As expected, it didn't take long for the other shoe to drop after Spire Motorsports announced that Justin Haley wouldn't return their NASCAR Cup Series organization in 2026.
Daniel Suarez was confirmed as his replacement in the No. 7 Chevrolet, joining Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell. That gives Spire Motorsports a lineup featuring two drivers who have won races (plural) at NASCAR's top level, and one who almost certainly will in the near future.
After years of slowly building up towards relevance, Spire Motorsports figure to be the most competitive they have ever been in 2026. This also makes 2026 a crucial season in determining the organization's long-term ceiling.
We're about to find out just how good Spire Motorsports can be
Spire Motorsports have always been an enigma of a Cup Series team, even during their time spent languishing with the field fillers during their first couple seasons on the grid. Founded and operated by a group of driver agents, the team's resources are about as unlimited as any team not named Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, or Team Penske. The ceiling is there to be a championship-level organization.
However, it took some time for Spire Motorsports to accumulate the talent necessary to take those steps. Landing Hocevar at the start of 2024 was the first major sign of progress, and this year was expected to be another one with the additions of McDowell and Haley. Crew chiefs Travis Peterson and Rodney Childers also entered the fold, expecting to contribute to the team's improvement.
McDowell has given Spire Motorsports a high-floor veteran presence, even if he is ultimately only competitive near the front on road courses and superspeedways. The experiments with Haley and Childers didn't pan out, with the latter leaving the team early on in the season, but the Suarez signing should correct that.
The Monterrey, Mexico native is likely the second-best driver in team history, only behind Hocevar, whose 23rd place position in the point standings doesn't reflect how well he has run this season but for some horrendous luck. The polarizing 22-year-old should only get better, likely making the jump into playoff status (at least, pending NASCAR's decision on the playoffs), while Suarez and McDowell can be expected to have the occasional standout run.
Suarez's addition and Hocevar's continued growth should tell us a lot about how good Spire Motorsports can be. If there's a time to take that leap into the consistent high-end performance that the team's resources make it capable of, 2026 is that year.