When Front Row Motorsports sold its charter to Spire Motorsports in 2018, no one expected this brand-new race team to go out and win in their brand-new No. 77 Chevrolet the next season.
Halfway through the 2019 season, a young man named Justin Haley and the 77 team would match pit strategy and a little help from Mother Nature to do just that. Haley and Spire would win their first NASCAR Cup Series race that afternoon. But it would be another seven years and massive growth before Spire returned to the big time in the Cup Series.
2026
The 2026 season would be Spire’s year. Two of Spire Motorsports’ full-time drivers would make the Chase. It would be Spire’s first postseason appearance since arriving on the scene in 2019.
One of NASCAR’s most popular wins in years would come at Talladega in the spring. Michigan’s Carson Hocevar would score his first Cup Series victory, the second for Spire as an organization. Carson would lead the crew of Cup drivers for the 2026 season: 1 Win, 6 top-5s, and 12 top-10s, eventually finishing 14th in the standings. All despite his penalty and suspension.
Carson even became the best-selling driver in terms of merch online. He also kept pace with Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson at the track, where he ranked 3rd behind the Hendrick duo. An improvement from 32nd best online sales in 2025.
Daniel Suarez moved to Spire after several seasons at TrackHouse Racing, and it didn’t take long for him to show he felt at home. He capped it off with a Crown Jewel, too. Daniel would win an emotional Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. It was the first race after the loss of his Spire Truck Series teammate and former team owner, Kyle Busch. Daniel’s season with the team was a success, as he would be another driver from Spire to make the postseason. 1 win, 3 top-5s, and 9 top-10 finishes on the season. Daniel would come in one place ahead of Carson in P. 13 in the standings.
The senior driver of the team in the No. 71 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports is Michael McDowell. Michael had a decent season in the 71 car; 3 top-5s and 8 top-10 finishes led Michael to a 20th-place standing, an improvement over his 2025 season in the car.
2026 as a whole
Together, the three Spire cars delivered a fantastic season for Spire Motorsports.
- 2 Wins
- 1 Crown Jewel (Coca-Cola 600)
- 12 Top-5 Finishes
- 29 Top-10 Finishes
- 2 Chase Spots
- 264 Laps Led
- 11,035 Laps in the Top-15
- 5,168 Points Earned
2027
Spire will maintain their current lineup heading into the 2027 NASCAR Cup Series season. Both Daniel and Carson will head into Daytona looking to build on this year’s success, while Michael McDowell looks to join his teammates as the fourth Spire winner.
Hocevar has said he learned from the mistakes that led to his suspension by Spire and penalties from NASCAR. Whether that lesson carries over is yet to be seen. If he does change his habits, does that take him down a notch in terms of popularity with the fans? Let’s all find out.
Image Credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images
