Spire Motorsports Watkins Glen race preview spotlights a rising momentum for the team as it heads to the iconic New York road course, aiming to build on its recent successes in the NASCAR Cup Series. Having secured two top-five and three top-10 results in 10 starts at Watkins Glen International, the team is poised for another strong showing with drivers Justin Haley, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar leading its Chevrolet ZL1 entries this weekend.
Spire Motorsports’ Watkins Glen Track Record
Since entering the NASCAR Cup Series, Spire Motorsports has delivered impressive performances at Watkins Glen International, highlighted by Carson Hocevar’s third-place finish in last year’s Go Bowling at The Glen. That historic race marked the first time the team scored three cars inside the top 10, with Zane Smith placing fifth and Corey LaJoie finishing eighth, establishing the organization as a growing contender on road courses. Spire Motorsports plans to field the Nos. 7, 71, and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s for the 2025 Go Bowling at The Glen, which airs Sunday, August 10 at 2 p.m. EDT on USA, as the 23rd points event of the NASCAR season.
Lead Drivers and Their Watkins Glen Histories
Justin Haley, behind the wheel of the No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1, brings a blend of experience and potential to Watkins Glen. In four Cup Series appearances at the track, his best result was 18th in 2022, with career averages of 24.8 for starts and 25.0 for finishes. This event marks the fifth of six road-course races on the 2025 schedule for Haley, who has achieved results of 16th at Circuit of the Americas, 17th at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, 22nd at the Chicago Street Race, and 15th at Sonoma Raceway. Most recently, he finished 23rd at <a href="https://slicksandsticks.com/tag/iowa-speedway/”>Iowa Speedway after an early stint in the top 10, as late-race tire issues hindered the team’s progress.
Haley is a proven winner across NASCAR’s National Touring Series, with a Cup Series victory to his name, plus four Xfinity Series wins and three in the Truck Series. He’s also demonstrated strength at Watkins Glen in lower series, tallying two top-five ARCA Menards Series East finishes—second in 2016 and third in 2015. Across 167 Cup starts, Haley has recorded five top fives and 16 top-10s, accumulating 118 laps led. His career with Spire includes notable milestones, such as debuting on his 20th birthday at Talladega Superspeedway.
Michael McDowell, piloting the No. 71 Go Bowling Chevrolet ZL1, enters with a legacy at The Glen that spans 15 Cup Series starts, peaking with a seventh-place finish last season. In his last three races at Watkins Glen, McDowell has twice secured top-10 results and led for 38 laps overall. He boasts experience from five Grand-Am Rolex Series events at the track, twice placing fourth, and has a record of strong qualifying runs. McDowell will also compete in the Mission 200 Xfinity Series race on Saturday for Kaulig Racing, marking his first start in the series in nearly a decade.
The No. 71 car, supported by Go Bowling, has notched notable achievements this season, including a victory in the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge at the NASCAR All-Star Weekend and securing the team’s first Busch Light Pole Award at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a record-setting lap. In addition, McDowell’s current season includes claiming three Xfinity Fastest Lap awards, demonstrating his continued speed and competitiveness at various venues.
Carson Hocevar prepares for his second Cup start at Watkins Glen in the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1. His initial run at this course last year resulted in a career-best third-place finish, which signaled his emergence as a key competitor. Hocevar’s background includes a top-10 Truck Series finish and a fourth-place ARCA Menards result, reinforcing his adaptability on road courses. Recent events also show upward progress: after qualifying sixth at Iowa Speedway and rebounding from a mid-race spin, Hocevar finished eighth. With 23 races completed in 2025, he has achieved two top fives and led 80 laps, already surpassing his previous season’s totals.
Driver and Crew Chief Perspectives on Watkins Glen
Heading into a critical road course event, Spire Motorsports’ athletes and team leadership are vocal about their expectations and preparations. Each driver is supported by experienced crew chiefs, lending technical expertise and strategic direction to the campaign at Watkins Glen.
“I feel like our Chevy has had speed at road-courses this year, we had two top-20s and a top-15 finish. Watkins Glen is always packed with campers and race fans and that makes it so much more exciting as a driver! I’ve always enjoyed how the track flows and am looking forward to this weekend.”
—Justin Haley, Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1
Justin Haley works closely with Ryan Sparks, who not only serves as his crew chief but is also the Competition Director for Spire Motorsports. Sparks first joined Haley at Bristol in September 2024 and brings a wealth of experience, having called 189 Cup Series races with three top-five and nine top-10 finishes to his credit. He has a track-best 10th-place finish at Watkins Glen, achieved with Corey LaJoie in 2023.
