Pit Stop Radio News

• In 13 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) starts at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway (BMS), Spire Motorsports has logged one top-15 and four top-25 finishes. Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 7 Mattress Warehouse Chevy Camaro, earned a team-best 15th-place finish in the 2022 Bass Pro Shops Night Race. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NCS for LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• The Bass Pro Shops Night Race from Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on USA Network Saturday, Sept. 21, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 29th of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Countdown to Green on USA will take the green flag at 7 p.m. EDT.

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

• Corey Lajoie will pilot the No. 7 Mattress Warehouse Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race. 
• In 12 previous NCS starts at Bristol, the 32-year-old has collected one top-15, two top-20 and six top-25 finishes. In the 2022 Bristol Night Race, he crossed the finish line 15th, a personal venue best.
• In the NCS most recent stop at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International, LaJoie rolled off 18th and navigated multiple late-race restarts to earn an impressive eighth-place finish. 
• Lajoie’s result, accompanied by teammates Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith who finished third and fifth, respectively, registered the first triple top-10 day for Spire Motorsports. The 5.33 team average finish marked the best for a multi-car Spire team, and the collective 95 points earned on the day marked the most points earned in a single event in team history.
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• The father of three has made one CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at “The Last Great Coliseum.” In the rain-delayed 2014 edition of the UNOH 200, LaJoie qualified 21st and scored a 10th-place finish. The result marked his first top 10 in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition.
• Over 263 NCS starts, the Concord, N.C., native has earned four top-five and 11 top-10 finishes and led 161 laps in NASCAR’s premier division.

Corey LaJoie Quotes
Bristol is one of the most historic tracks on the circuit. What is special about going there?
“Obviously the history involved makes it a cool place to race. It is also the pinnacle of short track racing. I always enjoy my time there and I hope to bring home a good finish in our Mattress Warehouse Camaro.”

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

• Zane Smith will make his second NASCAR Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday night, piloting the No. 71 Ambetter Health Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports.
• Last weekend at Watkins Glen, Smith rolled off 19th for the 90-lap event and spent a majority of the day in the top 10. He secured a fifth-place finish, marking his second top five and fifth top 10 on the season.
• Smith’s result, accompanied by teammates Carson Hocevar and Corey LaJoie who finished third and eighth, respectively, registered the first triple top-10 day for Spire Motorsports. The 5.33 team average finish marked the best for a multi-car Spire team, and the collective 95 points earned on the day marked the most points earned in a single event in team history.
• In the March trip to Bristol, Smith qualified 16th and showed strong pace before a mechanical issue ended his day 308 laps early. He was credited with a 36th-place finish.
• The 2022 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Champion owns five truck starts at “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.” He’s racked up two top fives and three top 10s while pacing the field for 83 laps. His record at the track is highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 2022 event.
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Zane Smith Quotes
How are you feeling heading to Bristol after the weekend your team had at Watkins Glen?
“The No. 71 Spire Motorsports crew had a great weekend at Watkins Glen, and it has given us some great momentum heading into Bristol. In March at Bristol, we had a solid car and were looking to post a top 15 until a mechanical issue ended our day. Knowing what we could have accomplished in the spring helps steer us in the right direction for Saturday’s night race. I’m excited to get to Bristol and battle with my team.”

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

• Carson Hocevar will make his third NCS start at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, piloting the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Spire Motorsports.
• Last week at Watkins Glen International, the 21-year-old brought home a career-best third-place finish after post-qualifying adjustments sent him to the tail of the field to start the event. The result marked his first career top five in NASCAR’s premier series and his fourth finish of 11th or better in the last six outings.
• Hocevar’s third-place finish, accompanied by teammates Zane Smith and Corey LaJoie who finished fifth and eighth, respectively, registered the first triple top-10 day for Spire Motorsports. The 5.33 team average finish marked the best for a multi-car Spire team, and the collective 95 points earned on the day marked the most points earned in a single event in team history.
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• In the NCS March visit to BMS, the rookie fought a myriad of tire issues to finish 27th in the Food City 500.
• The Portage, Mich. native made his fourth-career Cup Series start at Bristol Motor Speedway in last September’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race. Hocevar qualified 16th and finished fifth in the race’s second stage. He crossed the finish line 11th.  
• Hocevar has four CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts on the concrete at “The Last Great Coliseum,” highlighted by a fourth-place finish in 2023. He was the runner up in the 2022 Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt on Bristol’s dirt configuration.
• The youngest NCS driver in the field ranks 22nd in the division’s championship point standings and leads Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings by 45 points. Over the course of the season’s first 28 races, he has notched one top-five, five top-10 and 10 top-15 finishes.
• Crew chief Luke Lambert called Noah Gragson’s 2022 NASCAR Xfinity Series win at the high-banked, half-mile oval. The victory was part of a four-race win streak that included Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, Kansas Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway.
• Fans can meet Hocevar at the NASCAR Classics merchandise trailer for an autograph on Saturday from 3 – 3:30 p.m.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
How do you look to capitalize on your career best finish last weekend?
“We feel good about the weekend. Last fall we were running in the top five until a loose wheel set us back, but still managed to finish 11th. Bristol is tough to pass, but in the fall we were able to drive through the field. I‘m hoping we get the same luck and can bring home another top five in our Delaware Life Camaro. Last week felt great and I want to be able to do it again for my team and sponsors.”

Spire Motorsports PR