Spire Motorsports is getting ready for another shot at the NASCAR Cup Series at Phoenix Raceway, eager to land a top-10 finish as the 2026 season heats up. With the team’s consistent performances and experienced lineup—Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar—focus is set squarely on making a mark at the “Diamond in the Desert” in front of a national audience.
Spire Motorsports’ Journey at Phoenix and Season Outlook
Historically, Spire Motorsports has made 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Phoenix Raceway, achieving one top-10 and three top-15 finishes over the years. Among the team’s standout moments at this track, Michael McDowell scored an impressive eighth-place in the November 2025 race, setting a new benchmark for the organization at Phoenix. The team enters Phoenix in 2026 fielding the Nos. 7, 71, and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s, piloted by Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
The upcoming Phoenix race will air live on FS1 on Sunday, March 8, starting at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, with radio coverage available on both the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. This race marks the fourth points-paying event in the 36-race 2026 NASCAR Cup season, a campaign critical for all teams aiming to build momentum and secure playoff positions as the early season unfolds.
Daniel Suárez: Building Momentum in the No. 7 Chevrolet
Daniel Suárez, driving the No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, brings two NASCAR Cup Series wins and a wealth of Phoenix experience, having made 18 starts with four top-10 and nine top-20 results at the one-mile track. His best finish at Phoenix came in his rookie season when he surged from 27th to seventh, achieving his first career top-10 at the venue.
Last season, Suárez finished strong in Stage 2 at Circuit of the Americas and, despite a setback late in the race, stays competitive, currently sitting seventh in the Cup Series points standings. A native of Monterrey, Mexico, Suárez has also collected solid results at Phoenix in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (NOAPS) and the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, including a win in the 2017 Lucas Oil 150 for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Daniel Suárez Reflects on Team Performance and Racing Culture
After joining Spire Motorsports, Suárez quickly noticed the team’s competitive edge and positive atmosphere. Sharing his impressions:
My experience has been very good. I feel like we started off strong in Daytona and Atlanta. We have good speed and momentum. I am very pleased with Spire Motorsports. We are pushing ourselves to get better and better each week. You never know, you can work very hard, have all these meetings, communications, and chemistry, but you just never know exactly where you are going to stack up. I am impressed with the structure and speed at Spire. I was expecting to be fast, but this is faster than what I was expecting. In Daytona, I probably had the fastest superspeedway car I’ve ever been in. I still am learning the team and car, but so far to this point I am very impressed with what we are bringing to the racetrack.
—Daniel Suárez, Driver
Suárez also shared his perspective on the unique dynamic between NASCAR and INDYCAR, highlighting friendships and a passion for multi-series racing:
I have a couple of friends in the INDYCAR series — my amigo Paisano Pato, who I’ve known for over 20 years and also Scott McLaughlin. I’ll definitely be rooting for them. I think the INDYCAR Series is amazing. I really love watching those guys race. INDYCAR has a different fan base than NASCAR, which makes it great to bring families together to enjoy both series. I really enjoyed crossing over between the two at Indianapolis – it was a lot of fun – and I’m looking forward to doing it again.
—Daniel Suárez, Driver
Ryan Sparks’ Leadership on the No. 7 Pit Box
Crew chief Ryan Sparks brings over a decade of experience across NASCAR’s national series and has proven his value since joining Spire in 2021. Having called 205 races, Sparks has earned five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes, guiding various drivers to competitive results. At Phoenix Raceway, Sparks’ best finish came during the 2025 championship, leading Justin Haley to 14th. In 2026, Sparks is focused solely on crew chief duties for Suárez, channeling his rich technical background and time with Richard Childress Racing into continued development for the team.
Michael McDowell: Hometown Hero with Momentum on His Side
Michael McDowell, at the wheel of the No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1, arrives at his home track with anticipation and proven results. The Glendale, Arizona native has tallied 30 Phoenix starts, enjoying back-to-back top-10s in late 2023 and early 2024. McDowell’s high point at Phoenix came during the 2025 season finale where, after rolling off 37th, he charged to eighth by race’s end. In recognition of his roots and achievements, Glendale even celebrates March 11 as Michael McDowell Day, honoring his Daytona 500 triumph in 2021.
In recent weeks, McDowell demonstrated both speed and persistence—leading practice and securing a top-five finish at Circuit of the Americas, launching him nine spots up the points standings to ninth overall after the third Cup Series race of 2026. Over those three races, he maintains a 12.0 average start and a 15.7 average finish.
