Pit Stop Radio News

Spire Motorsports at Daytona International Speedway: In 16 NASCAR Cup Series races at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) Spire Motorsports has logged one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at DIS on July 7, 2019. The Mooresville, N.C.,-headquartered team will field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Daytona 500 with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.

Flag-to-Flag Coverage: The 66th running of the Daytona 500 will be televised live on FOX, Sunday, February 18 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The first of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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

• Corey LaJoie is heading into his fourth full-time season behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in the NCS. 2024 marks LaJoie’s eighth career start in The Great American Race.
• As the series heads to the high banks of Daytona, Chili’s Bar & Grill will serve as the primary sponsor of LaJoie in the prestigious event. Chili’s known for their margarita beverages will showcase their ‘Rita’ branding on LaJoie’s race car as the ‘Catch a Rita’ No. 7 Chevy takes to the track on February 18th.
• Since joining Spire in 2021, LaJoie has finished no worse than 16th in the Daytona 500 with that 16th-place finish coming last February. His other two finishes in the 500 in the No. 7 include a ninth-place finish in 2021 and a 14th-place finish in 2022.
• The 32-year-old North Carolina native had a career year in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023 earning two top-five, three top-10  and eight top-15 finishes while leading a total of 66 laps. LaJoie’s best career finish in NASCAR’s premiere series is a fourth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March of 2023.
• 2024 will mark LaJoie’s eighth start in the Daytona 500.
• LaJoie has two-top 10 finishes in The Great American Race coming in 2020 (eighth) and 2021 (ninth). Overall, in his seven previous starts, he has only finished worse than 18th twice (2017 – 24th & 2018 – 40th).
• LaJoie has led one lap in the Daytona 500, which came in the 2020 race but has led 8 laps total at the speedway in NCS competition. Furthermore, he has completed 86.6 percent of the laps he has attempted (2,205 of 2,546).
• LaJoie’s average finish at Daytona International Speedway is 18.1 with four Top-10 finishes overall.

Corey LaJoie Quotes:
Daytona 500. New season. New opportunity. Obviously Spire made a lot of moves in the last six months and its bursting at the seams. There’s a lot going on. You’re a good speedway racer. Talk about your thoughts as we head towards the Daytona 500.
“It’s the granddaddy. Everybody is pumped up. Everything is new. We’re all excited. New paint schemes. New people coming for different places. Also, bringing in a new partner like Chili’s into the fold is huge for our team. I was texting with (Spire Motorsports co-owner) Jeff Dickerson when we were doing a 12-hour production day with those guys for their TV spot and I said ‘Look at us. We literally went from a white board in the conference room to 150 people and we’re filming a commercial with Chili’s to be on national television.’ It’s a pretty wild journey that we’ve been on. For us to get to a place where a brand like Chili’s would consider partnering with us for the biggest race of the year is something I take a lot of pride in. I’m proud of us. Hopefully we can do a great job for them. They’re investing heavily outside of the partnership with Spire Motorsports to activate the program and hopefully we can continue to grow that.

“Everybody has a chance to win Daytona. With T.J. Bell, my spotter and I have really dialed in what  communication we need throughout the race to put ourselves in a good position to try and take advantage at the end. My crew chief Ryan Sparks and I have really worked on strategy in terms of fuel timing of where we need to be and when we need to be there. But, it also comes down to fate. Hopefully we can put ourselves in position to take advantage of a little luck and whatever happens, let it happen.”

The million-dollar question is always when is the right time to make a move and go? Is it three laps to go or two to go? Is it one to go? Is it coming off Turn Four, heading to the checkered flag?
“I think, anymore, you have to go from lap one. These Next Gen cars don’t build runs. It’s hard to get track position. You can’t drive them like the old cars and go from 20th to the lead in three laps. The cars don’t punch as big of a hole in the air as the old ones, so the runs don’t come as quick. The mirrors in these cars are a lot easier to cover. You can see runs coming from further away with the rear-view camera. So, if someone wants to make a move on you, you can cover it easier than you could with the old mirrors and the spotters are so good. They can see energy. The can see things building. That’s why you don’t see a whole lot of mixing, and moving and shaking, because everyone knows how guys are trying to get positions. It’s really a track position game all day. I feel like we have to have the same demeanor about track position at Daytona as we do at Martinsville. We want good track position early and maintain it all day long.
 
“If you happen to be in position where a wreck catches you up, that’s just part of the deal. I love the fact that we’re in a place now where we don’t have to go in and ride around in the back all day and then try and make something happen with five to go. We can afford to put ourselves in position to win the race.  However we see necessary to do that, we can go do it.”

