NASCAR garage protests halt Jim France’s attempt to enter Cup race with Spire Motorsports: Reports

In a striking revelation, recent reports suggest that NASCAR Chairman Jim France's secretive plan to enter a car in the Cup Series via Spire Motorsports was blocked after intense garage backlash. Although the NASCAR Charters allowed the entry, it triggered concerns about favoritism and fairness from within the paddock.

According to The Athletic, France sought to field a car through Spire at the Save Mart 350 in Sonoma Raceway, but strong pushback from rival teams forced the plan to be scrapped before it could materialize. At the heart of the resistance was the feeling that France, who has kept a distance from the public about Cup involvement, shouldn't manipulate competitive avenues that charter teams rely on.

While Jim France has long remained a figure operating behind the scenes in the Cup Series, the plan was to enter an alliance with Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet, with Spire Motorsports acting as the partner team to execute the logistics. The Athletic's Jordon Bianchi took to X to announce the rebuttal:

Jordan Bianchi

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Jim France, NASCAR’s co-owner and CEO, was near a deal to fund a car in an upcoming Cup Series race before backlash in the garage led him to scrap the plans, The Athletic has learned. (w/@jeff_gluck)

Under current NASCAR rules, only 40 cars can enter a race weekend, and Spire Motorsports fields three entries - Justin Haley in the No. 7, Michael McDowell in the No. 71 and Carson Hocevar in the No. 77. This incident reaffirms the growing tension between NASCAR leadership and existing teams over entry limits and charter access.

NASCAR Chairman Jim France and team owner Rick Hendrick at the 2023 Le Mans. Source: Getty

To field another Spire-affiliated car, France would have needed to submit a late entry and ask for an exception or alter the standard process. That drew immediate resistance from other Cup teams, many of whom saw the move as an unfair workaround at a time when securing race slots without a charter is already difficult.

Spire Motorsports operates in a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. According to reports, France's entry would have utilized HMS engines and support as well to field Jack Aitken as the driver. This increases concerns about NASCAR leadership using favored partners to insert a potentially competitive car without following the same rules other teams are bound by.

Spire Motorsports' Michael McDowell (#34) and Carson Hocevar (#77) during the 2024 Cook Out 400 at Richmond. Source: Getty

The plan sparked internal backlash and was shelved quietly. For now, the Nashville entry list holds 39 cars, with no last-minute surprise from Spire or NASCAR's executives this weekend.

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Spire Motorsports' rise, lawsuits and 'shooting your shot' in a complex charter era

Spire Motorsports' Michael McDowell speaks to Carson Hocevar after the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Open. Source: Getty

As this latest controversy highlights, Spire Motorsports has become a focal point in the ongoing debate around NASCAR's charter system. Over the last couple of years, the team has undergone an aggressive expansion, purchasing charters from Live Fast Motorsports and taking over Kyle Busch Motorsports. These moves show a commitment by Spire's ownership group of Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus Puchyr to become a Cup Series mainstay.

Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson, explained their aggressive investment strategy earlier this year:

"We didn't have anything to lose, so it was easy to... push all in when... you have two nickels... You've got to shoot your shot. You don't know the exact moment that's going to be the pivotal one for your organization. So, you work so hard to put yourself in position to get those opportunities. So, when they present themselves, you got to grab them." (9:53 onwards)

The timing of the now-canceled Bill France entry coincides with Spire's deeper involvement in NASCAR's political ecosystem. The team opposes the collective garage pushback about the ongoing charter negotiations with NASCAR, where owners are seeking permanent franchise status and revenue guarantees.

Dickerson's words capture the larger ethos behind Spire's rapid ascent, as he backs the NASCAR charters. While the reported France plan may have stretched the limits of fairness, it also demonstrates their flexibility and ambition.