Spire Motorsports Jack Link’s 500 Race Advance

• In 28 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Spire Motorsports has logged one top five, four top 10s and one pole award. Corey LaJoie owns the team’s best finish, a fourth-place effort earned in October 2023. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Cup Series with Daniel Suarez, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• The Jack Link’s 500 will be televised live on FOX Sunday, April 26 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 10th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 Cup Series calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Daniel Suárez – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Daniel Suárez will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
• Suárez has made 18 Cup Series starts at the legendary 2.66-mile superspeedway where he has earned five top-10 and 10 top-20 results while leading 51 laps. He carries an average starting position of 20.1 and a 19.1 finishing position. His series/venue best came in Oct. 2022, when he finished eighth.
• Last spring, the 34-year-old driver qualified 24th and finished ninth. After being relegated deep in the pack as the result of a pit-road penalty, Suárez rallied to come away with a top-10 result.
• Out of Suárez’s 332 Cup Series starts, 75 have come on tracks measuring two miles or longer. In those races, he’s delivered seven top-five finishes and 20 top-10s, while leading 190 laps. This season, his performance on those speedways includes a 13th-place finish in the Daytona 500.
• Last week at Kansas Speedway, the Monterrey, Mexico native overcame team communication issues to finish 19th in the AdventHealth 400, his seventh top-20 in nine races this season.
• In NASCAR O’Reily Auto Parts Series action, the first Mexico-born driver to earn a pole on a superspeedway was at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Aside from his Daytona exploits, Suárez recorded three starts at Talladega Superspeedway where he earned two top 10s, and paced the field for five laps. He finished seventh in the 2016 Sparks Energy 300.
• After nine races, Suárez sits 16th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, second among Spire Motorsports’ three entries. The two-time Cup Series winner has one top five, two top 10s and one lap led, and is averaging a 16.6 finish—six positions better than this time last season.
• Freeway Insurance was established in 1987, Freeway Insurance is one of the largest and fastest-growing personal lines insurance brokers in the United States, offering coverage through a “click, call, or come in” approach that connects customers nationwide. The company continually researches, grows, and diversifies its product offerings to stay responsive to the evolving insurance market. Freeway provides a wide range of options—from basic to premium coverage—in auto, truck, commercial vehicle, homeowners, renters, small business, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, fire, and flood insurance. In 2008, Freeway Insurance became part of Confie, the nation’s leading personal lines insurance distribution company. Customers can access Freeway Insurance through neighborhood offices, online at www.freeway.com, or by calling (800) 300-0227.

Daniel Suárez Quote
Heading back to the second superspeedway of the season, what are your thoughts going to Talladega?
“We had strong speed at Daytona and the car drove really well, so there’s no reason to expect that to change. Our engineers and everyone on the No. 7 team put in a lot of work to keep the superspeedway package competitive. Still, we need to approach it with the right mindset and adapt to the new stage format. I expect we’ll have good speed again.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

• Ryan Sparks has called 211 NASCAR Cup Series races, earning five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes since making his debut as a crew chief in 2020.
• The Winston-Salem, N.C., native’s best finish at Talladega came in October 2023, where he earned a fourth-place finish with driver Corey LaJoie. Sparks has called 12 races at Talladega and, overall, has led the charge in 45 races on superspeedway-style tracks, earning three top-five and seven top-10 finishes.
• Sparks joined Spire Motorsports in 2021, where he served as both Crew Chief and Competition Director, leading the organization’s competitive and technical efforts. In 2026, Sparks serves in a singular role as crew chief for Daniel Suárez.
• Sparks brings more than a decade of experience across all three of NASCAR’s national series, highlighted by 13 seasons at Richard Childress Racing and contributions to title-winning campaigns in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2011) and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (2013).

