Spire Motorsports, aiming to make a significant mark in the NASCAR Cup Series, approaches the upcoming Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway with high expectations. With the Spire Motorsports Kansas Speedway performance under scrutiny, the team seeks to improve on its record at the Kansas City, Kansas venue, leveraging a lineup featuring Justin Haley, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar behind the wheels of their Nos. 7, 71, and 77 Chevrolet ZL1 cars. The much-anticipated race is set for Sunday, September 28, with live coverage on USA Network at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, positioning itself as the 31st of 36 points-paying events in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
Having participated in 25 Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, Spire Motorsports has collected one top-10 and three top-20 finishes to date. Zane Smith led the charge for the team with a 10th-place finish in the previous June event. As the Hollywood Casino 400 approaches, Spire Motorsports is focused on leveraging past experiences, strengthened driver capabilities, and innovative team strategy to pursue a breakthrough at this distinctive mile-and-a-half quad-oval.
Justin Haley’s Consistency and Growth at Kansas Speedway
Justin Haley, driving the No. 7 NationsGuard Chevrolet ZL1 for Spire Motorsports, enters Kansas Speedway this weekend with optimism drawn from both previous experience and the team’s recent progress. Across nine prior NASCAR Cup Series starts at the Kansas venue, he has secured three top-20 results, twice finishing 18th, which stands as his personal best at this track. With average stats that include a 26.2 starting position and a 27.1 finishing spot, Haley boasts a record of being on track for all but two of his Kansas appearances since his Cup debut there in 2021.
Beyond the Cup Series, Haley has demonstrated strong form at Kansas in other NASCAR ranks. In NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, he finished fourth twice and never fell outside the top seven in his four starts. His experience in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, where he led laps and posted ninth and tenth place finishes, and a sixth-place run in his only ARCA Menards Series race at Kansas, further bolster his credentials at this circuit.
Last weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Haley’s solid qualifying was hampered by a crash, leading to a 33rd-place result despite valiant efforts to finish the race. As he approaches his 175th career Cup start this Sunday, Haley brings a track record of one win, six top fives, 18 top tens, and 123 laps led across his seven seasons in the sport, including 74 Cup starts with Spire Motorsports since 2019.
Haley credits much of his recent progress to NationsGuard, the team’s partner and a leader in automotive finance and insurance solutions, whose commitment to operational excellence mirrors the driver’s own approach to racing. The team’s attention to performance and ongoing improvement is expected to pay dividends as they chase a top result this weekend.
Haley shared his thoughts about the team’s readiness and his outlook for Kansas:
We’ve had lots of speed at the mile-and-a-half tracks this year and that’s credit to the team at Spire Motorsports and their remarkable attention to detail. I feel really comfortable at Kansas and we were fast in the Spring. Hopefully, we can get luck back on our side and have a good day.
—Justin Haley, Driver, No. 7 Chevrolet ZL1
Ryan Sparks Offers Steadfast Guidance from the Pit Box
Ryan Sparks holds a pivotal role at Spire Motorsports, serving simultaneously as Competition Director and as Crew Chief for Haley’s No. 7 entry. Since teaming up with Haley at Bristol Motor Speedway last September, Sparks has brought his considerable experience, having stewarded 196 Cup races with ten top-10s and four top-fives to his name over six seasons.
With prior experience in 11 Cup events at Kansas, Sparks has helped drivers achieve two top-20s and six top-25 finishes on this challenging circuit. His leadership and strategic insight are key assets as Spire Motorsports sets sights on achieving their best result yet at Kansas Speedway.
Michael McDowell’s Steady Progress at Kansas
Michael McDowell heads to the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway with Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Gainbridge Chevrolet ZL1, bringing a wealth of experience and renewed confidence after recent strong showings. In 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Kansas, McDowell’s typical statistics include a 24.8 average start and a 26.8 average finish. However, his performance has notably improved over the last 11 races at this track, where he now averages a 16.5 start and a 20.0 finish, with four instances of qualifying in the top ten.
The No. 71 car returns with its recognizable black and yellow Gainbridge livery for the Kansas event. McDowell’s pit crew, including front tire changer Max Marsh, brings unique experience—Marsh played collegiate football at Kansas State University before transitioning his athletic discipline to the NASCAR pit lane.
McDowell’s most recent Cup outing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway saw him qualify 11th and finish within the top ten for the fourth time this season, marking his first top-ten result at a one-mile or shorter track. His run at May’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas also marked a team milestone, qualifying 11th for the No. 71—the best starting spot at the venue to date for this entry.
