Spire confirms 2024 Truck lineup and number for Zane Smith

Spire Motorsports confirmed their NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series lineup and the number Zane Smith will run in the Cup Series in 2024.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Lineup

Chase Purdy will race full-time for Spire in the Truck Series next season.

Kyle Busch Motorsports re-signed Purdy before officials announced the sale of its NCTS operations.

Spire will also have a second full-time truck with several drivers, likely including Kyle Busch who expressed interest in running his five allowed races for them.

Nick Sanchez will run for REV Racing with support from Spire. REV’s deal with Spire will be identical to their deal with KBM last year.

Zane Smith Goes to Cup in Historic Number

In the No. 71 NASCAR Cup Series car, Zane Smith will join a long lineage that dates all the way back to the very first race at Charlotte Speedway in June 1949. In that race, Sara Christian drove her No. 71 Ford to a 14th-place finish.

From there, the No. 71 car made a start in every Cup Series season from 1949-2003.

During that time, the No. 71 car won 44 times with Bobby Isaac (35 wins), Buddy Baker (three wins), Fireball Roberts (one win) and Dave Marcis – who sported his classic wingtip shoes in victory lane five times with the No. 71.

Isaac is the only driver to win a Cup Series championship (1970) in the No. 71.

The No. 71 returned to the Cup Series grid from 2009-11 with TRG Motorsports. Mike Bliss finished 21st at Homestead-Miami Speedway during the final race, to date, for TRG and the No. 71 car.