Spire Motorsports Brickyard 400 Race Advance

• In eight previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Spire Motorsports has one top-10 and four top-15 starts. Carson Hocevar earned a 10th-place finish in the 2025 event at the historic 2.5-mile track. Spire Motorsports fields the No. 7, 71 and 77 for Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell and Hocevar, respectively.
• The Brickyard 400 will be televised live on TNT Sunday, July 26 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 22nd of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will also be broadcast live on the IMS Radio 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 ZL1 in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS).
• Freeway Insurance was established in 1987 and 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.
• Indy Powersports will be featured on lower-rear quarter panels of Suarez’s No. 7 Chevy this weekend. Indy Powersports features Polaris Off-Road Vehicles, Polaris Slingshots, and Indian Motorcycles and is the oldest Polaris® dealer in the greater Indianapolis area. Conveniently located in the northwest corner of Indianapolis with quick access from I-70 and the Ronald Reagan Expressway in beautiful Avon, Ind., Indy Powersports is easy to find and ready to serve its customers.
• The Monterrey, Mexico native has made six starts at IMS, where he’s earned a pair of top-10 finishes at the legendary 2.5-mile oval. He owns an average starting position of 24.7 and an average finish of 15.2, with his best result coming in 2017 when he earned a seventh-place finish. His 27th-place finish at Indianapolis last season was an outlier, as 2025 marked the only time in his six IMS starts he finished outside the top 20.
• Suárez earned the pole for the 2023 Indianapolis Grand Prix with a qualifying lap of 87.968 seconds (99.814 mph), marking his first pole of the season and the third of his NASCAR Cup Series career. He went on to lead eight laps, earn stage points with a sixth-place finish in Stage 1 and a 10th-place finish in Stage 2, and ultimately finish third.
• Suárez owns a pair of starts in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series at Indianapolis, earning one top-five and two top-10 finishes from 2015-2016.
• Last week at North Wilkesboro, Suárez earned a 10th-place finish in Stage 2 and briefly took the race lead before a green-flag pit stop on Lap 385 left him one lap down. He rallied to finish ninth, securing his sixth top-10 result of the season.
• The 2026 Coca-Cola 600 winner is having a breakout season on the strength of one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes and currently sits 11th in points with 14 races remaining to determine this year’s champion. Meanwhile, Suárez has averaged a 14.6 finish across 21 races so far and has only finished outside the top 20 four times.
• Suárez is a veteran of 344 Cup Series starts and has notched three wins (Sonoma, June 2022; Atlanta, Feb. 2024; Charlotte, May 2026,) 26 top fives and 81 top-10s in NASCAR’s premier division. He’s led 946 laps and earned three poles since making his series debut in 2017.
• Daniel Suárez Quote

As you prepare for Indianapolis, what’s the biggest focus for you and the team?
“Indianapolis is one of those places that is special for every driver. When you get here, you can feel the history and everything this track means to our sport, but once we get on the track, it’s all about doing our job. We have to learn as much as we can, make our Chevrolet have the balance it will need for the race during our practice session, qualify in a good position and execute all day with no mistakes. If we can do that and put ourselves in contention at the end, I like our chances to fight for the win.”

Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Ryan Sparks is the crew chief for Spire Motorsports No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series. Sparks has called 223 Cup Series races where he’s earned one win, six top-five and 16 top-10 finishes since keying the mic in 2020 for his first race in NASCAR’s premier division.
• In total, Sparks has called three Indianapolis Motor Speedway races, where he earned a venue-best 11th-place finish last season with Justin Haley at the controls.
• 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. He brings more than a decade of experience across all three 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 pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 NEFCO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
• NEFCO is a family-operated, value-added construction supply company serving professional contractors nationwide. A leading provider of specialty construction products and solutions, NEFCO delivers contractor-centric services including extensive industry expertise, large local inventories, fast and dependable jobsite delivery, engineering services, and turnkey specialty fabrication and assembly—anchored by its SHARP® product portfolio. With more than 70 locations across the United States, NEFCO is committed to building a “championship team” environment where team members are empowered to deliver superior results for customers and communities. For more information, visit www.GoNEFCO.com.
• McDowell has a 13 starts at the world-famous “yard of bricks” where he earned a venue-best seventh-place finish in 2020. Last year, he qualified 22nd and finished 30th after front-end damage stalled his effort.
• The former open-wheel racer earned his second-career NASCAR Cup Series victory in 2023 on the speedway’s 2.439-mile road course, where he’s recorded one win and two top-10 finishes over three attempts. McDowell started fourth in the 2023 Verizon 200 at the Brickyard, led 54 laps, and won the race by nearly one second.
• Downtown Indianapolis will swap its traditional street signs with driver names during this weekend’s festivities. McDowell’s name will greet fans at the intersection of E. Maryland Street and N. Pennsylvania Street, near Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
• The 19-season Cup Series veteran is one of three drivers looking to win on both track configurations at IMS.
• Last weekend at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the 41-year-old started 15th and finished 24th in the Cup Series’ first points-paying race at the track since 1996.
• Group 1001, parent company of Delaware Life and Gainbridge, calls Zionville, Ind., home with its headquarters located less than 15 miles from IMS.
• McDowell has collected two top-five and five top-10 finishes in 2026. Across the last 10 races, the 2021 Daytona 500 Champion holds an average finish of 16.1, while pacing the field two times for eight laps (Watkins Glen/Charlotte).
• After 21 points-paying races on the 2026 calendar, McDowell is 20th in the Cup Series championship point standings. With five races remaining before NASCAR’s playoff format begins in September at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro sits 83 points below the cutline.

