Spire Motorsports Bank of America 400 Race Advance

• In 18 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Spire Motorsports has one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes. Daniel Suárez led 17 laps en route to victory in the 2026 Coca-Cola 600. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Cup Series with Suárez, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• The NASCAR Cup Series will contest the sixth race of The Chase Sunday at Charlotte. Hocevar and Suárez sit 11th and 14th, respectively in the championship standings. McDowell is 20th in points following last week’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
• Spire Motorsports will open its doors to race fans, Friday, Oct. 9, beginning at 8:30 a.m., prior to NASCAR’s tripleheader race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Following the success of last year’s “Spire Goes Pink” initiative, the team’s official retail store will once again feature merchandise honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with all proceeds benefiting breast cancer research. Driver autograph sessions will begin at 11 a.m. inside the showroom and feature Spire Motorsports Cup Series drivers Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar. Seven-year-old Bandolero racer Kip Knaus will also be on hand to greet fans and sign autographs. Autographs will be limited to two items per person. A total of 200 QR codes redeemable for autographs will be available on-site on a first-come, first-served basis.
• The Bank of America 400 from Charlotte Motor Speedway will be televised live on USA Network Sunday, Oct. 11 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 32nd of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will also be broadcast live on the Performance 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 Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Bank of America 400.
• The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation (CRSF) empowers communities with clean, safe places for underserved youth to play, learn, and grow. Since 2018, Group 1001 and the CRSF have combined efforts to build 17 youth development parks and install 20 STEM centers nationwide. Group 1001 employees have joined CRSF to host and volunteer for four Community Enhancement Projects. CRSF and Group 1001 have impacted over 100,000 youth in their joint effort to promote active lifestyles and educational opportunities. For more information, visit https://ripkenfoundation.org/.
• St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital will also be showcased on the C-Piller of Suárez’s No. 7 Chevy this weekend at CMS. St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Its purpose is clear: Finding cures. Saving children.® It is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center devoted solely to children. Treatments developed at St. Jude have helped drive the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20 percent to more than 80 percent since it opened more than 60 years ago. St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, so they can focus on helping their child live.
• Earlier this season at CMS, Suárez earned his third-career NASCAR Cup Series victory and first with Spire Motorsports in the Coca-Cola 600. NASCAR officials called the race official after 373 of 400 laps due to persistent rain. Suárez and the No. 7 Chevrolet team return to CMS this weekend looking to build on that memorable victory. In 12 career starts at Charlotte, Suárez has earned one win, one top-five and two top-10 finishes while leading 53 laps.
• The Monterrey, Mexico native enters the sixth of 10 Chase races to determine the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series champion. Following last weekend’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he sits 14th with 2,123 points, 195 markers behind the leader. He enters Sunday’s race at Charlotte with one win, three top-five, seven top-10 and 24 top-20 finishes. Over 31 races this season, Suárez holds a 14.3 average starting position and a 15.3 average finish.
• Last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Suárez started 11th and finished 14th, securing his 17th top-15 result of the season. He scored five stage points with a sixth-place finish in Stage 1 and, despite battling a lack of grip, the No. 7 team fine-tuned their race car throughout the day to maintain position inside the top 15 across the final stage. Following the race, Suárez moved up two spots in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, from 16th to 14th.
• The 34-year-old driver brings 354 Cup Series starts of experience to the field, along with victories at Sonoma (June 2022), Atlanta (February 2024) and Charlotte (May 2026). A 10-season veteran of NASCAR’s premier division, he has earned 27 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes since making his Cup Series debut in 2017. Suárez has also led 949 laps and collected three career poles.
• Following Friday evening’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at CMS, Suárez will join Christopher Bell and Noah Gragson on the CMS front stretch for a 10-minute fireside chat honoring Kyle Busch. The segment, moderated by Mike Joy, will feature memorable stories from their time with Kyle and Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Daniel Suárez Quote
You’re heading back to Charlotte, where you won in May. How do you feel about returning to the oval layout after competing on the ROVAL in recent years?
“I’m looking forward to being home this weekend and getting back to Charlotte. I’m glad we’re back on the oval. We had a great race there in May, so hopefully we can go back, have a good car and put together another strong weekend.”

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

• Ryan Sparks is the crew chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Sparks has called 232 Cup Series races, earning one victory, seven top-five and 17 top-10 finishes since keying the mic for the first time in NASCAR’s premier division in 2020.
• The Winston-Salem, N.C., native earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series win as a crew chief earlier this season in the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 at CMS. While the race was declared official just shy of the scheduled 400-lap distance, Sparks made the winning call when he chose to mount two tires as opposed to four in the late stages, leaving Suarez in control when the checkered flag waved.
• 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 of NASCAR’s national touring 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 Delaware Life Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in this weekend’s Bank of America 400.
• Delaware Life is an insurance and annuity company that empowers financial professionals with a wide array of customizable solutions. A subsidiary of Group 1001 Insurance Holdings LLC, Delaware Life focuses on delivering a seamless experience for advisors. The company understands how important it is to find the right fit for every client, every situation and every individual need. Delaware Life is passionate about equipping advisors with annuities that give their customers peace of mind and a successful future, allowing them to plan with confidence for whatever’s next.
• In 27 attempts at the 1.5-mile track in NASCAR’s backyard, McDowell has led 13 laps and owns a pair of top-10 finishes where he earned a venue-best seventh-place finish in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. In four O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at CMS, the father-of-five claimed two top-20 finishes.
• In the series most recent stop at the famed Concord, N.C., oval in May, the 2021 Daytona 500 champion started fourth and finished 14th.
• Last weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Glendale, Ariz., native qualified 18th and finished 21st. McDowell is currently 20th in points with five races remaining on the 2026 schedule.
• Over the first 31 races of the season, the 41-year-old has led 24 laps while logging three top-five and six top-10 finishes. He’s recorded a 16.7 average start and a 19.2 average finish.