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Michael McDowell will race Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 GUNK Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
• McDowell owns three top-five and four top-10 finishes at Talladega, highlighted by a pair of third-place results in May 2021 and Oct. 2022.
• Over the course of the first nine races in 2026, the 2021 Daytona 500 winner has collected one top-five, two top-10, and five top-20 finishes. To date, the veteran racer has earned an average starting position of 17.7 and a 19.8 average finish, while pacing the field for a total of 15 laps.
• McDowell qualified 14th and led 10 laps enroute to a respectable 11th-place finish in last spring’s Jack Links 500.
• The No. 71 Chevrolet will sport a bright orange and blue GUNK paint scheme this weekend. Branding for GUNK’s Engine Degreaser and Outdoor Cleaner will also be showcased on the side of McDowell’s No. 71 machine.
• B’laster Holdings has a portfolio of strong brands that consumers rely on to get the job done. With a legacy going back to 1957, the company prides itself on serving its customers with flexibility, while being a fun, people-focused place to work. Its brands include B’laster, AC Avalanche, Casite, Gunk, Liquid Wrench, and Titeseal.
• The two-time Cup Series race winner led the field to the green flag at both Talladega races in 2024 and led a combined 78 laps. Unfortunately, he was collected in late-race incidents in both events, dashing his hopes for a trip to Victory Lane.
• Across his last five attempts at the famed 2.66-mile high-banked superspeedway, McDowell has led laps in each race and paced the field for 98 laps. In 30 total Talladega Cup Series starts he has topped the scoring pylon for 100 laps, his most at any venue on the schedule. He has led the field to the green-flag in three of the last four races. Over those four starts, McDowell has earned a 4.25 average qualifying effort. Last fall, he earned Spire Motorsports’ third pole award in team history and second of the 2025 season.

Michael McDowell Quote
How will shortened stage lengths change fuel-saving strategy at Talladega?
“You’re still going to save fuel at some point. That’s going to be part of it. Probably sooner than later in comparison to the years prior. Fuel saving is just going to be part of superspeedway racing. There’s no doubt that’s part of it.
The changes in stage length will make the end of the race more exciting but we’ll still want to bring home as many stage points as possible. I will say, making the last stage shorter should make things more ‘hammer-down’ in the end. Leading into Stage 3, you’re still going to want the shortest stop you can get. That’s just going to be a part of what we do. Regardless, I feel really good about our chances going into this weekend. We have had a ton of speed here in the past, sat on the pole a few times, led a lot of laps, and had some shots to win the race, but ended up wrecked or just short of the checkered. I’m ready to get there with GUNK and have a shot at it, especially with how Carson (Hocevar) and I worked together in the Daytona 500.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

• Travis Peterson, 34, is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series and calls the shots for driver Michael McDowell.
• As a race engineer at JR Motorsports, Peterson played a key role in Regan Smith’s 2013 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series win at Talladega where Smith survived a late-race, multi-car incident to win in a three-wide finish.
• The West Bend, Wis., native earned his first Cup Series victory at Talladega Superspeedway in May 2015 as a race engineer at Hendrick Motorsports, working alongside crew chief Greg Ives and driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr., on the No. 88 team. After qualifying fourth, Earnhardt, Jr., led 67 laps en route to the win.
• Peterson led McDowell to back-to-back pole awards at Talladega in 2024. The potent Peterson/McDowell combination backed up their 2024 efforts by winning their third pole in four Talladega races last fall.