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

• Zane Smith will start his first full-time NCS Season at Daytona International Speedway, debuting his No. 71 WeatherTech Spire Motorsports Chevrolet. The Bolingbrook, Ill. company founded by CEO David MacNeil, will be part of the 2024 Daytona 500 serving as the primary sponsor for the Trackhouse Racing development driver.
• For decades, WeatherTech has delivered on its promise of quality and craftsmanship through a commitment to American-made auto, home and pet products. Globally renowned for its laser-measured FloorLiner™ and innovative CupFone®, the Bolingbrook, Illinois headquartered company continues to push industry boundaries through superior design, engineering and international brand recognition. More information can be found at weathertech.com.
• On Sunday at 9:30 a.m. EST, Smith will appear for a Q&A at the Midway Stage. Following that Smith will make an appearance at the Chevy Display at 10 a.m. in the midway.
• Smith will join the U.S. Air Force on Friday in a F-16 Fighting Falcons Thunderbird. These Thunderbirds are the same jets that will be flying over track on Sunday, for the start of the 66th running of the Daytona 500.
• Smith made his Daytona 500 debut in 2023 where he started 17th and finished 13th driving the No. 36 car for Front Row Motorsports. Smith competed in eight Cup races but retains his rookie status and will be one of the favorite’s to win the rookie of the year honors in 2024.
• To learn more about Smith, visit his website at www.zanesmithracing.com.
• Sunday will also mark the debut of Stephen Doran as a full-time NCS crew chief. The Pennsylvania native worked as an engineer on Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 4 team in 2023.

Zane Smith Quotes:
What does it mean to have WeatherTech as the primary sponsor of your No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet for the Daytona 500?
“You always want a sponsor who does cool things or makes cool stuff and it looks like we got one of the best for Daytona. I’ve already gone to WeatherTech’s website to find things for my personal cars. I feel this paint scheme is the perfect fit for the ‘Great American Race’ and I’m eager to get out on the track to show all the fans. I wish this race started tomorrow.”
Second time ever running the Daytona 500, how do you feel?
“It is a dream come true to race in the Daytona 500, especially with this No. 71 Spire Motorsports team. This is going to be a fun season, but I know it’s going to be challenging, as well. I’m ready to get our year going.”
What are your thoughts on Crew Chief Stephen Doran?
“We laugh about which one will be more nervous at the start. Me behind the wheel or Stephen on top of the pit box. I am very fortunate to have someone like Stephen leading my team. We are going to learn a lot together this year.”

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

• The 2024 season will mark Carson Hocevar’s first full season in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and will make his Daytona 500 debut behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with co-primary sponsorship from Zeigler Auto Group and Gainbridge. The Daytona 500 will mark Hocevar’s first NCS start at Daytona International Speedway.
• Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 84 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all of the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers. Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,500 people, ranking among the top one percent of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2023. The family-owned and -operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Wisconsin, Chicago, and Michigan. Besides these prestigious accolades, Zeigler is also one of Glassdoor’s 100 Best Places to Work in the U.S. for 2024, and among Glassdoor’s top 10 U.S. companies for work-life balance.
• Gainbridge Insurance Agency, LLC (“Gainbridge”), a Group 1001 company, is an insurtech which strives to offer products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Gainbridge’s digital-first distribution model underpins its mission to reach all communities, including those that have been historically underserved by the national financial system.
• Hocevar will greet fans and participate in a question-and-answer session at the Chevy display in the DIS midway Sunday, February 18 at 11 a.m. EST.
• Hocevar will be featured on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET following each race weekend to discuss his rookie season.
• Hocevar has competed in three NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) races at Daytona International Speedway, earning a venue-best fifth-place finish February 12, 2021. Over those three starts, the Plymouth, Mich., driver hasn’t finished worse than 12th.
• Luke Lambert, a native of Mount Airy, N.C., will serve as Hocevar’s crew chief in 2024. Lambert comes to Spire Motorsports from Legacy Motor Club where he guided the team’s No. 42 NCS effort last season, connecting with Hocevar when he drove for the team in eight of the final 10 races of 2023. In 20 NCS races calling the shots from a top the pit box at the “World Center of Racing,” Lambert has collectively led six different drivers to two top-five and six top-10 finishes. Meanwhile, the veteran NASCAR top kick has called four NASCAR Xfinity races at DIS, accumulating two top-three and three top-six finishes. 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.

Carson Hocevar Quotes:
How does your experience racing a truck at Daytona translate to competing in the Daytona 500? Are there any key differences in car handling, drafting strategy, or mental preparation?
“Yeah, unfortunately I haven’t ran this track in a cup car before but drafting seems pretty similar. The people in my ear are going to be the ones I look to. My spotter Tyler (Green) and Luke (Lambert), they’ve both had success on superspeedways. They’re going to really help my learning curve.”

You mentioned learning valuable lessons from your Daytona truck races. Were any of those learnings sponsored, literally or figuratively, by the support of your family and friends who might be returning to cheer you on this year?
“I have so many friends and family coming and with the support of Gainbridge and Zeigler, it’s going to be amazing to have everyone there this weekend. One year ago, I was sitting watching the Daytona 500 envying those Cup drivers who got to race, and now I’m racing in it. It’s super cool to finally have a role in this race and do my best.”
As a fan, what’s your favorite Daytona 500 memory?
“I went to the Daytona 500 as a kid in 2014 when Dale Jr. won and knew then and there that I wanted to race a Cup car on this track. It’s surreal my dream has come true and sometimes I still don’t believe it.”

Spire Motorsports PR