Latest news with #SpireMotorsports
Forbes
4 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
LaJoie Goes From Commentator To Contender In Spire Truck Playoff Push
LEBANON, TENNESSEE - JUNE 29: Corey LaJoie, driver of the #7 Garner Trucking Chevrolet, enters his ... More car during qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 29, 2024 in Lebanon, Tennessee. (Photo by) Corey LaJoie is going back to where it all began—or close enough. The veteran NASCAR driver is set to return to Spire Motorsports to run nine of the final 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races of 2025, starting with this Saturday's DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 at Michigan International Speedway. LaJoie, who spent three full-time seasons driving Spire's No. 7 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series, will now strap into the No. 07 Chevrolet Silverado as the team mounts a charge for a Truck Series owner's championship berth. He'll return again at Richmond on August 15, then take the wheel for the final seven races of the season—presumably with the intention of disrupting the playoff picture and reminding everyone he's not quite done chasing trophies. All of this while juggling a new role as one of the lead analysts on Amazon Prime's NASCAR coverage, which launched during the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. LaJoie's easygoing personality and sharp insights have made him a natural fit for the broadcast booth, where he now moonlights as a media personality between race weekends. CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA - MAY 25: NASCAR analyst Carl Edwards (L) and Corey LaJoie are seen on the ... More NASCAR on Amazon Prime Video set prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 25, 2025 in Concord, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) 'I put in a lot of work in the early days to help shape Spire Motorsports,' said LaJoie. 'It'll be good to see some familiar faces and get back to chasing wins. These trucks have shown speed this year, and with some consistency, we can make a real push for the owner's playoffs.' FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder That push is more than wishful thinking. The No. 07 truck is already a race winner this season—thanks to Kyle Larson, who took it to Victory Lane at Homestead back in March. With six races left before the playoff field is locked, Spire currently sits among the top seven in the owner's standings. A win from LaJoie at Michigan or Richmond could seal their spot. LaJoie has kept a relatively light driving schedule in 2025, with a trio of Cup Series starts for Rick Ware Racing and a season-best finish of 22nd in the Daytona 500. But his time behind the wheel has never been the full story. LaJoie is one of those rare NASCAR personalities who can explain the sport in plain English while keeping things entertaining—a skill that's now being put to use on Amazon's five-race broadcast slate. As for his Truck Series experience, it's admittedly limited—just five starts, three with Spire. His best finish came over a decade ago at Bristol, and his most recent run ended in a last-lap wreck at Daytona this past February. Still, his reputation for getting the most out of underdog equipment makes him a compelling option for a team on the playoff bubble. Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson, never one for excess sentimentality, admitted the idea had been floating around for a while. 'When we were talking about what we needed to go chase this championship, we kept describing a guy who sounded exactly like Corey,' Dickerson said. 'So I just asked him. He's a big part of what we've built, and this gives us a shot to do something meaningful together again.' The DQS Solutions and Staffing 200 airs live on FOX Saturday, June 7 at noon ET. If things go right, LaJoie may find himself in the mix for a title—or at least with enough material for a great story on live television.
