and Richmond Raceway. In the chassis\u2019 maiden voyage at Kansas Speedway this May, William Byron scored a runner-up finish. Overall, the truck has averaged a finishing position of 4.0.<\/p>\n
Corey LaJoie Quote
What are your thoughts heading to New Hampshire?
\u201cNew Hampshire is always a fun challenge. It\u2019s tricky, flat and fast, where you really have to be precise and hit your marks. It feels like a home race for me with my family\u2019s ties to the area and that\u2019s also where I made my Cup debut so it\u2019s always special to go back.\u201c<\/p>\n
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