Zane Smith – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
Zane Smith will make his first NCS appearance at Kansas Speedway on Sunday driving the No. 71 Focused Health Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports.
Smith arrives in Kansas after finishing 24th in Sunday’s NCS race at Dover.
Sunday will mark the debut of Focused Health’s new blue and orange paint scheme on the No. 71 Chevrolet.
Focused Health is a national health insurance agency that assists consumers and employers in navigating the myriad of health insurance options in the government programs space. The company partners with payors and employers to deliver health insurance solutions for individuals and families. For more information visit AtFocusedHealth.com.
While he’s never raced in Kansas in a Cup car, the rookie driver owns eight starts on the 1.5-mile oval in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS). His record includes a victory in 2022, 221 laps led, four top-five and seven top-10 finishes. Last year at Kansas, Smith finished third and fifth in the two races.
Smith will drive the No. 91 Chevrolet Silverado in Saturday night’s NCTS race. It marks the 2022 series’ champion’s fourth race this year with McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. He’s finished in the top-10 in all three races.
Race fans can meet Smith at the NASCAR Classics merchandise trailer for an autograph on Sunday at 10:15 a.m. CT.
Zane Smith Quotes
Your primary sponsor, Focused Health, is debuting a new paint scheme this weekend. What are your thoughts on the scheme?
“I’m pumped for this new paint scheme. When I first saw the renderings, I wanted to run it as soon as possible. It is a scheme that will stand out and everyone will be able to spot easily on the track. I think a new, bright design like this is significant as we progress through the rest of the season. I’m thankful for Focused Health’s support for me and this No.71 team. I am excited to get to Kansas and show it off. Hopefully we will be at the front of the field, and everyone will see it.”
In 16 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) races at Kansas Speedway, Spire Motorsports has logged two top-20 and six top-25 finishes with nine different drivers. Corey LaJoie, driver of the No. 7 Gainbridge Chevy Camaro earned a team-best 19th-place finish in the 2022 AdventHealth 400. 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 AdventHealth 400 from Kansas Speedway will be televised live on FS1 Sunday, May 5, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 12th 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 2 pm
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.
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.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