NBC Sports
21 hours ago
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
Carson Hocevar moves a step closer to taming NASCAR Cup Series with Nashville result
LEBANON, Tenn. — Carson Hocevar apologized. No, not for the contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., a matter Hocevar said he needed to review. And Hocevar didn't apologize for being a bull in a china shop, at least that's how some competitors see him. After matching his career-best finish of second Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway, Hocevar apologized — for cutting an interview short. 'I'm about to throw up,' he said. The 22-year-old turned and walked over to the infield grass and did just that. He felt better afterward and resumed talking to reporters. Nothing is ordinary with Hocevar, who reminds one of a bucking bronco yet to be quite fully tamed, full of energy and able to force others to react to what they do. Even Nashville winner Ryan Blaney acknowledged what Hocevar has done with Spire Motorsports this season. 'Spire has been really, really fast this year,' Blaney said after his first victory of the season. 'Mainly the 77 (Hocevar). He's been really, really good and had a great shot to win that race last week and ran really good tonight.' Nate Ryan, Hocevar seems to be closing on his first career Cup victory, provided he can harness his talent and his team can execute a clean race. It all almost came together Sunday. Then again, that victory might have come the previous week in the Coca-Cola 600 had his engine not blown while he was running second with less than 100 laps to go. 'We're right on the doorstep,' Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson told NBC Sports after Sunday's race at Nashville Superspeedway. 'That was different from (the Coca-Cola 600) where we had a bunch of speed early and often. This was more of a workmanlike, mature finish for the group. I'm proud of (Hocevar). 'We still had our drama there. I wish he would have just cut Ricky a break more than anything. I don't know if that was entirely on Carson, but I do expect him to cut a guy a break like that. That's all part of the building block. I'd rather be having that discussion with him after a second-place run than 32nd.' Hocevar has noted that he's continuing to learn but also ready to win, saying this weekend: 'I feel like I know how to win. It's just being able to be detailed enough to have it work out.' And avoiding issues with competitors. After he finished runner-up at Atlanta in February, the second-year Cup driver had multiple drivers upset with him. Blaney and Ross Chastain talked to him after the race about his driving. While acknowledging he had room to grow on the track, he remained confident in what he was doing. 'We're here to win races and not be a boy band and love each other and play on the playground together,' Hocevar said at the time. Dustin Long, Hocevar is the third young driver that Luke Lambert has been paired with throughout his 13-year Cup career as a crew chief and those experiences are helping him connect with Hocevar more. 'I think what I've learned in working with different rookies and now with Carson is so much about managing expectations and building the mental toughness to be a Cup driver, which you really can't develop without the experience of driving in this series. … The mental toughness required to manage these Cup races is really where the difference is made.' So how does Lambert help Hocevar with that? 'It's a 24/7 focus on discipline,' Lamber said. 'Our focus is to develop the right amount of discipline for him without killing his creativity. That requires conversations about everything that happens on the track but also conversations that happen about everything in your life in between races.' Lambert calls Hocevar 'one of the most creative race car drivers I've ever been around in that he finds ways to do things with the car that other guys wouldn't have thought of or he may not have seen another guy do before.' Hocevar's finish moved him to within four points of Kyle Busch, who holds the final playoff spot with 12 races left in the regular season. After starting 26th, it made the accomplishment even more meaningful. 'Super proud of our group and what we're doing right now,' Lambert said on the team's radio after the race. 'We are proving that we are heading in the right direction. We're going to keep it up. The fact that we rallied and got this finish tonight is just another example of we're heading in the right direction. 'Good magic for next week. Let's have some fun.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Rajah Caruth wins NASCAR Truck race at Nashville in tense finish
