The Spire Motorsports roster has just expanded with a newcomer to NASCAR. ARCA Menards Series champion Andres Perez de Lara will join the team to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series.
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According to the press release, Perez de Lara will drive full-time in the No. 77 Chevrolet Silverado. He will pursue Rookie of the Year honors while becoming teammates with part-time driver Corey Day and full-time driver Rajah Caruth.
Veteran crew chief Chad Walter will move to the No. 77 team after guiding Caruth over the last two seasons. His tenure with Caruth includes a win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and a playoff appearance.
Perez de Lara spent last season competing full-time for Rev Racing in the ARCA Menards Series. He fell short of victory lane but won the championship with a consistent performance. He posted top-five finishes in 10 of the 20 races and top 10s in 17 races. He beat teammate Lavar Scott by 41 points in the championship standings.
This win was historic as Perez de Lara became the first Mexican-born driver to win the ARCA Menards Series title.
Perez de Lara made his Truck Series debut last season with Spire Motorsports. He took over the No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado at World Wide Technology Raceway and crossed the line ninth overall. He then joined Roper Racing for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway and finished 31st after a nine-truck crash.
Along with the time competing in ARCA, Perez de Lara has achieved success in his home country. He raced in the NASCAR Mexico Challenge Series — the equivalent of Xfinity — and won the 2022 title.
"As Spire Motorsports continues to look toward the future, it's important that we identify who we expect to be long-term contributors to the growth of not only our organization, but to the sport as a whole," said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson in a press release.
"Andres Perez da Lara has a very bright future. He has a huge upside and is already integrated into our processes and methods of preparation. We're thrilled to officially add him to the Spire family."