Michael McDowell Anticipates Traditional Oval Challenges
With Phoenix and Las Vegas as the upcoming “traditional oval” contests, McDowell shared his approach to building on last fall’s Phoenix package and the team’s continued growth in performance:
I feel like with Phoenix and Vegas you start to see and feel where you are as a team, because you go back-to-back on superspeedways and then a road course with Circuit of the Americas. They are all important. They all count points, but you don’t know really where you stack up on your overall program until you get through all those different types of tracks. So, building off last year, our Phoenix package was good. We finished in the top 10 last fall and we were fast. We have good notes and a good baseline going into Phoenix this weekend.
—Michael McDowell, Driver
Travis Peterson’s Technical Guidance for No. 71 Team
Crew chief Travis Peterson has been pivotal in both McDowell’s career and the No. 71 team’s Phoenix success. All three of Peterson’s top-10 Phoenix finishes as crew chief have come with McDowell behind the wheel. Peterson’s experience includes a key stint at Hendrick Motorsports, where he contributed to Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s final Cup Series win at Phoenix and was involved in Alex Bowman’s first career pole award at the track. Across 116 starts as crew chief, Peterson boasts eight top-five results and a championship pedigree from his time with Chase Elliott in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Carson Hocevar: Young Talent Eyeing Points and Progress
Carson Hocevar will steer the No. 77 MINER Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, making his sixth Cup Series appearance at Phoenix. His team sits tenth in the points, bolstered by consistent stage finishes and a strong effort in the America 250 Florida Duel at Daytona. Hocevar’s speed at Phoenix—highlighted by a third-place start and a stage top-10 in last March’s race—demonstrates promise, despite his day ending early in a Lap-98 incident last season.
Hocevar’s Phoenix resume includes top-10 Cup and Truck Series efforts. At the 2023 Championship 4 race in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, the young driver reached the finals, underlining his potential in pressure situations. The No. 77 team, managed by a reliable crew, aims to maintain their early season momentum through the traditional oval stretch of the NASCAR calendar.
Carson Hocevar’s Outlook on the Season Schedule
Expressing his perspective on the chapters ahead, Hocevar commented:
We are right where we want to be heading into this part of the schedule. Anything can happen at Daytona and Atlanta, and road courses aren’t my favorite, but we are still 10th in points with some really good tracks coming up for us. We qualified really well with MINER at Phoenix last year, but got caught up in someone else’s mess. We excel at the 1.5-mile tracks like Vegas, and we ran in the top 10 at the Southern 500 last year. I’m excited to get into the heart of the schedule.
—Carson Hocevar, Driver
Luke Lambert’s Steady Hand on the No. 77 Pit Wall
Veteran crew chief Luke Lambert is in his third season working with Hocevar and fourth overall in the Cup Series for Spire. Their partnership has yielded one pole, four top-five, and 16 top-10 finishes in 83 races. Lambert’s knowledge of Phoenix is extensive, with 24 races called there including a pivotal 2017 win with Ryan Newman—the final triumph of Newman’s storied career. With these credentials, Lambert aims to guide the No. 77 team further up the standings as the season advances.
Behind Spire Motorsports: Growth, Wins, and Competitive Spirit
Spire Motorsports, based in Mooresville, North Carolina, has staked its claim across multiple NASCAR disciplines, fielding full-time cars in the Cup Series, the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, and the Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing series. The team, founded by Jeff Dickerson and Dan Towriss, burst onto the scene with a dramatic first Cup Series win by Justin Haley at Daytona in 2019 and has since added Truck Series and recent wins, including Kyle Busch’s victory at Atlanta in February 2026.
For the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, Spire is fielding the Nos. 7, 71, and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s, with corresponding entries in the Truck Series and a growing presence in sprint car competition. The steady hand of leadership, along with continued investment in talented drivers and technical staff, sets a strong foundation for future progress as the season unfolds.
Looking Ahead: Spire Motorsports Set for Phoenix Challenge
With deep experience across its lineup and strong recent form, Spire Motorsports heads into Phoenix Raceway carrying momentum and optimism for a top-10 finish. As Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar prepare for competition at one of NASCAR’s most demanding one-mile ovals, all eyes will be watching to see if their teamwork and preparation translate into race-day success. The outcome at Phoenix will not only impact the points standings but also serve as a key indicator for Spire’s championship ambitions as the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season gains steam.
