Spire Motorsports Goodyear 400 Race Advance

In 16 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races at Darlington Raceway, Spire Motorsports has logged one top-15 and eight top-25 finishes with seven different drivers. Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 7 Razzle Dazzle Grapes Chevy Camaro earned a team-best 15th-place finish in the 2021 Cook Out 500. The Mooresville, N.C., team fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS with LaJoie, and fellow drivers Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
The Goodyear 400 from Kansas Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, May 12, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 13th of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. NASCAR RaceDay’s pre-race coverage on FS1 will take the green flag at 1:30 p.m. EDT.

Corey LaJoie – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Corey LaJoie heads to Darlington Raceway behind the wheel of the No. 7 Razzle Dazzle Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
Lajoie started 28th and finished 26th last weekend at Kansas Speedway.
In 12 previous NCS starts at Darlington Raceway, LaJoie has led seven laps, logged one top-15 and six top-25 finishes. The Concord, N.C., native recorded a 29th-place average start, a 27.1 average finish and completed 3,614 of 3,951 laps contested (91.5 percent).
DLJ Produce, through its Razzle Dazzle brand, has become synonymous with quality and trust in the Fresh Produce industry. With decades of experience, DLJ Produce has consistently delivered the finest produce, nurturing strong partnerships with local and international growers, and upholding uncompromising standards of excellence. Razzle Dazzle table grapes are meticulously grown and harvested to ensure a premium taste experience. Each grape is carefully selected for its natural sweetness, offering a burst of flavor in every bite. From classic favorites to unique varieties, Razzle Dazzle brings a spectrum of taste and color to consumers’ plates, elevating every moment with its brilliance.
LaJoie’s No. 7 Razzle Dazzle Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will showcase a similar paint scheme to the one he raced to his first career NASCAR Regional Touring Series win, coming on June 2, 2012 in the NASCAR Hall of Fame 150 at historic Bowman Gray Stadium in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Sunday’s Goodyear 400 will mark LaJoie’s 13th NCS start Darlington Raceway and 249th career start.
LaJoie started 34th and raced his way to a 24th-place finish in last May’s Goodyear 400 behind the wheel of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 NationsGuard Chevrolet Camaro.
In addition to his extensive experience in the NCS at Darlington, LaJoie has also made one start in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) at the 1.33-mile egg-shaped superspeedway. The Concord, N.C. native raced Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Schluter Systems Chevrolet Silverado to a 16th-place finish in last May’s Buckle Up South Carolina 200.

Corey LaJoie Quotes
It’s Darlington’s annual throwback weekend and you’re a throwback kinda guy. Given your passion and your families historical connection to the sport, what are your thoughts as we head into a special weekend?
“Darlington holds a lot of special memories for me, growing up in the sport watching my dad race. The throwback race is definitely one of my favorite times to reflect on my family’s history. I’m appreciative of Razzle Dazzle allowing Spire to give a nod to my own racing memory and first win at Bowman Gray Stadium. I’m really looking forward to getting down to the Lady in Black.”

Zane Smith – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Zane Smith will make his first start at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway in a NASCAR Cup Series car on Sunday driving the No. 71 Focused Health Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports.
While he owns just 22 Cup Series starts in his career, including 13 starts he’s made in 2024, the Huntington Beach, Calf., native has recorded two top-10 finishes in five NCTS races at Darlington.
Smith will honor longtime driver Dave Marcis as part of NASCAR’s 10th annual “Throwback Weekend” when the industry honors the sport’s 76-year history and many Cup teams will sport throwback paint schemes.
Smith’s No. 71 Focused Health Chevrolet will run a nearly identical paint scheme to Marcis’ No. 71 K&K Insurance Chevrolet he raced at Darlington on April 13, 1975. Marcis, 83, who retired in 2002, raced in 883 races over 35 years and visited Victory Lane five times. He now lives near Asheville, N.C., and is expected to join Smith at the track on Sunday.
Focused Health is a National Health Insurance agency founded by industry veterans with over 60 years combined industry experience. Primarily focused on the government programs space, Focused Health partners with payors and employers to deliver health insurance solutions for individuals and families. For more information visit AtFocusedHealth.com.
Watch Smith’s exclusive interview with FS1 on Race Hub, Wednesday, May 8 at 6 p.m. ET.

Zane Smith Quotes
Tell us about your Throwback paint scheme and what it means to you.
“I’m going to be honest, Dave Marcis is way before my time, but it’s been cool learning about Dave and his career and I hope we can introduce a lot of younger fans like me to the drivers like Dave that helped build this sport. He was a heck of a racer. It’s funny, I’ve run about 20 races in my Cup career and I read where Dave raced in five decades! It’s really cool that Dave drove the No. 71 for the first time at Darlington and this is my first year driving a Cup car there. It’s also the Goodyear 400 race and with Dave’s close ties to Goodyear, everything is super fitting.”

