“It could be a little bit of everything to get us to move up the grid.” Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt was clear about his team’s goals earlier this year. Indeed, Spire has grown by leaps and bounds by tapping every possible avenue for expansion. Ranging from purchasing Live Fast Motorsports’ Cup Series charter for $40 Million to roping in the winningest active crew chief Rodney Childers, the team has taken all possible measures for growth.

Now, chucking its deal with Rick Hendrick seems to be on the cards. As a Chevrolet team, Spire has maintained a technical alliance with the strongest team in NASCAR – Hendrick Motorsports owns 14 championships and 312 race wins. However, another formidable force is on NASCAR’s radar with support from the other side of the world – and Spire may cash into that.

Is Rick Hendrick’s support becoming brittle?

A few days ago, the biggest crossover announcement in motorsports was announced. General Motors and TWG Global reached an agreement in principle with Formula 1 to bring a Cadillac team to the series in 2026. Mario Andretti, the 1978 F1 World Champion, and a prolific IndyCar driver, will serve on this team’s board. Additionally, launching this team would showcase GM’s technology and design capabilities. GM has decades of racing success along with developing high-performance power trains with over 100 driver and owners’ championships. This sparkling update is sure to lure Spire Motorsports away from Rick Hendrick and to Mario Andretti’s fold, as the team is operated by TWG Global.

This could spell the end of a blooming relationship with NASCAR’s powerhouse team. When Spire Motorsports started as a fledgling team in 2019, fans had little expectation. Justin Haley’s Daytona victory was viewed more as a lucky fluke, a shocking aberration due to a gamble that went right. However, by 2025, Spire has expanded, acquiring the 77,000-square-foot KBM and Rowdy Manufacturing facility and roping in fresh faces for 2025 – Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar who won the Rookie of the Year award. Rick Hendrick was a silent supporter, supplying Spire with engines through the team’s ups and downs.

Now, that scenario may change with General Motors’ tryst with F1. Since Mario Andretti made the bid to join F1 in January 2023, Cadillac Formula 1 has assembled an experienced team. It worked on aerodynamics, chassis and component development, software, and vehicle dynamics simulation. GM President Mark Reuss said, “This is a global stage for us to demonstrate GM’s engineering expertise and technology leadership at an entirely new level.” Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Global’s motorsports businesses, also added, “Together, we’re assembling a world-class team that will embody American innovation and deliver unforgettable moments to race fans around the world.” Now, Spire might also be part of that unforgettable experience.

However, let us not forget the massive support that Rick Hendrick has granted to several teams.

Hendrick acts as the pillar of Chevy

Being the winningest Cup Series team involves this height of success. Besides catering to his own teams’ race victories, Rick Hendrick looks after other Chevrolet teams as well, including Spire. The Hendrick Motorsports engine shop supplies engines and technical knowledge to JTG Daugherty Racing, another Cup team. It also supports JR Motorsports on the Xfinity side. In 2023, Ricky Stenhouse Jr won the Daytona 500 for JTG. The No. 47 Chevrolet boasted an engine procured from HMS. Stenhouse gave a shout-out to Hendrick’s fold after acquiring the victory. “Rick has been a great supporter of JTG Daugherty Racing in the past…I think that’s going to be a huge help for us.”

Back in 1993, Dale Jarrett won a race using Rick Hendrick‘s engine while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. HMS director of powertrain Scott Maxim took pride in the support given to other teams after Stenhouse clinched his win. “I know how much time, effort and attention to detail goes into every little aspect from one end of the car, top to bottom, to the other. The collaborative effort for us from an engine department working with our race teams to optimize everything to the best of our ability and then achieving that goal is something we are always very proud of.” He added, “We have a special group of women and men in our engine department.”

However, Spire Motorsports is getting detached from that department. Now, its aspirations may be loftier with F1’s newly formed alliance.