Rajah Caruth has earned his first victory of the 2025 season and just the second of his career, fending off both Corey Heim and Layne Riggs in the closing laps at Nashville. Driving the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet, Caruth grabbed the lead on pit road at the end of the second stage. The driver made the most of what his pit crew did for him, never surrendering the race lead. Advertisement "I didn't expect that at all," said Caruth. "Those guys were breathing down my neck the whole run. My pit crew won that race -- Jarius, Zico, Dawson, Josh, Cody -- they won that race for us. Thanks to them, thanks to everyone at the men and women at Spire Motorsports. We've been off this year but good to get a dub tonight, man. I'm out of breath." Heim is the winningest driver of the 2025 season with four wins in the first 11 races, including last weekend's event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Speaking on the runner-up finish at Nashville, he said, "I feel like clean air was the thing (we needed) tonight. With the third stage being so straightforward, and the lack of strategy going green there, it was tough to come back from not having the lead. I slid through my box in the last stop and didn't do my guys any favors. Just something to reflect on -- on my part. "But big congrats to Rajah. He did an awesome job managing from the lead and I was really free behind him and he made pretty much the right choice every time as for where I was gonna go. It's nice racing against people that aren't going to wreck you, racing for the race lead." Layne Riggs finished a close third with Daniel Hemric fourth and Corey Day fifth. Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, Ty Majeski, Bayley Currey, and Grant Enfinger filled out the remainder of the top ten. Advertisement Kyle Busch, who had to fight back from a penalty for a restart violation, finished 15th. A straightforward race Rajah Caruth, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Rajah Caruth, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Sean Gardner / Getty Images Sean Gardner / Getty Images The race itself got off to a slow start after Frankie Muniz's #33 truck dumped oil all over the track, with Muniz forced to pull out of the race without completing a single lap under speed. The only on-track accident occurred on Lap 55 when Jack Wood and Akinori Ogata spun. Riggs went on to win the opening stage while Heim claimed the Stage 2 win, adding another playoff point to his impressive total. While Caruth never lost the lead in the final 47-lap run, Heim certainly came close as he got to the outside of him with just six laps to go. Caruth ran him high and Heim chose to lift. From that point onward, he had his hands full with Riggs in the battle for second and never got back alongside Caruth. Read Also: Time to worry: Playoff hopes are slipping away for these NASCAR Cup drivers To read more articles visit our website.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Business
- New York Times
NASCAR owner was near deal to fund car in Cup Series race before garage backlash
Jim France, NASCAR's co-owner and CEO, was near a deal to fund a car in an upcoming race in the league's top-tier Cup Series before backlash in the garage over the perception of another high-profile conflict of interest in motorsports ownership led him to scrap the plans, The Athletic has learned. France was set to financially support an entry to be operated by Spire Motorsports, a team that has been competing in various NASCAR series since 2019, for the Cup road-course race in July at Sonoma Raceway in California. Jack Aitken, a 29-year-old road-course specialist who drives for a France-owned team, Action Express Racing, in the International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) sports car series, was tabbed to be the driver. Advertisement But the deal, which was close to completion, fell apart shortly after The Athletic began asking questions about the arrangement last week. Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson confirmed the plans but insisted the car would not have been fielded by France's team directly; it was intended to be a Spire entry staffed by Spire personnel, he said. Dickerson emphasized France did not get a 'good guy deal' and was going to pay the same price anyone else would for having Spire run an extra car, which can stretch resources and cause distractions to the full-time entries. 'I didn't really even think it was that big of a deal,' Dickerson said. 'I didn't even think it was that deep.' Still, the idea of France's financial participation in a Cup race privately rankled some in the NASCAR garage before the deal was finalized, according to conversations with several high-ranking officials around the sport, and ultimately led France to table the idea. Many in the garage were uncomfortable with the idea of competing against someone who also owned the series, given the potential conflict of interest. Some team executives and personnel worried that this might be a first step toward France forming his own team in NASCAR, similar to how Roger Penske owns both the IndyCar series and its most successful team. In ownership meetings in recent years, team and league sources say, France has expressed interest in that idea. France and NASCAR both declined to comment for this story. NASCAR ownership has not competed in Cup Series racing during the sport's Modern Era, since 1972, but it's also not the first time the league has rattled manufacturers and teams with a move onto a track. In 2023, NASCAR partnered with Chevrolet and top Cup team Hendrick Motorsports for a special entry into