As the regular NASCAR Cup Series season nears its dramatic close, Spire Motorsports is preparing for a pivotal appearance at Daytona International Speedway. In a heartfelt tribute, all three Spire-prepared Chevrolet ZL1s will showcase the names of cancer survivors during Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, joining the Martin Truex, Jr., Foundation and NASCAR Foundation’s Honor a Cancer Hero Campaign. The team—fielding entries for Justin Haley, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar—also vies for precious playoff positions, making this a double-meaning high-stakes weekend for Spire Motorsports. The Spire Motorsports Daytona race preview reflects both competitive strategy and a deep commitment to community causes.
Daytona Legacy and Spire Motorsports’ Pursuit
With 25 starts at Daytona’s iconic 2.5-mile track, Spire Motorsports has a proven history—including an astonishing upset win in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400, three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. In 2025, their lineup consists of Justin Haley in the No. 7, Michael McDowell in the No. 71, and Carson Hocevar in the No. 77, each aiming to carve out another memorable result. The season finale airs live Saturday, August 23 on NBC from 7:30 p.m. EDT, as the regular season’s last showdown determines the final playoff field.
Haley Leads the No. 7 with Honoring Cancer Survivors
Justin Haley returns to Daytona with fond memories, as it was here in 2019 that he and Spire achieved their first Cup Series victory—a Cinderella story in NASCAR’s modern era. This year, Haley’s No. 7 Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1 will display the names of Tabatha Guaglianone and Mary Rogers in honor of their cancer journeys. Tabatha, diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer in 2021, emerged victorious from her battle after intensive treatment. Mary, a matriarch with a large family, is still undergoing chemotherapy and radiation following a more complicated bladder cancer surgery earlier this year.
Haley’s ties to Daytona run deep: in ten previous Cup Series starts at the “World Center of Racing,” he has captured a win, a top-10, and four top-20 results. He also boasts a solid Xfinity Series track record at Daytona, with two victories and consistent top finishes, most recently preparing for double duty by also racing in Friday night’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Wawa 250 for Kaulig Racing.
Daytona is one of my favorite tracks. I’m excited to get back to superspeedway racing this weekend and make a final push for the playoffs with our No. 7 Gainbridge Chevy. Hopefully, we can learn a couple things Friday night in the Xfinity Series car so we can be there at the end and race for a win both nights.
—Justin Haley, Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1
Haley also brings experience from NASCAR’s other top series, with multiple wins across the Xfinity and CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. His journey with Spire has seen him rise to become a respected veteran, making 69 Cup Series starts for the organization including his initial premier division appearance on his birthday at Talladega.
Crew Chief Ryan Sparks’ Strategic Approach
Ryan Sparks, who doubles as Spire Motorsports Competition Director and crew chief for Haley, has guided teams to standout Daytona results. Since pairing with Haley at Bristol in 2024, Sparks has called 191 Cup Series races, notching three top-five and nine top-10 finishes. At Daytona alone, Sparks’ expertise has produced one top-five and four top-10s across a dozen events, highlighted by a strong fourth-place finish with Corey LaJoie in the 2024 Daytona 500. His leadership is poised to be crucial as Saturday’s race unfolds.
Michael McDowell Pursues a Must-Win Scenario
Michael McDowell, piloting the No. 71 Fly Alliance Chevrolet ZL1, is familiar with Daytona’s high-pressure environment, having taken an unforgettable Daytona 500 win in 2021. In his 28 Daytona starts, McDowell’s record features a win, a pole position, three top-five and eight top-10 results. His 2021 victory was particularly memorable, as he seized the lead on the final lap for a career-first triumph after over a decade in top-tier competition.
This weekend, the No. 71 Chevrolet forgoes McDowell’s customary name graphics to honor two cancer heroes: Jeanann Orna, an inspiring nurse and mother who battled breast and ovarian cancer before her passing in 2022, and Adam Brookhart, who is heroically fighting stage-three colon cancer and maintains a positive spirit throughout his ongoing chemotherapy.
when life gives you a cactus, it doesn’t mean you have to sit on it.
—Adam Brookhart, Cancer Hero
McDowell’s versatility also includes notable runs in endurance events like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and multiple top-10s on Daytona’s road course configuration. Throughout the current Cup season, he has accumulated two top-five, three top-10, and 13 top-20 finishes, along with standout moments like capturing Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole at Las Vegas and recording the fastest pit stop at North Wilkesboro’s All-Star Weekend.
As the regular season climaxes, McDowell’s playoff hopes ride entirely on victory; his team trails the cutoff by 206 points, leaving only a win at Daytona as a ticket to advance.
