Tuesday, November 5, 2024
HomeCup Series2022 Season in Review: Spire Motorsports

2022 Season in Review: Spire Motorsports

Drivers: #7- Corey LaJoie, #77- Landon Cassill, Mike Rockenfeller, Justin Allgaier, Josh Bilicki

#7 Schluter Systems / Built / RAZE Energy Chevrolet (LaJoie)

#77 Chevrolet (various sponsors)

Courtesy of nascar

Engines: Hendrick Motorsports

Crew Chief(s): #7-Ryan Sparks, #77-Kevin Bellicourt

2022 Season Grade (Overall): C-

2022 Season (Corey LaJoie #7)

DRIVER

STRTS

W

T5

T10

RANK

Corey LaJoie

36

0

1

1

31

courtesy of Jayski and Joel Bray

After joining the growing Spire Motorsports organization in 2021 to pilot their new #7 Chevrolet, the team returned intact for 2022, with hopes the NextGen car would improve their odds.

The high hopes of the season got off to a positive start, as LaJoie would start 24th and finish 14th in the Daytona 500. Following the 500, LaJoie would finish 28th in California, 15th in Las Vegas, and 30th in Phoenix. 

The first Atlanta race would prove to be the start of the team’s rollercoaster season. During the seasons 4th race in Phoenix, LaJoie unfortunately fell victim to the new loose wheel violation rule this season, as crew chief Ryan Bell was suspended for 4 races. Peter Sospenzo took over the role starting with a 5th place finish at Atlanta, but the races that followed would only produce finishes of 36th, 31st, and 32nd. 

With Bell returning for the Bristol dirt race weekend, the season marched on for the 7 team and LaJoie, as they would collect 3 straight Top 15 finishes.  Following Bristol, the team would have a seesaw of finishes leading up to the series’ return for race 19 in Atlanta.

The return trip to Atlanta (where LaJoie finished 5th earlier in the year) almost eclipsed the success of race 5. LaJoie would qualify 30th, but by races end was running towards the front. LaJoie would have a career day as he ledtwice for 18 laps. With two laps to go LaJoie was on pace to earn his first career victory, until contact with Chase Elliott took LaJoie out of contention, relegating the 7 car to a 21st place finish.

LaJoie’s Peacock / WWE SummSlam scheme. (Courtesy of Jayski & Spire Motorsports)

The ups and downs continued throughout the remainder of the season, with LaJoie ending the year with an 18th place finish in Phoenix. 2022 saw LaJoie end the season with an average finish of 24.3, 8 DNF’s, 31 laps lead, and a 31st place finish in the standings.

2023 Outlook: Both LaJoie and Ryan Sparks will be returning for 2023, while no sponsors have been announced yet. While there were some flashes of speed during 2022, the team could greatly benefit from gaining consistency race-to-race, especially with Hendrick horsepower under the hood. A Top 20 points finish could definitely be a possibility, but not without improved finishes, and cutting down the number of DNF’s.

2022 Season Results: 

RACE

TRACK

S

F

LAPS

REASON

1

Daytona

24

14

201/201

Running

2

Fontana

25

28

198/200

Running

3

Las Vegas

29

15

274/274

Running

4

Phoenix

30

36

45/312

Accident

5

Atlanta

33

5

325/325

Running

6

COTA

32

36

57/69

Engine

7

Richmond

31

31

392/400

Running

8

Martinsville

26

32

397/403

Running

9

Bristol (Dirt)

26

19

250/250

Running

10

Talladega

33

14

188/188

Running

11

Dover

21

18

399/400

Running

12

Darlington

30

35

152/293

Accident

13

Kansas

20

19

267/267

Running

14

Charlotte

37

35

60/413

Accident

15

Gateway

19

36

72/245

Engine

16

Sonoma

30

34

101/110

Running

17

Nashville

22

20

300/300

Running

18

Road America

35

34

57/62

Running

19

Atlanta

30

21

260/260

Running

20

Loudon

21

32

88/301

Accident

21

Pocono

23

19

160/160

Running

22

Indianapolis G.P.

31

18

86/86

Running

23

Michigan

32

19

200/200

Running

24

Richmond

31

28

397/400

Running

25

Watkins Glen

32

27

90/90

Running

26

Daytona

31

30

137/160

Running

27

Darlington

34

24

365/367

Running

28

Kansas

19

33

114/267

Accident

29

Bristol

31

15

497/500

Running

30

Fort Worth

29

14

334/334

Running

31

Talladega

32

35

44/188

Accident

32

Charlotte (Road)

30

12

112/112

Running

33

Las Vegas

30

24

267/267

Running

34

Homestead

31

23

267/267

Running

35

Martinsville

14

21

498/500

Running

36

Phoenix

27

18

312/312

Running

========================================================

2022 Season (#77 Chevrolet):

DRIVER

STRTS

W

T5

T10

RANK

Josh Bilicki

16

0

0

0

N/A

Landon Cassill

17

0

1

1

N/A

Mike Rockenfeller

2

0

0

0

37

Justin Allgaier

1

0

0

0

N/A

courtesy of Jayski and Getty Images

While not having a full-time sponsor, Spire Motorsports’ #77 Chevrolet with crew chief Kevin Bellicourt returned for another season. Utilizing a mix of Josh Bilicki, Landon Cassill, Mike Rockenfeller, and Xfinity Series regular Justin Allgaier during the Bristol dirt weekend, the team set off on their 2022 campaign.