the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race in France. The announcement of that deal came with little advance notice to rival manufacturers Ford and Toyota or any of their teams. For the Sonoma race, France again tried to partner with Chevrolet and Hendrick — but an extra car would have put Hendrick over the four-car limit for a single race. So Spire, which has a professional alliance with Hendrick, entered the picture. The organization, also a Chevrolet partner, has three full-time cars and room for a one-off spot. Advertisement But France teaming with Chevrolet, Spire and Hendrick by affiliation (the car would have used a Hendrick engine) did not sit well with other organizations — which was made clear to France. It's not clear why France wanted to enter a car in a Cup race, though people within the industry who know the 80-year-old often refer to him as a 'racer' with a deep passion for motorsports. NASCAR's 'open' system — which allows anyone with the means to create a team, show up and compete — gave him an opening to put a Cup entry on the track. France is also familiar with the complications that arise from either owning or being directly associated with a team competing in a series he owns. Since 2014, his Action Express team has won six championships in the top class of the IMSA series, which the France family also owns. Whatever France's intentions, the move would have sparked questions from an already skeptical fan base that scrutinizes every NASCAR decision and in-race call to detect perceived favoritism. The revelation comes as the other major American racing series, IndyCar, struggles with the aftermath of a conflict-of-interest situation on the eve of the Indianapolis 500 last week in which Team Penske was caught with illegal modifications to its cars for the second time in a year. IndyCar issued penalties to the team, and Roger Penske later fired his three top IndyCar officials in an attempt to restore trust and credibility from both fans and those in the IndyCar paddock. This conflict has not been an issue for NASCAR, but France was poised to enter those waters by putting his IMSA team's driver in a Cup race at the same time he's also embroiled in an antitrust lawsuit with two Cup Series teams — 23XI Racing, which is co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin, and Front Row Motorsports. The disagreement centers around NASCAR's system of charters, which are franchise-like licenses that guarantee entry into every race and additional revenue. The other Cup Series teams all signed the agreement, with some claiming they felt pressured after France threatened to revoke their charters if they did not meet a signing deadline. Spire has its roots in a sports agency business that represented drivers, race teams and sponsors — sometimes at odds with each other. Dickerson has been open about navigating that challenge with NASCAR, believing he can 'take NASCAR on through negotiations Monday through Thursday and still go race with them, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.' Advertisement 'To me and to 13 other non-litigant charter teams, the war is over,' Dickerson said. 'I'm partners with NASCAR every day of the week. I'm not in a fight with NASCAR. I already signed my charter.' Race teams have long said NASCAR does not share enough revenue from the billions in broadcast revenue generated by TV deals, but NASCAR increased the percentage in the new charter agreement and believes it is being more than fair. NASCAR and the France family even carved out a provision that allows them to own and operate chartered race teams, if they choose. Some of those The Athletic spoke to in the NASCAR garage who learned of France's plans wondered if his Sonoma move was intended to send a message in the lawsuit, proving it did not cost as much as teams claimed. But Dickerson said the type of arrangement in this case — paying for another team to field a driver rather than running the car under France's own team banner — wouldn't prove that point at all. 'Clearly, through the negotiations for the charter, it feels like NASCAR did not believe the teams (about their financial situations),' Dickerson said. 'So if the only way for him and for them to believe the teams (is to run a NASCAR-owned race team), then I am all for that. 'But that was not this deal. This deal was just, 'Here's my sponsor, here's my driver. We think he'll be good at Sonoma. Can we run Sonoma?' Cool. Yes. Awesome.' While the France-backed Spire entry isn't happening at Sonoma, it still could come together for another Cup race later in the season. After Sonoma, two other road-course races remain on the Cup schedule — Aug. 10 at Watkins Glen and Oct. 5 at the Charlotte Roval. Neither of these races conflict with Aitken's IMSA schedule. (Top photo of Jim France at last year's NASCAR Awards ceremony: Sean Gardner / Getty Images)
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
In The Know 5-18: News, updates from Greenville area businesses and nonprofits