Michael McDowell Quote
What would it mean to win on the oval and road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway?
“Indy is such a special place for all drivers. Growing up, I always thought I’d be here running INDYCAR, not in a stock car but to have a win at Indy is something I’ll never forget. I came up through the Road to Indy program and ended up deviating from that to get to where I am today. Winning on the road course was nothing short of special, and I’m thankful I was able to share that moment with my family. This weekend is a date we have circled. We didn’t have the race we wanted last year after some early damage and just had to nurse it home, so we are looking for a little redemption in our No. 71 NEFCO Chevrolet Camaro.”

Travis Peterson – Crew Chief, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Travis Peterson is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series with driver Michael McDowell.
• Peterson will call his 135th Cup Series race this weekend at IMS. He made his debut in 2018 with Matt Kenseth at Homestead-Miami Speedway where the duo finished sixth.
• Peterson earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory with Michael McDowell at the 2023 Verizon 200 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway where McDowell started fourth and led 54 laps before earning their first win as a driver-crew chief tandem.
• Prior to his win with McDowell in 2023, Peterson earned back-to-back top-10 finishes at IMS as a race engineer for Ryan Newman (2021) and as crew chief for Chris Buescher (2022) on the IMS road course during his time with RFK Racing.

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

• Carson Hocevar will race Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his third start at “The Brickyard” in NASCAR’s premier division.
• Zeigler Automotive Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 88 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all the domestic and majority of the imported manufacturers. Besides its extensive automotive portfolio, the organization owns and operates Zeigler Motorsports, an 85,000-square-foot motorsports dealership and action park, offering 19 different powersports brands, plus its own onsite restaurant: Trak Houz Bar & Grill. Additionally, Zeigler Motorsports houses the Elevate Leadership & Team Building Academy, an executive training company. The Kalamazoo-based dealer group also owns three Byrider franchises, three finance companies, several insurance firms, and a leasing firm.
• Through 21 races, the Portage, Mich., native sits seventh in points, just 18 markers out of sixth. His one win, five top fives, eight top 10s, 598 points scored, average starting position of 10.8 and 14.3 average finish are all career highs through the first 21 points-paying races of the season. The team’s average starting position has improved by over eight spots and their average finishing position is a whopping nine positions better compared to this point in 2025.
• The 23-year-old driver is on pace to improve his average finish by 7.3 positions at the end of the season, the largest improvement among all drivers in the field.
• In two previous Brickyard 400 starts, Hocevar owns a venue-best 10th-place finish in the 2024 edition of the 160-lap affair.
• Last Sunday at North Wilkesboro Speedway, Hocevar started fourth and finished fifth and sixth in Stage 1 and Stage 2, respectively. He fell outside the top 10 while fighting a lack of grip and a tight-handling Chevy prior to the final green-flag stop of the night on Lap 360. He maintained track position in the closing laps to finish 13th.
• The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year registered his first-career victory earlier this season at Talladega Superspeedway. He survived a late-race restart with three laps remaining and brought home the checkered flag to register Spire Motorsports’ second Cup Series win and first since the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
• Hocevar, who began racing quarter-midgets at nine years old, competed in multiple iterations of the Battle at the Brickyard, the largest quarter midget race in the world. He claimed several event titles in multiple divisions, in addition to his 79 national victories and 16 national championships.
• The former Super Late Model standout is a victor of the prestigious Redbud 400 at nearby Anderson Speedway, located an hour northeast of IMS. In the 2020 event, he led 232 of the 400 laps en route to the win at the high-banked quarter-mile track.
• Hocevar returns to the seat of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chili’s Ride the ‘Dente dirt late model as the FloRacing Night in America Series visits Illinois’ Lincoln Speedway July 21.

Carson Hocevar Quote
You have expressed how Indianapolis is one of your favorite tracks. Why?
“I like Indy because it is so different compared to anywhere else. Growing up in the Midwest, the Indy 500 was the holy grail. Every kid who runs quarter midgets dreams of winning the Indy 500. Indianapolis is the epicenter of IndyCar, USAC and sprint car racing. It’s super fun to go there and have a shot at the Brickyard when we come to town. It is one of my favorite tracks to drive, let alone race. It is flat, smooth, and fast. You know how hard it is to win there.”

Luke Lambert – Crew Chief, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Luke Lambert is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series with driver Carson Hocevar.
• Lambert is in his third season at Spire Motorsports and fourth with Hocevar. The duo has logged two pole awards, one win, eight top-five and 23 top-10 finishes in 101 races.
• The 43-year-old has called 10 Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earning a venue-best third-place finish in 2017 with driver Ryan Newman. In total he has notched one top five and three top 10s at the famed venue.

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 July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado its first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent victory came May 24, 2026, when Daniel Suárez won the NASCAR Cup Series Series’ Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (N.C.) 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 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.