Daniel Suarez has landed at Spire Motorsports for 2026 as he was named the replacement for Justin Haley in the No. 7 Cup car.
Suarez, who is being replaced by Connor Zilisch in the Trackhouse Racing lineup next year, hopes the move can be the catalyst to rejuvenating his career. Spire, which first competed in Cup in 2019, expanded to a three-car organization in 2024 and became part of the TWG Global (Andretti Global in INDYCAR, Cadillac F1 in Formula 1, etc.) last year.
The two-time Cup winner sits 28th in the standings, having known since the summer that he would not return.
“Spire’s growth over the last few years is quite impressive,” Saurez said in a news release. “That’s something I have mentioned to every single member who I have talked to at Spire Motorsports. I’m sure I’m not the only person who can see that and I’m excited to be part of it now.
“I know that even with the growth Spire has had the last few years, it hasn’t reached its full potential, just yet. There is a lot more out there to achieve, and I want to be part of that.”
Daniel Suarez is getting a fresh start in 2026 at Spire.
Suarez, the 2016 Xfinity Series champion and the only Mexican driver to win a Cup race, has a big fan following but has had a Cup career that has taken him to several organizations.
It started with two years at Joe Gibbs Racing, then a year at Stewart-Haas Racing and then a year at Gaunt Brothers Racing before landing at Trackhouse when it expanded to two teams in 2021. The last five years have provided him with his most success, but this year has been one more of frustration.
He joins a Spire organization that also has been frustrated with the performance of its No. 7 car. Justin Haley replaced Corey LaJoie for the final seven races of the 2024 season and was paired with Cup champion crew chief Rodney Childers for 2025.
But they never got the results, and Childers was out before the end of April (Childers has recently joined JR Motorsports). Haley, 31st in the standings, is now looking for a ride.
Suarez joins Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar on Spire’s 2026 Cup driver roster. Freeway Insurance, which sponsored Suarez at Trackhouse, will move to Spire and be the anchor partner on the car.
“I have a lot of respect for how Daniel has forged his path here and has become a mainstay in the industry and it’s easy to see how he’s done it,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson.
“He has a great attitude and never stops, and we look forward to having another veteran for our organization to learn from and bring a new perspective to move the No. 7 team up the grid.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR and INDYCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
