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Spire Motorsports on Tuesday announced a two-car lineup with drivers Corey LaJoie and Ty Dillon for 2023, the first season the team will run both its Chevrolets with full-time drivers.

LaJoie will return to the No. 7 for a third season and remain paired with crew chief Ryan Sparks, who was also promoted to director of competition.

Dillon will take over the No. 77, which has been driven by four different drivers this season. Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson said hiring Dillon to transition the No. 77 into a championship-eligible entry is part of the team’s calculated growth.

Spire Motorsports was founded in 2018 by Dickerson and T.J. Puchyr, who purchased the championship-winning charter from Barney Visser when Visser closed Furniture Row Racing. The duo sparked movement in NASCAR’s charter system and created a path for new ownership.

Since Spire bought the charter needed to guarantee entry into every Cup race for $6 million, Trackhouse Racing, Kaulig Racing and 23XI Racing have all entered the series and 23XI paid a record $13.5 million last year for its second charter.

Kaulig, meanwhile, purchased two charters from Spire, which recognized the market trends early and stockpiled charters on the cheap, then leased or sold them to other teams.

“There’s little doubt that we raised some eyebrows when we entered the sport as race-team owners,” Dickerson said. “We knew that we needed to learn how to crawl before we attempted to walk and eventually run. The next step in our progression is to add an equally capable full-time driver for the No. 77 team and we’ve found just that individual in Ty Dillon.”

Dillon, who will be paired with crew chief Kevin Bellicourt, was told by Petty GMS this summer he was not being brought back for a second season. The grandson of Richard Childress and younger brother of Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon has bounced around teams in both the Cup and Xfinity Series.

“I’m thankful for this opportunity, a new beginning with a very hungry team that is excited for the future,” Dillon said. “Spire Motorsports has been growing year after year. The organization is heading in the right direction and I’m excited to be a part of bringing the No. 77 up to where Corey has been running. Hopefully, we raise the whole level of competition together.”

Spire has one win — by Justin Haley in the rain-shortened 2019 summer race at Daytona — in 210 Cup Series starts.

LaJoie, a third generation racer, scored a career-best, fifth-place at Atlanta Motor Speedway this season. He has one top-five and two top-10 finishes since joining Spire.

“With another year under our belts and a notebook on the new car, I know we can have a solid season and get that first win,” LaJoie said of his return. “It’s cool my buddy Ty is joining us as well. It will be nice to have a full-time teammate in the No. 77 to work with.”

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Oklahoma DE Thomas unlikely to play vs. Bama

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Oklahoma DE Thomas unlikely to play vs. Bama

Oklahoma defensive end R Mason Thomas is unlikely to play against Alabama on Saturday because of a quad injury.

A final decision on Thomas’ availability isn’t expected until game time, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, but he is listed as doubtful on the SEC availability report.

Thomas suffered the injury while returning a fumble 71 yards for a touchdown during the Sooners’ Nov. 1 win over Tennessee.

Oklahoma’s best defensive player, Thomas has a team-leading 6.5 sacks this season along with two forced fumbles and the scoop-and-score fumble recovery.

Starting cornerback Gentry Williams is also doubtful to play against the Crimson Tide. He is set to miss a third straight game with a shoulder injury suffered Oct. 18 against South Carolina.

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Sources: Wisconsin turns to freshman QB vs. IU

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Sources: Wisconsin turns to freshman QB vs. IU

Wisconsin will start true freshman quarterback Carter Smith at No. 2 Indiana on Saturday, sources told ESPN’s Pete Thamel, replacing Danny O’Neil after the sophomore was carted off the field with a right leg injury last week.

O’Neil was injured on a 21-yard keeper during the first quarter of last Saturday’s 13-10 win over then-No. 23 Washington. He had a towel over his head as he was carted to the locker room.

Smith made his season debut following O’Neil’s injury, completing 3 of 12 passes for 8 yards while rushing for 47 yards and a touchdown.

Also available to the Badgers at quarterback is senior Hunter Simmons, who is 48-for-95 for 485 yards with two touchdowns and five interceptions this season.

For Indiana, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt is doubtful to play, sources said. Sarratt, who is tied for the Big Ten lead with 10 touchdown receptions, injured his hamstring against Maryland on Nov. 1 and missed the Penn State game last week.

With Indiana having a bye next week, Sarratt is on track to return against Purdue on Nov. 28.

Quarterback issues have hindered Wisconsin all season and throughout coach Luke Fickell’s three-year tenure.

Billy Edwards Jr. was Wisconsin’s first-team quarterback at the start of the season, but he sprained his knee in the second quarter of the Badgers’ opener and has played only one full series since.

Tanner Mordecai missed 3½ games with a broken hand in 2023. Miami transfer Tyler Van Dyke tore his ACL in the third game of the 2024 season.

Wisconsin’s intended season-opening starting quarterback has been available for the entirety of only 11 of the 34 games the Badgers have played since the beginning of the 2023 season. The last time Fickell had his season-opening starting quarterback healthy for a full game was in a 27-13 victory over South Dakota on Sept. 7, 2024.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

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Sources: UCLA QB Iamaleava out vs. Ohio State

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Sources: UCLA QB Iamaleava out vs. Ohio State

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava will not play Saturday against No. 1 Ohio State because of a concussion, sources confirmed to ESPN.

Iamaleava was injured during last week’s loss to Nebraska. He began experiencing concussion symptoms after the game, according to On3, which first reported that Iamaleava would not play.

With Iamaleava out, redshirt sophomore Luke Duncan will make his first career start. Duncan has not attempted a pass in college as he tries to take down the top-ranked Buckeyes.

Iamaleava has thrown for 1,659 yards with 12 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in his first year with the Bruins after transferring from Tennessee.

He led UCLA to three straight wins in October, including a victory over then-No. 7 Penn State, but the Bruins (3-6) have lost two straight and need to win out to become bowl eligible.

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