It’s our last chance – the last race before the playoffs start. We all know what we’re trying to do, and we’re definitely going to try to get one of our Spire Motorsports cars in. It’s a great opportunity for us and a new partner onboard with Fly Alliance. Justin (Haley) has won there, and I’ve won there. We’ve had strong speedway cars this year and the time has come. Unfortunately, we put ourselves in this predicament where it comes down to the last race to get into the playoffs, but we know what we’ve got to do.
—Michael McDowell, Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1
Guidance from Crew Chief Travis Peterson
Travis Peterson, chief tactician for McDowell’s efforts, brings Daytona expertise forged as both race engineer and crew chief. Since aligning with McDowell, Peterson has helped secure a front row start at the 2024 Daytona 500 and has 36 laps led at the storied facility. His career highlights include guiding Dale Earnhardt, Jr., to a Coke Zero Sugar 400 victory in 2015 as a race engineer for Hendrick Motorsports, demonstrating his longstanding impact on superspeedway competition.
Carson Hocevar Battles for Recognition at Daytona
Carson Hocevar takes the wheel of the No. 77 MODO Casino Chevrolet ZL1, making his third Cup Series start at Daytona with the playoffs looming. Hocevar’s promising run in the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400—where he finished 11th—demonstrates his growth as a formidable superspeedway competitor. The current race also welcomes Modo Casino’s debut as a primary sponsor, with their livery appearing in four races this fall.
In partnership with Welcome to Rockville, the team offers fans a chance for VIP access to both the race and the famed rock festival, accentuating the team’s broad appeal. Hocevar’s car at Daytona will honor Michele Broadley, forever remembered for her courageous battle with alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, her academic achievements—including a psychology degree from UConn—and her inspiring motto:
yes, I have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me.
—Michele Broadley, Cancer Hero
Hocevar’s Cup Series record this season features his top superspeedway finish of seventh at Talladega, his first runner-up at Atlanta, and consistent performances at both Daytona and Talladega. His Truck Series outings at Daytona have also been productive, including two top-10 finishes.
Yeah, I always felt like it was easier or safer to just stay out of trouble and be there at the end, but that didn’t really work for us in February and I showed up at Atlanta kind of wanting to prove a point that if I ran hard, I’d get caught up in something early. That didn’t happen and we were fighting for a win at the checkered flag, so I guess I did prove a point, but more to myself. Superspeedway racing is tough. Everything happens so quickly and it comes down to trusting the crew chief and spotter to put you in the right position to make it to those last few laps. I think we’ve done a good a job of that this year since Daytona.
—Carson Hocevar, Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1
I think everyone goes into Daytona knowing that anything can happen and you could leave with a spot in the playoff field. For us, we’re going to run the best race we can. You always hope that means you’re in Victory Lane at the end, but more importantly we need to keep working on putting together all of the pieces to have good races week after week. Playoffs is the goal. Wins are also a goal, but working together to be successful is what is going to help us find success consistently.
—Carson Hocevar, Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1
Luke Lambert’s Direction for the No. 77 Team
Crew chief Luke Lambert brings a valuable perspective to Hocevar’s Daytona challenge. With 47 superspeedway races called, including six top-five and 15 top-10 finishes at Daytona, Lambert’s experience at the pit box is substantial. Notable for guiding Chris Buescher to third in last year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400, and recording top-three Xfinity Series results at Daytona, Lambert’s leadership is fueling the No. 77’s ambitions. Saturday’s race marks the 70th collaboration between Lambert and Hocevar, a partnership that has achieved 24 top-15 runs already.
Spotlighting the Cancer Heroes Featured at Daytona
This weekend’s Honor a Cancer Hero campaign places a bright spotlight on individuals whose resilience inspires both the paddock and the broader NASCAR community. Spire Motorsports will proudly display the names of six honorees: Tabatha Guaglianone and Mary Rogers on the No. 7; Jeanann Orna and Adam Brookhart on the No. 71; and Michele Broadley riding with the No. 77 team. Each story signifies courage and perseverance, providing powerful motivation for the teams and fans alike as the season peaks.
Further linking the racing and rock music worlds, Welcome to Rockville’s involvement brings wider exposure to cancer awareness, while unique sweepstakes activations extend engagement beyond the track.
Countdown to a Defining Moment for Spire Motorsports
With their Daytona histories, Spire Motorsports’ drivers—Haley, McDowell, and Hocevar—are well equipped for the unpredictable twists typical of superspeedway racing. The inclusion of cancer heroes’ names on their cars adds even greater significance, merging competition with cause-driven awareness. For McDowell, the situation is a straightforward must-win as his playoff prospects hang by a thread. Haley and Hocevar, each with their own strategies and playoff hopes, approach Saturday with energy, optimism, and purpose.
The Spire Motorsports Daytona race preview underscores what is at stake: team legacies, playoff destinies, and lasting tributes to remarkable lives. As the green flag waves, their pursuit on the famed Florida asphalt will be watched by fans nationwide, all united in support and hope.
