After a fourth-place result in the season-opening Daytona 500 and more than 200,000 margaritas sold in a single afternoon, Chili’s Grill & Bar is upping its relationship with Corey LaJoie and Spire Motorsports, adding three races of primary sponsorship on the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in 2024.
Following Sunday’s 600 Miles of Remembrance at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Chili’s Grill & Bar will adorn the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro in events at WWT Raceway on June 2, and the regular-season finale at Darlington Raceway on September 1.
“Numbers are important, but relationships are everything,” said Chili’s CMO George Felix. “We jumped into NASCAR for the first time this year because we saw a chance to reach this passionate fanbase, but to do that we needed to find the perfect driver and team for Chili’s. We have that with Corey and Spire. We’re excited to solidify this partnership by putting the pepper back on the hood at some of the season’s remaining marquee races.”
The partnership extension will begin with Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, as LaJoie and Spire Motorsports honor U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Jeremie S. Border of Mesquite, Texas, who died September 1, 2012, by small arms fire while conducting combat operations in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan.
“This is always a special weekend,” said LaJoie. “Seeing Staff Sgt. Border’s name on the windshield of our Chili’s Chevy Camaro is incredibly humbling. He put the well-being of his fellow soldiers and civilians above his own. Chili’s has stepped up in a big way to honor one of their very own Gold Star Families, and It’s an honor to represent Chili’s, Staff Sgt. Border and his family.”
Border was assigned to Company Alpha, 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Okinawa, Japan, and was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom-Afghanistan. His name will be displayed on the windshield of LaJoie’s Chevrolet Camaro throughout the weekend.
DeLaynie Peek, the sister of Border and a long-tenured Chili’s team member, will be at Charlotte Motor Speedway as NASCAR and its teams honor Gold Star Families for the seventh consecutive season.
“I’d put my brother’s name or face on anything if it meant people could learn about the hero and protector he was, so for it to happen in such a visible and memorable way is just amazing,” Border’s sister and Chili’s team member DeLaynie Peek said. “Chili’s wanted to honor someone connected to its family, and that says so much about the company’s culture that they’re making sure this moment didn’t pass without making one of their own feel special. We’re so grateful to them and to Spire and Corey for choosing Jeremie to ride along this weekend.”
Graduating from Mesquite High School in 2002 and attending McMurray University in Abilene, Texas, Border earned his bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Communications. In 2006, he entered the Army and completed basic training, advanced individual training, and a basic airborne course at Fort Benning, Georiga.
His awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terror Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terror Service Medal, Non-commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 2, Army Service Ribbon, Special Forces Tab, Expert Infantry Badge and the Army Parachutist Badge.
Border was also posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Valor, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Afghan Campaign Medal.
LaJoie, who has 10 previous starts at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series, will look to give Border a good ride on board the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro this weekend, having a venue-best finish of 12th-place. Last May, LaJoie finished 17th in the Coca-Cola 600.