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No.77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Carson Hocevar will make his second career NCS start at Darlington Raceway in Sunday’s Goodyear 400 behind the wheel of the No. 77 Premier Security Camaro ZL1.
Spire Motorsports and Premier Security Solutions have partnered with the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) to honor fallen officers for National Police Week where Hocevar will showcase the NLEOMF logo on both his race car and firesuit for NASCAR’s annual throwback weekend.
Established in 1984, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the fallen, telling the story of American law enforcement, and making it safer for those who serve. The first pillar of this mission, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C., honors the names of all of the 24,067 officers who have died in the line of duty to date throughout U.S. history. Additionally, NLEOMF maintains and publishes comprehensive details on the circumstances surrounding official line-of-duty deaths. The Officer Safety and Wellness pillar uses that data, coupled with best-practice program models, to produce programming directed at solutions to improve survivability and enhance wellness. NLEOMF’s third pillar, the National Law Enforcement Museum (LawEnforcementMuseum.org) is committed to preserving the history of American law enforcement and sharing the experiences of service and sacrifice for generations to come.
The partnership honors National Police Week and the 282 law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty in 2023, and years prior, who were added to the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial this year. Those officers’ names will be read aloud during the Candlelight Vigil at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. on May 13th, one of the many events in recognition of National Police Week held each May.
Hocevar’s No. 77 will pay tribute to the four fallen Charlotte (N.C.) area law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty while serving an arrest warrant on April 29,2024. The names of Police Officer Joshua Eyer, Deputy U.S. Marshal Thomas M. Weeks, Investigator Samuel Poloche and Investigator William “Alden” Elliott will be displayed on the C-post of the Premier Security Chevrolet to honor their lives, careers and service to the public.
Hocevar started 22nd and finished 24th in last Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway.
In his lone NCS start at Darlington Raceway, Hocevar started 15th and finished 17th in last September’s Cook Out Southern 500. This was Hocevar’s second NCS race of his career.
In his second-career NASCAR Xfinity Series start, the Portage, Mich., native started 25th and raced his way to a sixth-place finish in last May’s Shriners Children’s 200.
In four NCTS starts at Darlington Raceway, Hocevar has logged a 10.8 average start, a 5.3 average finish and recorded three top-five finishes. The 21-year-old racer has led 10 laps and completed all laps contested at the 1.33-mile, egg-shaped oval.
Premier Security is a long-time supporter of Hocevar’s career. The Flint, Mich.-headquartered organization has been prominently featured alongside Hocevar dating to his time racing short tracks in the pavement late model ranks.
From the famous bricks of Saginaw Street in Flint, Mich., to industrial, residential, and commercial sites across North America, Premier Security Solutions has built an unmatched standard of security. Today, Premier has taken steps to advance technology and utilize new tools to combat theft and become an anti-crime organization. Premier’s Global Security Operations Center is a state-of-the-art facility, working around the clock to protect assets, corporations, schools, and families.
Premier deploys more than 1,000 guards around the country and protects homes, families, executive-level leaders, and major corporations. Premier’s team of retired law enforcement professionals protects more than 50 school buildings and high net-worth families, delivering an unparalleled level of service. Premier prides itself on a standard of service ensuring its customers receive the protection and peace of mind they deserve.
The Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender is currently 22nd in the NCS championship points. Over the course of the season’s first 12 races, Hocevar has notched one top-10 and three top-15 finishes.
Hocevar’s crew chief Luke Lambert called Noah Gragson’s 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series win at the “Track To Tough To Tame.” The victory was part of a four-race win streak that spanned Darlington, Kansas, Bristol and Texas Motor Speedway.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
It’s throwback weekend at Darlington and you have a special partner with the NLEOMF. What does it mean to you to have this partnership on a track where you’ve had some good runs in the past?
“I am looking forward to it. It’s a really cool scheme for an even better cause and we’re racing for a lot of people this weekend. To be a part of this with a longtime sponsor, supporting something that means so much to not only Dave Forystek (CEO of Premier Security) but also myself and my family, I couldn’t be happier. I’m thrilled to go to a place where I can be versatile. I’m ready to put together a really good run for a lot of really great men and women who serve us and our communities.”
From the Top of the Box

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Ryan Sparks serves in a dual role as both Spire Motorsports competition director and crew chief for driver Corey LaJoie and the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in the NCS.
Sparks, a Winston-Salem, N.C., native, has been paired with LaJoie since 2020.
Combined, Sparks and LaJoie have earned four top-five and seven top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish in the 2024 Daytona 500.

Stephen Doran – Crew Chief, No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Stephen Doran begins his first full season as a Cup Series crew chief leading Zane Smith and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet team during the 2024 season.
In 2006, Doran got his start in NASCAR at Petty Enterprises.
Prior to his arrival at Spire Motorsports, Doran worked at Stewart-Haas Racing as an engineer, most recently on the No. 4 car driven by Kevin Harvick.

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Luke Lambert is the crew chief for Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 team with 2024 NCS Rookie of the Year candidate Carson Hocevar
The 2005 North Carolina State graduate has led the competition efforts for some of the sport’s most notable names including Jeff Burton, Ryan Newman, Elliott Sadler and Chris Buescher.
In 2014, Lambert led Newman to a berth in the Championship 4, and ultimately a runner-up finish in the NCS championship point standings.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.

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. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.