“Watkins Glen is a momentum track. It’s long, has a lot of lateral loading, and it flows very differently. It’s different than Sonoma. You have quick switchbacks when you think about Mexico City or Chicago, and it’s just so different. Obviously, it’s higher speeds and higher loading. The easiest way to describe it is like racing on a mile-and-a-half oval, but on a road course.”
—Michael McDowell, Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1
Travis Peterson, McDowell’s crew chief, surpasses a professional milestone at this event, celebrating over 100 Cup Series races. His history at Watkins Glen includes top-five and top-10 results in the Xfinity Series, fulfilling different engineering and leadership roles across multiple organizations. Peterson’s expertise at the road course includes notable feats with Chris Buescher at RFK Racing and a top-10 with McDowell at The Glen in 2024.
“I think it was probably the first time that people really got to see Spire cars running up front and holding our own. Since then it’s only been improvement for the whole organization. We have up and down weeks, but that’s part of building a consistently successful program. Every weekend we have at least two cars running in the top 10, if not all three right there together. I just think Watkins Glen last year was a race where people started to pay attention. That’s definitely continued this season and I feel like the last two races are a really good example of that. At Indy we had two cars finish within the first 11 spots and Iowa we had a car in the top-10 all day and probably would’ve had similar results without the way the cautions fell in the middle of the race. I’m excited to get back to The Glen. We’ve got a lot of momentum heading into this race and we’ve done a really good job of continuing to improve at tracks where we’ve done well in the past.”
—Carson Hocevar, Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1
Luke Lambert, calling his 12th Cup Series race at Watkins Glen, guides Hocevar from the pit box. Lambert’s prior success at the track includes helping Noah Gragson to a fourth-place Xfinity Series result in 2022. Hocevar’s third-place finish in last year’s Cup race was also a milestone for Lambert at the venue, affirming their powerful driver–crew chief combination.
Recent Highlights and Team Developments
Spire Motorsports has been steadily gaining attention in the 2025 season, capitalizing on key moments to advance its reputation in NASCAR. The team has maintained a presence near the front of the field, with at least two cars regularly competing for top-10 spots. The No. 71 crew, in particular, made headlines by capturing the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge during All-Star Weekend, marking the fastest pit stop among all participating teams. Their qualifying speed at Las Vegas also stands out, as they clocked the quickest time in the seventh-generation Cup car at the 1.5-mile facility.
On the driver development front, Michael McDowell’s versatility is evident as he returns to Xfinity competition at Watkins Glen and continues to collect Fastest Lap awards throughout the year. Justin Haley’s steady growth is marked by consistent results on road courses, while Hocevar’s upward trend is highlighted by multiple top-10s and top-fives in his second Cup season. This progress has set a new standard for the organization, signaling to the rest of the field that Spire is consistently a threat, especially on road courses like Watkins Glen.
What Sets Watkins Glen Apart for Spire’s Team
Watkins Glen presents a unique challenge with its high-speed, flowing layout, demanding both driver skill and strategic crew input. Team members and drivers have repeatedly emphasized the distinct feel of The Glen compared to other road courses on the schedule. With seasoned professionals like McDowell and the emerging talent of Hocevar, Spire aims to leverage its collective road course expertise, drawing from lessons learned in past runs and innovative approaches from crew chiefs like Sparks, Peterson, and Lambert. This approach is further enhanced by familiar support, such as McDowell’s cousin Jason Noll assisting as a spotter, which brings added confidence and communication to race day operations.
The relationship with primary partners such as Gainbridge and Go Bowling remains fundamental, ensuring the resources needed to continue progressing and competing at the highest level.
Watkins Glen Weekend Schedule and Broadcast Information
The action unfolds this Sunday, August 10, as the Go Bowling at The Glen commences at 2 p.m. EDT, broadcast live on USA. Fans can also tune in via the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90, for comprehensive coverage. On Saturday, August 8, National Bowling Day celebrations will take place, coinciding with the Mission 200 Xfinity Series event, where McDowell will make his series return.
Watkins Glen’s festive race weekend not only features elite racing but also community engagement activities and promotions, with GoBowling.com providing resources and information for bowling enthusiasts across the country. The New York venue is expected to draw a robust crowd, providing a vibrant atmosphere for drivers, teams, and fans alike.
Significance and Looking Forward
As Spire Motorsports targets further top finishes at Watkins Glen, the race serves as a pivotal chapter in the 2025 Cup Series season. Past performances at the track have marked turning points for the organization, and continued momentum could solidify its standing as a formidable force on the circuit. With every top-10 result and each developmental milestone achieved by drivers and crews, Spire’s trajectory reflects a program on the ascent—one that’s ready to challenge for a victory at The Glen and in future events. The spotlight remains on how the team will convert its demonstrated pace and teamwork into another round of impressive finishes on NASCAR’s storied New York road course.