Carolina Handling, a material handling solutions provider and a support center for Raymond Solutions, will partner with Michael McDowell at Talladega (Alabama) Superspeedway on Oct. 19. McDowell drives Spire Motorsports No. 71 Chevrolet ZL1. The race will be the NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500. 'Carolina Handling is thrilled to partner with Spire Motorsports, an organization that shares our core values of respect, teamwork and innovation, and aligns with our drive to be elite in service to our customers and our community,' said Brent Hillabrand, President and CEO of Carolina Handling. 'Our affiliation with Spire Motorsports and winning NASCAR driver Michael McDowell gives the Carolina Handling brand significant visibility and offers us the opportunity for dynamic customer, associate and consumer engagement.' Talladega Superspeedway is known for high-speed, nose-to-tail action where the difference between winning and losing is usually fractions of a second. McDowell, the 2021 Daytona 500 champion, joined Spire Motorsports for the current season. He has been in NASCAR's premier division for 18 years. The crew chief is Travis Peterson. Carolina Handling started in 1966 as a gas station in North Carolina. The company, headquartered in Charlotte, now provides integrated logistics and warehouse solutions across the Southeast. McDowell said the pairing makes sense. "I think this is the perfect opportunity to showcase how our industries can continue to integrate technology into our workforce with confidence,' he said. 'Being able to represent a company that has such a strong tie to the Carolinas is important for our industry and our community. It should be a great race at Talladega, and we look forward to having Carolina Handling join the Spire team.' The YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway is the 34th of 36 points-paying races in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series. Carolina Handling is the Raymond Solutions and Support Center for North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and part of Florida. The company provides forklifts, automation solutions, parts, racking, storage, lighting, and dock and door equipment to manufacturers, warehouses and distribution centers. The company has branch offices in Atlanta, Birmingham, Greensboro, Raleigh and Greenville, and an equipment distribution center in Piedmont. The Fair at Heritage Park will showcase new foods, rides and shows in Simpsonville through May 25. Admission and ride specials are available every day. The Fair at Heritage Park is at 861 S.E. Main St. On-site parking is free. A new ride is the Cyclops 2.0, the second-generation Cyclops with more flips, dips and heart-pounding swoops. The FireGuy show is new; he holds the Guinness World Record for performing with fire. For kids, movie characters such as Tinker Bell, Stitch, Ariel and more will roam the fairgrounds daily for photo opportunities. All shows are free to fair guests. Admission is a flat rate of $10 for ages 11 and up. Fair-goers under age 10 are admitted free. Visitors can pay one price for unlimited rides. Individuals under the age of 17 will not be allowed after 5 p.m. without parents, and a clear bag policy is in place. The fair is family-owned and family-run. For information about daily promotions, hours, safety policies and attractions, go to or contact info@ For changes due to weather, go to The Fair at Heritage Park Facebook page. Lima One Capital in Greenville, a lender nationwide for real estate investors, has hired Greg Larsen as its new Senior Director of Underwriting. Larsen will lead the Lima One team that underwrites borrowers and loans. He has nearly two decades of commercial real estate lending and credit experience and a record of building high-performing teams, managing complex loan portfolios, and driving strategic growth, according to a press release. Most recently, Larsen served as Director of Credit at Builders Capital and led initiatives in underwriting standards, product development and credit strategy. Previously, Larsen spent 17 years with Bank of America, where he held leadership roles in underwriting, credit risk and portfolio management. "I'm excited to join Lima One. The team's energy, drive and commitment to making a real impact in the real estate space is inspiring,' Larsen said. Larsen's accomplishments include designing and implementing a program that delivered over $800 million in commitments to sponsors in its first five months and managing a team that underwrote and closed $3 billion of real estate transactions in one year. 'Greg is passionate about credit quality, team development and process improvement, and I am confident that he will continue to improve our already talented team,' said Lima One CEO Josh Woodward. Since its inception in 2010, Lima One Capital has funded over $10 billion in business-purpose real estate loans. With a reach across 46 states, Lima One operates as a capital partner for real estate investors and brokers by financing residential investment strategies including fix and flips and rental and new construction. In 2021, Lima One was acquired by real estate investment trust MFA Financial Inc. As addiction remains a pressing concern, two Upstate men are rewriting their stories. Cade Cope and Austin Allen recently graduated from the Homes of Hope Men's Workforce Development program – an initiative designed to help men rebuild their lives as they overcome addiction and homelessness. The Homes of Hope MWD program pairs safe housing, life skills coaching, and hands-on workforce training that the men need to succeed beyond recovery. 