The 2024 Cup series season has been a mixed bag for Spire Motorsports. Their star performer, Corey LaJoie has had an underwhelming run, but the team overall has fared well thanks to two rookies carrying over the responsibility to keep the season alive. The recent performances of Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith at the Michigan International Speedway are prime examples.

Carson Hocevar finished 10th in FireKeepers Casino 400, his best in the season. Zane Smith ended up in the 7th spot, just behind experienced campaigners like Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski. After the emphatic success, Hocevar spoke about how the next season looks bright for his team. He also discussed the kind of re-vamp and hard work Spire Motorsports is putting in.

Carson Hocevar is optimistic about 2025!

With his season’s best finish, Carson Hocevar appeared excited, and rightfully so. Given the level of competition in the Cup Series, achieving a result like this is a big deal for the youngster. He outperformed some seasoned drivers like Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, and Martin Truex Jr. Hocevar has been building on his consistent performances this season.

Speaking about the future of his team, the 21-year-old said, “For us to have this type of speed already and you know before we make all those changes. I think shows that we could be in a really really good spot, you know, if we just have those extra processes, people, and more cars.” Spire Motorsports is in the midst of a reconstruction of their project, aiming to bring significant changes to the group and win some silverware next year.

The pathway to achieving a top-10 finish at Michigan International Speedway was not easy, especially when the race start was average for the youngster. Discussing the challenges he faced to achieve this finish, Hocevar said, “Feels good especially from where we were yesterday, I just felt like nothing could go right and like we could do no wrong at most. I think we could not response to the last start got stacked up and everything worked out really well for us nonetheless able to put together a really strong car.”

The No. 77 for Spire Motorsports was also happy for his teammate Zane Smith. The 2024 season is turning out to be a breakthrough season for these two youngsters. Their association with Spire Motorsports continues to flourish at a critical juncture. The leader for the organization on track, Corey LaJoie, will leave to make space for Michael McDowell. No teams are currently in contact with LaJoie. With the end in sight, the Spire Motorsports ace racer could leave as a free agent.

Aside from LaJoie’s performances, the situation has not been so bad for Spire Motorsports. In fact, with the changes set to come into full effect next year, the future looks optimistic for them.

Analyzing Spire Motorsports in the Cup Series this year

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Spire Motorsports is slowly but surely developing into a competitor among other top-tier Cup Series teams. The organization currently has three charters in the Cup Series: Corey LaJoie, Carson Hocevar, and Zane Smith. While Corey has been with Spire Motorsports since 2021, the other two are rookie racers trying to make an impact in the division. Carson and Zane have successfully achieved what they set out to do this year, and their top-10 finishes at Michigan International Speedway are a testament to that.

Hocevar had a solid Cup Series season this year. The No. 77 for Spire Motorsports’ previous best finish was 11th at Bristol Motor Speedway. Zane Smith has also shown promising signs for the future. The No. 71 finished as runner-up at Nashville Superspeedway, right behind Joey Logano of Team Penske. Zane currently sits in the 27th spot in the Cup Series standings, while Carson holds the 24th spot. With the addition of Michael McDowell next year, Spire Motorsports could achieve a blend of young prospects and experience in the Cup Series, helping the organization reach new heights.

What are your thoughts on Spire Motorsports’ young rookies? Let us know in the comments.