IOWA CITY, Iowa – – Gainbridge®, Spire Motorsports, and the University of Iowa Athletics Department and Learfield’s Hawkeye Sports Properties announced Corey LaJoie will drive a special Iowa Hawkeyes-themed paint scheme in the June 16 NASCAR Cup Series’ Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol at Iowa Speedway. The No. 7 Gainbridge/Iowa Hawkeyes Chevrolet will take the track featuring special black and gold striping with the Iowa Hawkeyes athletics logo on the hood and the athletics website on the rear TV panel.
Gainbridge®, a Group 1001 company, is a proud sponsor of Iowa Athletics and earlier this year signed a multi-year partnership with Hawkeye legend Caitlin Clark as a brand ambassador. Gainbridge® is also an anchor partner of Spire Motorsports and the primary sponsor of LaJoie’s No. 7 Chevrolet. 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.”
“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 televised live on USA Network Sunday, June 16, beginning at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 17th of 36 races on the 2024 NCS schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
About Gainbridge®
Founded in 2018, Gainbridge® is an insurtech subsidiary of Group 1001 that empowers consumers to take control of their financial future with solutions that are accessible to everyone, no matter their budget or financial knowledge. Its platform provides access to financial products that are simple, intuitive, and backed by smart technology with no complexity or hidden fees. Gainbridge® is headquartered in Zionsville, Indiana. For more information, visit www.gainbridge.io or follow and connect with us on X and LinkedIn.
About Learfield
Learfield is a diversified and influential media and technology company powering college athletics. Through its digital and physical platforms, Learfield owns and leverages a deep data set and relationships in the industry to drive revenue, growth, brand awareness, and fan engagement for brands, sports, and entertainment properties. With ties to over 1,200 collegiate institutions and over 12,000 local and national brand partners, Learfield’s presence in college sports and live events delivers influence and maximizes reach to target audiences. With solutions for a 365-day, 24/7 fan experience, Learfield enables schools and brands to connect with fans through licensed merchandise, game ticketing, donor identification for athletic programs, exclusive custom content, innovative marketing initiatives, NIL solutions, and advanced digital platforms. Since 2008, it has served as title sponsor for the acclaimed Learfield Directors’ Cup, supporting athletic departments across all divisions.
About Spire Motorsports
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.
Spire Motorsports earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.