Additional highlights for McDowell and the No. 71 team this season include three Xfinity Fastest Lap Awards, earned at Daytona, Phoenix, and Talladega, and Spire Motorsports’ first-ever Busch Light Pole Award, achieved with a record-setting lap at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The team also celebrated a landmark with its first stage win during the Grant Park 165 in Chicago and clinched the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge victory during NASCAR All-Star Weekend at North Wilkesboro. These feats underscore growing momentum as they target a breakthrough performance at Kansas.
Reflecting on Kansas’ unique racing environment and his approach, McDowell offered this insight:
I think it’s probably because it’s the easiest to get multiple lanes going, even Lap 1 in practice you can run the top there where you know places like Charlotte, Texas, and other 1.5-mile tracks, you don’t you have to build up to it. So, the track has multiple lanes, multiple grooves and that all comes together fairly early in the run. In general, Kansas seems to produce a pretty good race. I’d mostly say because you can move around.
—Michael McDowell, Driver, No. 71 Chevrolet ZL1
Travis Peterson Strategizes for No. 71 at Kansas
Leading McDowell’s Kansas campaign is Crew Chief Travis Peterson, who has managed five Cup Series events at this track, securing a 14.0 average starting position and a 22.8 average finish for his drivers. Prior to his current role, Peterson contributed as a race engineer at JR Motorsports, notably helping Regan Smith to a third-place finish at Kansas in 2013 by qualifying fifth and leading 81 laps. He also played a significant part in Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s third-place effort at Kansas in 2015 during his tenure at Hendrick Motorsports, demonstrating a strong history of maximizing opportunities at this complex circuit.
Carson Hocevar’s Promising Track Record at Kansas
Carson Hocevar takes the controls of the No. 77 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1 for Spire Motorsports, bringing ambition and recent success to his fifth Cup Series start at Kansas Speedway. Most notably, this May, Hocevar clinched a win in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Heart of Health Care 200 at Kansas, steering the Brian Pattie-led No. 7 Spire Motorsports entry to victory after leading 75 of 134 laps and overcoming last-lap drama. The achievement became his fifth career truck series victory and his first aboard a Spire-prepared Chevrolet Silverado.
Hocevar, the reigning 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year, achieved a best Cup Series Kansas finish of 20th in four previous starts. His truck series resume at this venue includes a win, two top-five finishes, three top-tens, and 135 laps led. Across 18 Cup races on 1.5-mile tracks, Hocevar counts one top-five and three top-ten results, with a combined 32 laps led at major speedways including Homestead-Miami, Texas, Kansas, and Charlotte.
During the last event at New Hampshire, Hocevar demonstrated solid pace by qualifying sixth—his best at the venue—and spent most of the race in the top five before handling issues led to an eleventh-place result, notching his fourth consecutive top-15 finish. This series of strong performances, alongside Delaware Life’s supportive partnership, positions Hocevar for a confident run at Kansas.
Discussing his affinity for intermediate tracks and his anticipation for Kansas, Hocevar remarked:
I’ve always loved mile-and-a-half tracks. They’re where I feel most comfortable and our team’s been showing a lot of speed the last few weeks. We won the truck race at Kansas in May, and I’m hoping we can translate that into success in the Delaware Life Chevy this weekend. I love running on the fence, but you really have to move around and try different lanes. I think we’re in a good position to have a strong weekend.
—Carson Hocevar, Driver, No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1
Key Partners Fuel Team’s Pursuit of Excellence
Spire Motorsports benefits significantly from innovative partnerships as it targets a step forward at Kansas Speedway. NationsGuard, the backer of Justin Haley’s No. 7 car, is recognized for its advanced solutions in automotive finance and insurance, consistently driving measurable improvements and optimizing client outcomes. Gainbridge, the primary sponsor for McDowell’s No. 71, empowers consumers with accessible, technology-driven financial products to secure their futures, reflecting the team’s focus on reliability and growth. Delaware Life, supporting Hocevar and the No. 77, offers agents tailored annuity and insurance solutions designed to build security and confidence, mirroring the adaptability and preparation needed for Cup Series success.
Spire Motorsports Prepares for an All-Out Effort at Kansas
With major events remaining on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series calendar, Spire Motorsports stands poised to capitalize on recent progress and driver development at Kansas Speedway. The team’s drivers—Justin Haley, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar—bring unique strengths and proven records on intermediate tracks. The leadership of crew chiefs Ryan Sparks and Travis Peterson, combined with the synergy from trusted partners like NationsGuard, Gainbridge, and Delaware Life, equip the organization for its most competitive campaign yet on Kansas’ fast and versatile circuit.
The Hollywood Casino 400 presents a pivotal opportunity for Spire Motorsports to secure another milestone in its growing Cup Series legacy. With momentum from each driver’s past performances and a strong organizational push toward excellence, fans and competitors alike will be watching closely to see if Spire can convert potential into a standout result at Kansas Speedway.