Michael McDowell Quote
This the first time Charlotte has not raced on the ROVAL since 2017, what are you expecting to see and learn from the spring?
“Being a road course guy, I hated seeing the ROVAL go. We’ve had some competitive speed on the oval the last few years and we’re looking to maximize that. Obviously, Daniel (Suárez) won the Coca-Cola 600 which was huge for our organization and that gives us a little added confidence going into this weekend. That confidence is super helpful after this stretch of 1.5-mile tracks, which haven’t gone exactly as we hoped. Regardless, 400 miles at Charlotte will be fun. The race is going to feel much shorter, so having track position early will be crucial if we want to maximize our day. Off the track, Charlotte is a busy week with appearances and our Fan Day on Friday, but it’s great to be home while having some friends and family join us. Hopefully, we can run up front so Spire (Motorsports) can sweep the Charlotte races this season.”

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

• Crew chief Travis Peterson calls the shots for Michael McDowell and the No. 71 team.
• The pairing of Peterson and McDowell finished seventh last season during the Coca-Cola 600, their collective best finish on an intermediate-style track.
• As a race engineer at JR Motorsports, the University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduate played a key role in Chase Elliott’s top-10 finish in the 2014 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event. Elliott started from the pole position and led 66 laps on the day.

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

• Carson Hocevar will race Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s Bank of America 400, the sixth of 10 races in The Chase.
• Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), the leading broadband and video company in the nation and the fastest growing mobile provider in its footprint, with services available to more than 70 million homes and small to large businesses across 45 states. Founded in 1993, Charter has evolved from providing cable TV to streaming, and from high-speed Internet to a converged broadband, WiFi and mobile experience. Over the Spectrum Fiber Broadband Network and supported by our 100% U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products. 
• Hocevar and the No. 77 team, alongside teammate Daniel Suarez and Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 team, are competing for 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Championship honors. The opportunity marks the first appearance in The Chase for Hocevar and the first time a Spire Motorsports team will compete for a Cup Series title. Through five of 10 races in The Chase, the No. 77 team sits 11th in points, 21 markers behind 10th.
• Through 31 races, the Portage, Mich., native has already set career-highs in multiple categories:
• Season-to-date results – one win, six top fives, 11 top 10s
• 198 laps led
• 785 points scored
• 12.2 average start
• 16.2 average finish
• The 23-year-old driver has been one of the most improved on the circuit throughout the 2026 campaign. The team’s average starting and finishing positions have each improved by nearly five spots compared to this point in 2025. Hocevar is on pace to improve his average finish by 5.4 positions by season’s end – the third-best of all drivers – while his 11th position in points is a 12-position improvement compared to the end of 2025 – the second-best improvement across the field.
• Hocevar owns three career NASCAR Cup Series starts at “America’s Home For Racing”, where he secured a venue-best 21st-place finish in 2024, his first visit to the Charlotte oval in NASCAR’s premier division.
• In the series’ first of two 2026 home races in May, Hocevar started 23rd and raced just outside the top 10 near the halfway point. Unfortunately, an equipment issue during a green-flag pit stop pinned the team one lap down. They were unable to race their way back on to the lead lap and were credited with a 23rd-place finish.
• In the 2025 Coca-Cola 600, Hocevar was knocking on the door of his first Cup Series victory before an engine failure sent the No. 77 Chevy to the garage in the final stage. He lined up on the front row for a Lap-307 restart and battled for the lead entering Turn 1 before quickly dropping through the field. The team was ultimately credited with a 34th-place finish.
• The six-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner owns three previous starts at Charlotte, registering two top fives, including a venue-best runner-up finish in 2021, while pacing the field for 105 laps.
• Last Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 77 qualified 10th and managed top-10 track position throughout the opening segment to take the green-and-white checkered flag in eighth. Hocevar restarted fifth and was running in the top 10 before a scheduled pit stop during a Lap-94 caution. Unfortunately, he was forced to drive down pit road under green-flag conditions just 45 laps later with a tire issue, but recovered from the 26th position, one lap down, to a 15th-place finish at the end of the second stage. The Spectrum Chevy lined up 15th for the Lap-170 restart, allowing Hocevar to work forward to a respectable 12th-place finish.
• Hocevar registered his first-career victory earlier this season at Talladega (Ala.) 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.

Carson Hocevar Quote
Charlotte marks the third mile-and-a-half in a row and it’s obviously a home race. What are your thoughts heading into the weekend?
“It is business as usual. If anything, it is exciting for us just because it is a good one for us. We restarted on the front row of the Coca-Cola 600 last year when we blew up, then Daniel (Suarez) and the No. 7 team got the win, so the whole shop is excited to get. Add in the home race aspect and all the families that will be there, and it can be a really special weekend.”

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, nine top-five and 26 top-10 finishes in 111 races.
• The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 19 NASCAR Cup Series races at Charlotte Motor Speedway, notching one top five and six top 10s highlighted by Ryan Newman’s fourth-place result in October 2016.
• During his time as a race engineer at Richard Childress Racing, Lambert helped Jeff Burton to victory in the 2008 Cup Series event at the venue then known as Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Burton made the race-winning move on leader Greg Biffle with 57 laps remaining and fended off late-race challenges from Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne to secure his 21st and final Cup Series victory.
• The Mount Airy, N.C., native has been atop the war wagon for three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at Charlotte, earning three top fives and logging a venue-best third-place finish in October 2012 with driver Elliott Sadler.

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’ 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.