Marco Andretti to Pilot No. 7 Group 1001 Chevy Silverado at Mid-Ohio
CONCORD, N.C. (July 5, 2023) – Today, officials from Spire Motorsports and Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, announced a multi-year partnership that will showcase the online digital platform, offering trusted financial products simplified for the modern age, aboard the team’s Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) with drivers Corey LaJoie and Ty Dillon.
The partnership will rotate as the primary sponsor between both cars beginning with the July 9 Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway where LaJoie will carry the Gainbridge livery on his No. 7 Camaro. Following the Atlanta race, Gainbridge will alternate primary positions among both driver’s cars for 16 of the final 18 races of the season.
Additionally, third generation IndyCar racer and 2022 SRX Series Champion Marco Andretti will pilot the team’s No. 7 Group 1001 Chevrolet Silverado in the July 8 O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) Race at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course.
“We look forward to partnering with Spire Motorsports, Corey, and Ty and adding to the robust Gainbridge motorsports sponsorship portfolio,” said Mike Nichols, Chief of Sponsorship Strategy & Activation at Group 1001. “We are excited to watch Marco compete at Mid-Ohio this weekend in the Group 1001 paint scheme alongside Rev Racing’s Nick Sanchez, who has had a successful rookie campaign competing for the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series championship carrying the Gainbridge colors.”
Gainbridge carries a vast presence across multiple disciplines of motorsports and promotes its suite of services as a multi-year presenting sponsor of the Indianapolis 500, and a founding partner of the Formula 1 Miami Grand Prix.
Colton Herta, a seven-time IndyCar winner, pilots the No. 26 Gainbridge entry for Andretti Autosport while Sanchez drives the No. 2 Gainbridge Chevrolet Silverado in the NCTS.
“Today is a monumental day and a pivotal moment as we welcome Gainbridge to the Spire Motorsports family,” said Spire Motorsports co-owners Jeff Dickerson and T.J. Puchyr. “This is the culmination of uncompromised dedication and hard work by many people. When we made the commitment to bet on NASCAR and become team owners almost five years ago, achieving a seminal moment like this was a foundational part of the plan. The mission of Spire Motorsports has always been both giving and earning respect. We undertook this journey to prove ourselves to the industry, while positioning our team to work with and represent global brands. This announcement validates that journey.
“Gainbridge values opportunity through access, integrity, and empowerment and that resonates strongly with Spire Motorsports. Partnering with Gainbridge, an organization that understands and appreciates our vision, continues to substantiate our principles. We recognize the work is still just beginning, and we’re eager to continue elevating our program to position Gainbridge as one of the most visible and influential brands on the starting grid.”
LaJoie is a veteran of 218 NCS starts. His career best finishes include a fourth- and fifth-place showing, both coming at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 18 NCS events this year, LaJoie has scored one top-five, and 11 top-20 finishes. The Concord, N.C., native is 23rd in the season championship point standings heading into the Quaker State 400.
A third-generation racer whose father and grandfather are members of the New England Auto Racing Hall of Fame, LaJoie won his way to the NCS ranks through top developmental series like the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East (six victories), NASCAR Whelen Modified Series (two wins) and the ARCA Menards Series (three wins). The 31-year-old driver also competed in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NCTS enroute to his full-time seat in the NCS.
Dillon, 30, made his Cup Series debut August 31, 2014, and is the grandson of legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress. He has made 220 starts in NASCAR’s premier series, recording two top-five and seven top-10 finishes. He notched a career-best third-place finish October 4, 2020, in the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
In NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, Dillon is a veteran of 163 starts, including four poles, one win, 34 top fives and 92 top 10s. He has recorded 58 NCTS starts scoring five pole positions, three victories, 20 top-five and 36 top-10 finishes. Dillon is a nine-time ARCA Menards Series race winner and the division’s 2011 champion.
Andretti has made 251 career IndyCar starts, having earned six pole positions, a pair of wins and 20 podium finishes. He made 15 Mid-Ohio IndyCar starts over 14 seasons, logging six top 10s, including a venue-best sixth-place finish in 2009.
The 36-year-old Nazareth, Pa., native made his lone NASCAR Xfinity Series start in 2022 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL where he started 30th and finished 36th.
“I can’t wait to get my feet wet in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series,” said Andretti. “I’m grateful for Group 1001 and Spire Motorsports for making this happen. I have a lot of laps in an Indy car around Mid-Ohio. It’s going to be a bit different but a lot of fun. The Cup Series’ guys I have spoken to said I will love it.”
The O’Reilly Auto Parts 150 at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course will be televised live on FS1 Saturday, July 8 at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) and broadcast on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
The Quaker State 400 from Atlanta Motor Speedway will be televised live on USA Network Sunday, July 9 beginning at 7 p.m. EDT. The 19th of 36 points-paying races on 2023 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
About Gainbridge …
Founded in 2018, Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, is an insurtech 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® is headquartered in Zionsville, Indiana. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io.
About Group 1001 …
Group 1001 Insurance Holdings, LLC (“Group 1001”) is a technology-driven financial services company with a mission to empower customers, employees, and communities by making innovative products accessible to everyone. Group 1001 strives to demystify how insurance and annuity products are purchased today by leveraging technology to provide intuitive financial solutions for all Americans. As part of its mission, Group 1001 invests in strategic partnerships to connect with and transform communities through education and sports. As of March 31, 2023, Group 1001 had combined assets under management of approximately $60.1 billion and comprises the following brands: Delaware Life, Gainbridge®, Clear Spring Health, Clear Spring Property and Casualty Group, and Clear Spring Life.
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 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series teams in select events.
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series 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.