'Addiction shows no favoritism. It can entangle anyone, often trapping them in long, dark, seemingly endless cycles of despair," said Steve Vicari, Director of Men's Workforce Development. 'But recovery is a fresh start, full of promise.' Overdose deaths have risen by nearly 60% in recent years, according to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control. Cope has been hired by John Norwood, who graduated from the MWD program several years ago and founded Old Timey Electric. He is 'paying it forward' by offering Cope a full-time position and mentorship. Allen secured full-time employment at Viper Services. 'It is truly inspiring to see generational change happen,' said Don Oglesby, President and CEO of Homes of Hope. The Men's Workforce Development program has graduated more than 330 men since its inception. For information about Homes of Hope and the Men's Workforce Development program, go to Homes of Hope is a nonprofit organization based in Greenville. The organization's dual mission is to provide affordable housing while helping men in the MWD program find stability. Since its founding in 1998, Homes of Hope has built 704 homes. AIRSYS Cooling Technologies, a cooling solution provider, announced that it will expand its global headquarters by building in Spartanburg County. The company's $40 million investment will create 215 jobs. AIRSYS, celebrating three decades in business, is currently headquartered in Greer. The company develops and manufactures cooling equipment for information and communication technology. The company's energy-efficient cooling solutions are used in data centers, schools and telecom cabinets worldwide. AIRSYS will construct its global headquarters at 6228 Hwy. 101 in Woodruff. The existing manufacturing site will be expanded. The new campus will have one of the world's largest 3D printing factories and will make customizable spray liquid cooling components for high-density computing servers, according to a press release. Operations are expected to be online in 2026. Xoted Biotechnology Labs, a research and development center, has announced plans to establish a presence in Spartanburg County. The $4.2 million investment is a significant advancement in sustainable biotechnology and scientific innovation, according to a press release. The company will create 34 jobs. Xoted is a subsidiary of DRC Ventures and TRB Holdings. Xoted works in the biotech, nutraceutical and environmental industries. The new facility, in the Spark Center at 1875 East Main St. in Duncan, will focus on plant-based detoxification, seed research, and next-generation applications in textiles and cleanroom technology. In addition to product development, the operation will serve as a hub for STEM education and scientific research. Upstate Forever protected 1,130 acres in 2024. Conservation easements were finalized in Abbeville, Greenville and Pickens counties. The permanent protections include forests, farmlands, waterways and green space. Upstate Forever protects land in partnership with landowners through conservation easements – voluntary contracts that allow landowners to legally restrict certain uses on their property (including residential subdivisions and commercial or industrial operations), while allowing traditional rural uses, such as farming, grazing, hunting and timbering. The agreement is permanent and remains with the land, even if it is sold or passed to heirs. Easements are: Morrow Creek Timbers, a 236-acre addition to 429 acres protected by conservation easement in 2021. The protected lands contribute to forest and wildlife habitat and local water quality. The S.C. Conservation Bank and Upstate Land Conservation Fund provided funds. Fern Springs, a 37-acre recreational and wildlife habitat in northern Greenville and one of the last undeveloped parcels in a private community. The protected property contributes to water quality in the headwater streams of the Saluda River Watershed. Hereford Hill Farm, a 101-acre working family-owned ranch in southern Greenville County. In addition to permanently protecting the property's scenic value and pastureland for 50 cattle, the project contributes to local water quality. The land has more than 6,600 feet of tributary streams in the Saluda River Watershed. The Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust, S.C. Conservation Bank and Upstate Land Conservation Fund provided funding. Horsepen Creek, 45 acres that are part of a neighborhood strategy to protect key wetlands and creek frontage on Horsepen Creek in southern Greenville County. It is adjacent to 34 acres of Horsepen Creek property protected in 2023. The Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust, S.C. Conservation Bank and Upstate Land Conservation Fund provided funding. Pearl Bottoms, a 60-acre cattle farm in the Tigerville community. The property is at the confluence of three tributaries