Spire Motorsports and current sponsor Gainbridge have partnered with the University of Iowa Athletics Department and Learfield’s Hawkeye Sports Properties to field a special Iowa Hawkeyes-themed paint scheme in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series event at Iowa Speedway.
Corey LaJoie, the driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro will hit the racetrack with a special paint scheme featuring black and gold striping with the Iowa Hawkeyes logo on the hood and athletics website on the rear TV panel.
Gainbridge, a Group 1001 company, is a sponsor Iowa Athletics and signed a multi-year partnership with Hawkeye legend Caitlin Clark as a brand ambassador earlier this year. The company is also an anchor partner of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro for LaJoie and Spire Motorsports.
All Iowa Athletics sponsorship agreements are managed by its multimedia rights holder Hawkeye Sports Properties, the locally based team of Learfield, the media and technology company powering college athletics.
“The No. 7 is extra special this weekend as we bring together two unique sports properties from our portfolio and give Iowans a home-state car to pull for in the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway,” said Mike Nichols, Chief of Sponsorship and Activation at Group 1001. “From Caitlin Clark to now this, Gainbridge® has stepped up to support Iowa athletics and we hope that all of Iowa will rally around Corey LaJoie and cheer him on to victory lane.”
LaJoie, a multi-year veteran of the NASCAR Cup Series, comes off one of his best finishes of the season at Sonoma Raceway, 11th, and heads to a racetrack that nobody has tackled before in the NextGen car.
“The NASCAR event at Iowa Speedway is a marquee event for the state and we’re thankful that Gainbridge® is shining a big spotlight on Learfield and Iowa athletics,” said Gabe Aguirre, Vice President & General Manager, Hawkeye Sports Properties. “We’re all rooting for Corey LaJoie in that No. 7.”
The Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol will be live on USA Network on Sunday, June 16 at 7:00 PM ET.