Heartbreak for Noah Gragson as Carson Hocevar & Zane Smith Rejoice Over Spire Motorsports’ Latest Announcement

Spire Motorsports is making some big moves in the Cup Series. After announcing their partnership with Trackhouse Racing, the team signed Truck Series talents like Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar for 2024. However, it seems like Spire is not done with their announcements just yet.

As per the new development, Stephen Doran will be stepping in as the crew chief for Zane’s No.71 car, and Luke Lambert will do the same for the No.77 of Hocevar. But how is Noah Gragson involved in all of this?

Spire Motorsports’ big change for 2024 will hurt Noah Gragson

Well, Hocevar replaced Noah Gragson earlier this year at Legacy Motor Club. And now, his new Crew Chief Luke Lambert is someone who had been calling the shots previously for JR Motorsports‘ No.9 car which Noah Gragson drove, in the Xfinity Series.

Lambert’s most recent stint in the Cup Series saw him aid Hocevar in his Cup Series appearances in Legacy Motor Club’s No.42 in the latter parts of 2023. While Gragson’s entry back into the sport is not even certain at this point, this goodbye would certainly not be easy for him to say.

It was back in October 2022, when Petty GMS announced the recruitment of Noah Gragson to the team for the 2023 season. To bring out the best in him, the team managed to compel his crew chief at JRM, Luke Lambert, to join Gragson in a new chapter of life. After a solid season in Xfinity, the pair had burst onto the scene with eight wins, 19 top-fives, and 24 top-10 finishes.

With Gragson being touted as one of the top contenders for Stewart-Haas Racing‘s No.10 Ford Mustang, he’d have hoped to get his former crew chief, Lambert, by his side. However, in an unexpected development, Spire Motorsports has turned the tables.

Following Gragson’s controversial social media actions, which led to him moving out of the No.42 car, Carson Hocevar briefly replaced him at Legacy MC. Having worked with Hocevar for a handful of races during that period, Lambert must now be aware of the 20-year-old’s strengths and weaknesses. The short stint was quite fruitful for Hocevar, who had five top-20 finishes in 8 starts for the team.

2024 will be Lambert’s 13th season as a full-time crew chief. He has operated races for multiple reputed teams like Richard Childress Racing and Roush Fenway Racing and has also managed to earn one win in that process.

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2024 is the year for Stephen Doran to upgrade his role to crew chief. Having been at Stewart-Haas Racing since 2012, Doran had been a part of the iconic No.4 team alongside Kevin Harvick and Rodney Childers since 2014. His driver for 2024, Zane Smith, on the other hand, has been one of the best drivers during his time in the Craftsman Truck Series as he won the 2022 Truck Series Championship victory.

However, Cup Series racing is a different matter. In 8 Cup Series starts in 2023, the 24-year-old has one top-10 finish. Zane Smith’s arrival at Spire Motorsports is a part of his multi-year deal with Trackhouse Racing. Spire acquired the third charter for the team after buying it from Live Fast Motorsport. This landed the team a contract with Justin Marks and Co, making Smith’s services available on loan for the 2024 season.

Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson praised the team’s latest signings in an official press release from the team as he said,

“Stephen Doran and Luke Lambert are veterans of the sport, exemplary individuals, and we’re thrilled to welcome them both to Spire Motorsports. Stephen is an accomplished racer who earned this position through practical knowledge, hard work, and success. He’s been part of championship-caliber teams in the past and we’re confident that he’ll play a significant role in helping Spire Motorsports continue to raise our competitive bar.”

Since acquiring a third charter and forming an alliance with Trackhouse, Spire Motorsports has shown the zeal to improve in the upcoming season. With the retention of Corey Lajoie, the team has a perfect blend of youth and experience in its ranks, which will be vital to their final Cup Series standing.

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