In the summer of 2018, Spire Sports + Entertainment founders Jeff Dickerson and T.J. Puchyr found themselves in a tricky situation. They were tasked with selling Furniture Row Racing’s charter, but after two deals fell through, they had a bold idea: why not purchase the charter themselves and start their own racing team? This decision led to the creation of Spire Motorsports.
Since then, the journey has been challenging, but Jeff Dickerson wouldn’t have it any other way. Reflecting on the early days of Spire Sports + Entertainment and the transition to Spire Motorsports, Dickerson recalls, “We were kind of crazy. It was organized chaos, really. It felt like a fraternity during our fifth year.
We were working with a lot of great drivers like Larson, Bell, and Stenhouse, and it seemed like we were doing well. We were securing sponsorships and seeing our drivers succeed, which felt like a significant achievement.”
When Spire Motorsports transitioned from an agency to a racing team, Dickerson and Puchyr took a substantial risk by borrowing money from United Community Bank and former team owner Todd Braun to buy a charter from Furniture Row Racing, a move that has since increased in value fivefold.
In six years, Spire Motorsports has completed 14 charter transactions and expanded to a three-car Cup Series team. While not yet as dominant as Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing, Spire has made significant progress from its early challenges.
Discussing Spire Motorsports’ growth, Dickerson noted the team’s advancement compared to others like 23XI Racing and Trackhouse, which also entered the Cup Series around the same time. Despite their progress, Dickerson feels comparisons are not entirely fair due to differing resources.
He emphasized the team’s ambition to become a top contender, stating, “We didn’t have the advantage of an immediate strong start like Justin Marks did. We’re not in the same league as Denny Hamlin or Michael Jordan. But we’ve talked about growing for so long, it’s time to show that we’re serious. We’re not just making moves to say we’re growing; we’re here to compete.”
Corey LaJoie’s departure from Spire Motorsports signals the team’s commitment to consistently making the playoffs. In the competitive world of NASCAR, underperformance can lead to tough decisions. Although LaJoie was a key figure for the team, Dickerson has shown that in NASCAR’s fast-paced environment, performance is paramount.