Carson Hocevar – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Carson Hocevar will race Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘DenteTM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, marking his sixth start in NASCAR’s premier division at the famed Alabama tri-oval.
• It’s time to Ride the ‘DenteTM … Again’te! The black, white and red Chili’s® Grill & Bar design returns this weekend, a livery featuring pepper vines crawling across the top and sides, a homage to Chili’s founder Larry Lavine and the fashion sense he displayed in the early days of the 50-year-old restaurant brand.
• Through nine races, Hocevar sits 12th in points, 27 points out of ninth. His two top fives, three top 10s, 237 points scored, average starting position of 10.9 and 15.4 average finish are all career highs through the first nine points-paying races of the 2026 season. The team’s average starting position thus far is seven positions higher than this point in 2025, and its average finish is eight positions better.
• Last Sunday at Kansas Speedway, Hocevar was racing inside the top 10 until a late-race caution extended the race into NASCAR Overtime. After pitting for four fresh Goodyear Racing Eagles, Hocevar restarted 16th and picked up three more spots to come home 13th when the checkered flag waved.
• The 2024 Cup Series Rookie of the Year owns five previous Cup Series starts at Talladega, where he’s tallied two top-10 and four top-20 finishes, including back-to-back sixth-place results in 2025.
• In 15 combined Cup Series starts at Atlanta, Daytona and Talladega – all drafting-style racetracks – Hocevar has notched two top fives, five top 10s and 11 top 20s.
• In three Talladega starts in CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition, the Portage, Mich., native collected a venue-best 11th-place finish in 2023.
• Aside from his NASCAR Cup Series duties, Hocevar will compete in the World of Outlaws Late Model Series races Friday and Saturday night at the Talladega Short Track, a 0.33-mile dirt oval just across Speedway Boulevard from the traditional 2.66-mile superspeedway. He will drive a Spire Motorsports-owned No. 77 Longhorn race car sponsored by Chili’s for the Alabama Gang 100 weekend. This is the same car Hocevar raced at the Gateway Dirt Nationals in St. Louis, Mo., last December.
• Hocevar, who grew up racing pavement late models, has competed in 10 dirt late model events, qualifying for six A-main feature races and earning a career-best sixth-place finish at Eldora (Ohio) Speedway in June 2023 during a Dirt Late Model Dream preliminary feature.
• Hocevar made his first and only World of Outlaws Late Model Series start November 2, 2022, during the World of Outlaws World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
• Hi, welcome to Chili’s! A proud leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), Chili’s was named Ad Age’s 2025 Brand of the Year. Founded in 1975, Chili’s is known for serving Big Mouth Burgers®, Crispy Chicken Crispers®, and sizzling fajitas, while hand-shaking more margaritas than any other restaurant brand in the United States.
• Chili’s operates 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories with over 70,000 team members. With a purpose to make everyone feel special, Chiliheads take food, drink and service seriously – but not themselves. Chili’s was a proud winner at the 2025 MenuMasters Awards for Best New Menu Item for Nashville Hot Mozz, the breakout addition to the social media-famous Triple Dipper. For more than 20 years, Chili’s has been a proud supporter of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and has raised more than $120 million for the organization through generous guest and team member donations. Find more information at  chilis.com, follow on  X or  Instagram, like on  Facebook, or join Chili’s on  TikTok.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
How do you believe handling matters compared to speed at Talladega? Furthermore, how do you utilize the drivers around you to make moves?
“A good handling car helps you take a push, which is really important to moving your line forward. Ultimately, you hope you don’t get a push at the wrong time. If there is a big gap and you have guys pushing three deep behind you, it’s really easy to get turned off their bumper if your car isn’t handling right. You’re just hoping you get the right push and know your stuff is handling as good as possible when you take that push.

“In today’s racing, it is tough because you rely on those around you. Everybody kind of helps everybody most of the race, but when it gets close to the end, they look for who their friends are and who they can trust. For me, it is different than a normal weekend where you can just be on offense the whole time. You need friends at Talladega to help you move forward.”

Talk about the opportunity to not only have Chili’s supporting your Cup Series car this weekend, but also on the dirt late model.
“I’m excited about it. We finally have a dirt late model race close to where we are for the weekend. We have had a few sprint car events close by, and it has been fun to go out and support Gio (Scelzi) and the team, but I am ready to go racing. It is too easy and too much fun not to do, and this will kind of jump start our dirt late model schedule for the year. It is super cool that Chili’s will be not only on the Cup car, but also the dirt car, all in one weekend. I know they are excited, and hopefully we can put on a good show for them three days in a row.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

• Crew chief Luke Lambert is in his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with driver Carson Hocevar. The duo has logged one pole award, five top-five and 18 top-10 finishes in 89 races together.
• The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 25 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega, earning four top fives and nine top 10s, highlighted by runner-up finishes with drivers Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman in Oct. 2011 and 2017, respectively. He tacks on an additional pair of top fives with Burton during his time as a race engineer at Richard Childress Racing.
• The Mount Airy, N.C., native has been atop the war wagon for three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Talladega, earning three top-10 results including a victory with Noah Gragson in April 2022. He also led Elliott Sadler to the pole position in May 2012.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on Feb. 21, 2026, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

In 2026, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Mooresville, N.C., organization also fields the No. 77 410 sprint car in Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing competition.