The #77 Spire struggled during a good portion of the season, but scored a Top 5 finish in the summer at Daytona with Landon Cassill. 

Josh Bilicki: Originally signed to drive the bulk of the 2022 schedule, Bilicki would only start 16 races (instead of a planned 25). Carrying sponsorship from Ziegler Auto Group and Pacific Coast Termite, Bilicki would make his season debut in California, finishing 30th. 

Despite the rough season Bilicki had that ended with race 23 in Michigan, there were some highlights that included a 16th in the first Atlanta race, a pair of 22nd place finishes, and a 21st in Bilicki’s season finale in Michigan. 

Bilicki would wrap up the season with a 29.1 average finish, and 4 DNF’s in 16 starts. 

Landon Cassill: Kaulig Racing’s Xfinity Series driver Landon Cassill made 17 starts in the Cup Series with Spire’s #77 team in 2022. Brining Xfinity Series sponsor Voyager Crypto on for the bulk of his starts, Cassill ended his 17-race schedule with an average finish of 24.1.

courtesy of Jayski and Getty Images

The highlights of Cassill’s 2022 Cup season came on the superspeedways, as he would score finishes of 4th in Daytona and an 11th in the fall at Talladega. Despite recording 3 DNF’s, Cassill was the most successful of the 77 group.

Mike Rockenfeller: Switzerland native Mike Rockenfeller made his NASCAR debut in 2022, running races in Watkins Glen and at the Charlotte ROVAL. Known for his road racing prowess, Rockenfeller struggled in the heavier NASCAR vehicles, finishing 30th at Watkins Glen and 29th on the ROVAL.

Justin Allgaier: Xfinity Series playoff contender Justin Allgaier was tapped to drive the#77 Chevrolet for the Bristol Dirt race. Brining his Xfinity Series sponsor BRANDT with him, Allgaier qualified 27th and finished 36th, going out on lap 74 due to an accident

courtesy of Jayski and Getty Images

2023 Outlook: Announced in October, the #77 seat will be filled by Ty Dillon. Dillon who left the Petty-GMS Motorsports #42 team at season’s end, will be the sole driver of the #77 Chevrolet in 2023. With crew chief Bellicourt also returning, it will be interesting to see if the new pairing can match or outrun their teammates on the #7 team. Expect a possible Top 10 finish or two, and a Top 25 points finish. No other details have been announced as of 12/3/2022.

2022 Season Results (by track):

RACE

TRACK

Driver

S

F

STATUS

1

Daytona

Landon Cassill

27

15

Running

2

Fontana

Josh Bilicki

28

30

Running

3

Las Vegas

Josh Bilicki

34

29

Running

4

Phoenix

Landon Cassill

31

30

Running

5

Atlanta

Josh Bilicki

36

16

Running

6

COTA

Josh Bilicki

34

22

Running

7

Richmond

Landon Cassill

23

32

Running

8

Martinsville

Josh Bilicki

31

35

Running

9

Bristol (Dirt)

Justin Allgaier

27

36

Accident

10

Talladega

Landon Cassill

39

19

Running

11

Dover

Josh Bilicki

36

32

Running

12

Darlington

Landon Cassill

33

22

Running

13

Kansas

Josh Bilicki

33

28

Running

14

Charlotte

Josh Bilicki

32

36

Accident

15

Gateway

Josh Bilicki

33

28

Running

16

Sonoma

Josh Bilicki

29

29

Running

17

Nashville

Josh Bilicki

34

33

Engine

18

Road America

Josh Bilicki

26

36

Running

19

Atlanta

Landon Cassill

36

24

Running

20

Loudon

Josh Bilicki

34

34

Accident

21

Pocono

Josh Bilicki

31

34

Accident

22

Indianapolis G.P.

Josh Bilicki

32

22

Running

23

Michigan

Josh Bilicki

35

21

Running

24

Richmond

Landon Cassill

25

30

Running

25

Watkins Glen

Mike Rockenfeller

33

30

Running

26

Daytona

Landon Cassill

35

4

Running

27

Darlington

Landon Cassill

26

25

Running

28

Kansas

Landon Cassill

31

24

Running

29

Bristol

Landon Cassill

35

22

Running

30

Fort Worth

Landon Cassill

35

22

Running

31

Talladega

Landon Cassill

33

11

Running

32

Charlotte (Road)

Mike Rockenfeller

34

29

Running

33

Las Vegas

Landon Cassill

32

32

Accident

34

Homestead

Landon Cassill

33

29

Running

35

Martinsville

Landon Cassill

33

32

Accident

36

Phoenix

Landon Cassill

36

36

Accident

 

 

 

 

 

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