A long-rumored domino of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Silly Season has fallen. Spire Motorsports has released Truck Series Rookie of the Year Candidate Andrés Pérez de Lara, allowing him to “explore other opportunities for the final eight races of 2025 and beyond.” The team is also ceasing operations of its No. 07 truck for the remainder of the season.
As part of this change, the team is shifting owners’ points from the No. 07 truck to the No. 77 and bringing in their former Cup Series driver Corey LaJoie to round out the season in the No. 07 in pursuit of the owners’ title. Spire states multiple times in the press release that they have “yet to solidify its 2026 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series plans,” possibly suggesting a return of the No. 07 in 2026.
Prior to this change, Spire previously announced that LaJoie would race in the No. 07 in nine races, including the final eight of the season.
Pérez de Lara will continue to race in the Craftsman Truck Series for the rest of the season with Niece Motorsports, driving their No. 44 entry. Veteran Crew Chief Wally Rogers will call the shots for the team in the final eight races of the season. Pérez De Lara is currently not in the playoffs.
Rumors of this shocking move first surfaced in mid-July from the nascarrumornostalgia Instagram account, claiming that Spire was interested in downsizing its Truck Series program and could move on from the 20-year-old before the end of the year.
The 2024 ARCA Menards Series Champion is in his rookie season with the team. He sits 17th in the Series standings and third in the Rookie of the Year standings. He made his Xfinity Series debut at his home track, Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, Mexico, with DGM Racing, finishing 30th.
This move also spells a short yet successful end to the No. 07 truck, at least for 2025, as the team launched the fourth entry as a second ‘all-star truck’ earlier this season. In 17 races this season, fielding the likes of Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, and Williliam Byron (among 12 total drivers), the team scored five top-tens, four top-fives, and one win.
The No. 77, now utilizing the No. 07’s owner’s points, jumps from 22nd in owner’s points to tenth.
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