Leavine Family Racing Owner Bob Leavine today announced that he has sold the team, and while no buyer was announced, sources say that Spire Sports & Entertainment is the expected winner. THE DAILY first reported last month that Leavine was actively working on selling the team, having solicited bids as he dealt with the financial fallout of the pandemic, which has hurt his small business, the Texas-based WRL Construction. Sources say that there were multiple bidders for the team but that Spire appeared to be set to come out on top. Leavine was asking mid- to high-seven figures for the purchase, which includes the shop, equipment and the all-important NASCAR charter. Leavine in a statement said, “The pandemic has impacted our economy and unfortunately that’s just not something we are able to overcome in order to continue racing beyond this season.” LFR last season began an alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota, and the sale leaves highly-touted JGR driver Christopher Bell’s future unclear. JGR had loaned Bell to LFR, and now may need to move him back in-house unless it finds another team to loan him out to. JGR No. 20 driver Erik Jones’ deal is up after this year, and he is considered the most vulnerable candidate at the team to potentially lose his ride to Bell.
