Daniel Suarez will make his return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2026, joining Spire Motorsports as part of a new chapter following his exit from Trackhouse Racing. This Daniel Suarez Spire Motorsports signing comes after a period of uncertainty for the driver, and is positioned by Spire as a shared opportunity for both team and driver to prove their critics wrong.
Spire and Suarez Aim for Redemption in 2026
Jeff Dickerson, co-owner of Spire Motorsports, expressed his hopes that the upcoming collaboration with Suarez would mark a turning point for all involved. Both Spire and Suarez have experienced setbacks this season, fueling motivation for a competitive resurgence.
“It’s just the thing where I think we need each other. I think all of us love a good story of redemption and giving people a platform to prove doubters wrong. And so I think in this case, Daniel needs to show everybody that this year was an outlier, and we want to show everybody that the 7 car’s performance this year was an outlier as well,” he said via NASCAR’s official website.
Suarez will be driving Spire’s No. 7 Ford, taking over the seat from Justin Haley, who has managed only two top-10 finishes in 34 races this season. Although Suarez’s own season included seven top-10s, the Mexican driver also recorded nine DNFs, making him the second-most crash-involved driver in the field. Despite these setbacks, Spire leadership views the partnership as a reset for both sides as they look ahead to the 2026 season.
Suarez Reflects on Choosing Spire Motorsports
Daniel Suarez discussed his thought process behind joining Spire Motorsports, noting how his perspective on the team’s stature in NASCAR has changed over the past few years. Suarez, a two-time Xfinity Series champion who previously drove for Joe Gibbs Racing and Trackhouse Racing, expressed enthusiasm about Spire’s trajectory.
“How Spire Motorsports has grown the last three years,” he said, “I mentioned this to Jeff, three years ago. I probably wasn’t looking at Spire Motorsports as an option. Right now, I believe that this is the fastest-growing team in NASCAR, and I want to be part of that. I know that they are not even close to being done. They’re just getting started,” Daniel Suarez said via aforementioned source.
Suarez has notable career highlights, including two Cup Series victories during his five years with Trackhouse Racing, and was the first Mexican-born driver to win at this level. During the current season, he came close to victory twice, finishing in second place at both Las Vegas and Daytona International Speedway.
Building Spire’s 2026 Cup Lineup
Spire Motorsports has confirmed that Suarez’s agreement is for the long term. Joining him for 2026 will be existing Spire drivers Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, completing their three-car lineup. Hocevar, in his sophomore Cup season, captured attention with a sixth-place finish at the Talladega Superspeedway playoff event, demonstrating flashes of promise for the team’s future.
Michael McDowell, another key member of the squad, claimed pole position for the Talladega race, while Hocevar experienced both strong results and controversial moments. The young driver finished as runner-up twice this year but was also at the center of multiple incidents, especially concerning heated run-ins with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., which nearly escalated beyond the track.
Significance and What Lies Ahead for Suarez and Spire
The Daniel Suarez Spire Motorsports signing brings together a motivated driver seeking to bounce back after being replaced at Trackhouse Racing by Connor Zilisch, and a team eager to advance its competitive reputation. With Spire now fielding a confirmed roster that includes Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar for 2026, the team is positioning itself as a notable force within NASCAR’s landscape.
As both Daniel Suarez and Spire Motorsports work to move past an incident-filled season, attention will be on whether this partnership can deliver the kind of results that validate their high expectations and dispel lingering doubts within the NASCAR community. The coming season offers a fresh start for both Suarez and his new team, setting the stage for one of the sport’s most closely watched redemption arcs.
