CONCORD, N.C. (January 10, 2022) – Spire Motorsports announced today that Josh Bilicki will drive the team’s No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the majority of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series schedule, beginning with next month’s WISE Power 400 at Auto Club Speedway.
Zeigler Automotive Group will serve as the primary sponsor for the bulk of Bilicki’s races and will be featured prominently aboard the No.77 Chevrolet for the entire 2022 season.
Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 78 franchises across 35 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all the domestic and majority of the imported manufacturers.
“Zeigler Auto Group is proud to have Josh Bilicki represent Team Zeigler on the track,” said Aaron Zeigler, President of Zeigler Automotive Group. “He is an outstanding individual and talented driver who embodies everything that our P.R.I.D.E. mission statement stands for: Passion, Reputation, Integrity, Drive, and Execution.”
Bilicki, a Menomonee Falls, Wis., native comes to Spire Motorsports with 71 starts on his NASCAR Cup Series resume, including a top-10 finish in the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. Meanwhile, the 26-year-old veteran racer has logged 72 starts in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and nine in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.
“Spire Motorsports is thrilled to add a young, talented and resourceful racer like Josh Bilicki to our stable,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner T.J. Puchyr. “Josh is cut from the same cloth as the people who make up our team. He’s a grinder. He finds a way, goes out and gets it done. He’s going to be a great compliment to Corey LaJoie in our No. 7 car. We’re proud to welcome Josh to the Spire family.”
Bilicki is part of a revered fraternity of Wisconsin-bred racers who went on to compete at NASCAR’s highest level, including the late Alan Kulwicki and Dick Trickle, Ted Musgrave and 2003 NCS Champion Matt Kenseth. Bilicki comes to Spire Motorsports after competing full time on NASCAR’s senior circuit last season with Rick Ware Racing.
“I couldn’t be more eager to start this new chapter of my career and join Spire Motorsports for the 2022 season,” said Bilicki. “I learned a great amount last year during my first full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series, on and off the track, and I feel that experience will help me make this transition to a new team. Spire Motorsports has taken big leaps over the last few years, and we feel the platform of the new NextGen car will improve our performance all around.”
“Of course, none of this would be possible if it weren’t for all my great partners, family, and friends who believe in me and pushed me to achieve more. For 2022, Zeigler Auto Group stepped up and that organization is the core reason I am back in the Cup Series. This is something we are working to grow into a multi-year effort.”
About Zeigler Automotive Group …
Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 78 franchises across 35 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all of the domestic and the majority of the imported manufacturers.
Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar & Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training company.
The Kalamazoo, Mich.,-based dealer group also owns and operates Zeigler Pre-Owned of Chicago, a Carquest Auto Parts store, three Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance firms, and a leasing firm.
Founded in 1975, the organization employs over 2,300 people, ranking among the top 1% of automotive dealers in the nation with estimated annual sales of $2.2 billion for 2022. The family-owned and operated company is well known for its commitment to both customer service and employee satisfaction. Zeigler is regularly recognized as one of the Best and Brightest Companies to Work for in the Nation, also earning similar accolades in Chicago and Michigan.
About Spire Motorsports:
Spire Motorsports was established in 2018 and is co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. Spire Motorsports earned an upset victory for the ages in its first full season when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 7, 2019.
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