CONCORD, N.C. (February 1, 2023) – “Animal Control,” FOX’s all-new comedy, will be featured as the primary sponsor aboard Corey LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) pre-season race at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Premiering on FOX on Thursday, February 16, at 9 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST) and Pacific Standard Time (PST), “Animal Control,” is a new workplace series that follows a group of local Animal Control workers whose lives are complicated by the fact that animals are simple, but humans are not.
The single-camera comedy stars Emmy Award nominee Joel McHale as, Frank, an opinionated, eccentric Animal Control officer who may not have gone to college, but is still the most well-read person in the room. A former cop, Frank tried to expose corruption in his department, but his efforts got him fired, which may explain why he’s so cynical and curmudgeonly. He has an almost superhuman ability to understand animals. Humans…not so much.
“We are proud to partner with Spire Motorsports and sponsor Corey LaJoie’s car during the Busch Light Clash at The Coliseum on Sunday,” said Darren Schillace, President, Marketing, of FOX Entertainment. “This is one of NASCAR’s most thrilling and innovative events, and with FOX Sports set to once again deliver an immersive telecast for fans, we have a premium opportunity to organically reach millions of viewers to promote our new, high-profile comedy, ‘Animal Control.’”
Every February since 1979, the annual pre-season NCS showcase had been hosted by Daytona International Speedway. In September 2021, NASCAR announced it would move the race from the 2.5-mile Daytona Beach superspeedway to a purpose-built, quarter-mile oval, constructed inside the iconic home of the University of Southern California Trojans football team.
The L.A. Coliseum will also become the first stadium to host the Summer Olympics three times when it serves as the marquis destination for the 2028 games. The coliseum previously hosted the Summer Olympics in 1932 and 1984.
LaJoie struggled with the handle on his No. 7 Chevy in last season’s inaugural Clash at the Coliseum and didn’t transfer from his heat race into the main event. But, with the new season on the horizon, optimism abounds as Spire Motorsports heads west to shake the dust off after three months in the shop.
“I’m ready to kick off this season with FOX at the LA Coliseum,” said LaJoie. “We’re going into this with a fresh mindset after learning a lot last year. Like Frank with animals, sometimes I feel like I can understand race cars better than I can people and that’s why I’m excited to have FOX’s new show ‘Animal Control’ on my Chevrolet Camaro this weekend.”
Qualifying for NASCAR’s annual pre-season exhibition race will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, February 4 beginning at 8:30 p.m. EST. Heat races will also be televised live on FOX the following day beginning at 11 a.m. EST.
FOX’s live television coverage of the Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum will take the green flag Sunday, February 5 beginning at 8 p.m. EST. NASCAR’s second visit to the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum – home of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games – will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90).
About FOX Entertainment …
With a legacy spanning more than 35 years, FOX Entertainment is one of the world’s most recognizable media brands and a prolific content producer across its iconic broadcast network and both owned and third-party streaming platforms. Known for its independent, innovative spirit and provocative, groundbreaking storytelling, the company was reinvented in 2019 with the formation of FOX Entertainment. While maintaining its leadership in broadcast television (9-1-1, The Simpsons, The Cleaning Lady, Hell’s Kitchen, LEGO Masters), the company is actively building a portfolio of businesses and library of owned original content. To date, FOX Entertainment’s long-term growth strategy has included the acquisitions of award-winning animation studio Bento Box Entertainment (Bob’s Burgers, The Great North, Krapopolis, Grimsburg), entertainment platform TMZ, and global production studio MarVista Entertainment (The Way Home), as well as the formation of the culinary and lifestyle content venture Studio Ramsay Global (Next Level Chef, Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars) in partnership with Gordon Ramsay. The company also established its in-house unscripted studio FOX Alternative Entertainment (The Masked Singer, I Can See Your Voice, Name That Tune), FOX Entertainment Studios (Animal Control) to develop scripted content and worldwide content sales unit FOX Entertainment Global.
About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a full-time, two-car NASCAR Cup Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2023, Spire Motorsports will field the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for driver Corey LaJoie and No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Ty Dillon. The team also fields a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team in select events.
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway.