that serve as a headwater source of the South Tyger River. The Greenville County Historic and Natural Resources Trust, S.C. Conservation Bank and Upstate Land Conservation Fund provided funding, with a reimbursement grant from S.C. Department of Environmental Services. White Tract, 512 acres near the boundary with North Carolina. It expands an existing network of public and private protections along the Blue Ridge Escarpment. The perpetual protection of the natural area will help preserve access to the Mountain Bridge Wilderness Area and its ecological biodiversity. Partners and funders include Naturaland Trust, S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and Upstate Land Conservation Fund. Horse Gap Forest, 69 acres of fields, forests, seeps, bogs, and a pond along the Wadakoe Mountain Ridge that separates Hwy. 11 from the Eastatoe Valley. The property is bordered by tributary streams of Little Eastatoe Creek and 534 acres maintained by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources as a Wildlife Management Area. The S.C. Conservation Bank, S.C. Conservation Bank, Upstate Land Conservation Fund and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service provided funding, with a reimbursement grant from S.C. Department of Environmental Services. Keowee Ridge, a 66-acre organic hobby farm on a peninsula of Lake Keowee. The farm produces free-range eggs, apples, honey and goat byproducts, distributed through the Clemson Area Food Exchange. The easement protects scenic views, agricultural potential, and natural habitat amid rapid lakefront development. The S.C. Conservation Bank and Upstate Land Conservation Fund provided funding, with a reimbursement grant from S.C. Department of Environmental Services. Upstate Forever's stewardship team will support the landowners and monitor each tract to ensure the terms of the easement are upheld. Currently, the team monitors 219 stewardship sites. In addition to enacting and stewarding conservation easements, Upstate Forever supports conservation partners on projects that benefit the Upstate. Upstate Forever partnered to protect an additional 1,900 acres in the Upstate. Partners were Conserving Carolina, The Nature Conservancy of South Carolina, State of South Carolina, Spartanburg County Parks Department, Spartanburg Area Conservancy and The Tyger River Foundation. Since Upstate Forever's founding by Greenville attorney Brad Wyche in 1998, the organization has permanently protected more than 44,000 acres through conservation easements and partner efforts across the 10-county Upstate. Casting Cleaning Resources, a provider of casting cleaning services, is expanding its Greenwood County operations with a $5 million investment that will create 42 additional jobs. Founded in Indiana in 1992, CCR provides cleaning services for industrial applications. The company's Greenwood County operation, established in 2019, specializes in casting finishing services and other post-mold services for foundries. CCR will operate in a standalone building at 104 Stoneridge Court in Greenwood. Kem Swenson has joined BrownStone Real Estate agency. A Greenville native with over two decades in real estate, Swenson began her career in 1999 at a firm specializing in custom-built neighborhoods. Later, she helped agents with listings, contracts and buyer relations. 'Kem embodies our mission of personalized service and community connection,' said Rhett Brown, broker and owner of BrownStone. Founded by Brown and Kirby Stone, Greenville-based BrownStone Real Estate carries forward a family legacy of real estate sales and development. BrownStone's services include customizable pre-listing concierge assistance to help sellers maximize the value of their homes. First Presbyterian Church, in partnership with the Galleries at First Presbyterian, will hold an art exhibition, 'Looking Up,' through Aug. 31. The exhibit will feature the works of George Stone, Joe Craighead and Mark Baral. The exhibit is free and open to the public. The works will be displayed on the first and second floors of the Galleries at First Presbyterian, 200 W. Washington St. Stone is known for representational oil paintings; Craighead focuses on plein-air oil landscapes; Baral specializes in landscape and representational oil paintings. For information, go to McBryde Publishing of New Bern, North Carolina, has released 'The Embers: The Bobby Tomlinson Story,' an account of one of Carolina's most iconic bands. The biography - written by McBryde CEO Bill Benners, Chris Jones and journalist Skip Crayton - explores Tomlinson, founding drummer of The Embers, and the band's 60 years as pioneers of beach music. Founded in 1958 by Bobby Tomlinson and Jackie Gore, The Embers made their debut in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a signature sound that blended blending rhythm and blues, soul, and the swing of beach music. 'The Embers: The Bobby Tomlinson Story' is available in eBook, hardcover and paperback at major online retailers, including Amazon, and at off Church Street. This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Carolina Handling Partners With Spire At Talladega Race - In The Know 5-18
