Spire Motorsports has entered the orbit of the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a massive ownership shift that links NASCAR to one of the NBA’s most iconic franchises.
The move comes as billionaire Mark Walter, head of TWG Global, finalizes a $10 billion majority acquisition of the Lakers. TWG already manages a wide range of sports properties, including the Dodgers, Chelsea FC and several motorsport entities. So this is a big moment for cross-sport synergy in American sports.
TWG’s motorsport division launched last year, now includes Spire Motorsports (NASCAR Cup and Truck), Wayne Taylor Racing (IMSA), Walkinshaw Andretti United (Supercars), and partnerships with the Cadillac F1 effort and Andretti Global. Spire, once a mid-tier NASCAR team, now has access to elite infrastructure, capital and marketing muscle.
Journalist Jeff Gluck reported the connection on X, saying Spire Motorsports is now “part of the same family as the Los Angeles Lakers”. According to the New York Times, the Buss family will remain minority owners but Walter’s control means there will be more integration between NBA and NASCAR entities.
TWG’s approach is the same as it is in baseball and soccer and should be the same with Spire Motorsports: consolidate talent, streamline operations and expand global brand reach. For NASCAR that could mean crossover sponsorships, wider entertainment industry reach and insights from adjacent leagues like F1 and MLB.
Timing is everything. LeBron James (central to the Lakers brand) has publicly backed NASCAR’s diversity push. Just last week the LeBron James Family Foundation partnered with RFK Racing to give CeCe Wilson, an aspiring driver from Akron, a full VIP NASCAR experience. The initiative ties into LeBron’s broader efforts to open doors in motorsports, including his past involvement with Bubba Wallace’s Xfinity program.
Also, LeBron’s business partner, Rich Paul, via Klutch Sports, is also playing a bigger role in NASCAR’s commercial growth, recently overseeing the search for a new Xfinity Series sponsor.
With Spire Motorsports under TWG and connected to both LeBron and Klutch, NASCAR has a new level of branding firepower. What was once a niche, southern-rooted sport is now part of a global sports empire.
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