Spire Motorsports YellaWood 500 Race Advance

• In 31 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, Spire Motorsports has one pole, one win, two top fives and five top 10s. Carson Hocevar earned his first career Cup Series victory at Talladega April 26. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the Cup Series with Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell and Hocevar, respectively.
• The NASCAR Cup Series will contest the eighth race of The Chase Sunday at Talladega. Hocevar and Suárez sit 11th and 13th, respectively, in the championship standings. McDowell is 20th in points following last week’s race at Phoenix Raceway.
• The YellaWood 500 from Talladega Superspeedway will be televised live on NBC Sunday, Oct. 25 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 34th of 36 points-paying races on the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will also 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 YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
• 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.
• In addition to its traditional Freeway Insurance branding, Suárez’s No. 7 Chevy will showcase Omega Auto Care this weekend at Talladega. Omega Auto Care is built on one idea: life happens, and getting a car fixed should be simple. For more than a decade, its vehicle service contracts have helped pay for major repairs at any licensed facility, and plans include roadside assistance, towing, rental car benefits, and a maintenance program. Learn more at omegaautocare.com.
• Suárez has made 19 Cup Series starts at the legendary 2.66-mile superspeedway where he has earned five top-10 and 11 top-20 results while leading 51 laps. He carries an average starting position of 19.9 and an 18.7 average finish. His series/venue best came in Oct. 2022, when he came home eighth.
• Suárez sits 13th in points, 188 behind the leader. Through 33 races, Suárez has recorded one win, three top fives, eight top 10s and 26 top-20 finishes. He’s logged an average starting position of 14.3 and a 15th-place average finish.
• Last week at Phoenix Raceway, the Monterrey, Mexico native earned his eighth top-10 finish of the season. After starting 14th and and falling two laps down to the leader, Suárez rallied to finished seventh.
• Suárez has recorded three NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Talladega where he’s earned two top 10s and paced the field for five laps. He finished seventh – a venue/series-best – in the 2016 Sparks Energy 300.
• The 34-year-old driver has made 356 Cup Series starts, highlighted by victories at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway (June 2022), Atlanta Motor Speedway (February 2024) and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (May 2026). A 10-season veteran of NASCAR’s premier division, he has earned 27 top-five and 83 top-10 finishes since making his Cup Series debut in 2017. Suárez has also led 949 laps and collected three career poles.

Daniel Suárez Quote
In the spring you finished 12th, and your past three races at Talladega all resulted in top 15s. What are your thoughts going to Talladega?
“I feel good heading back to Talladega. We finished 12th in the spring race and that gives us a lot of confidence going into this weekend. Superspeedway racing can be unpredictable, so we just need to stay patient. Hopefully, we can put ourselves in a good position and bring home an even better finish this time.”

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

• Ryan Sparks is the Crew Chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Freeway Insurance Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Sparks has called 235 Cup Series races, earning one victory, seven top-five and 18 top-10 finishes since keying the mic for the first time in NASCAR’s premier division in 2020.
• The Winston-Salem, N.C., native has called 13 races at Talladega, earning one top-five and two top-10 finishes with his best showing coming alongside driver Corey LaJoie who took the checkered flag fourth in October 2023.
• 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 RCA Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s YellaWood 500.
• RCA is one of the most recognized names in the electronics industry, delivering innovative and reliable technology that has been entertaining families for over 100 years. Consumers throughout the world depend on the RCA brand to provide products and services that feature the latest technology and design, are easy to use, and deliver the highest value and longevity. Generations of families continue to rely on the RCA brand for their home entertainment and lifestyle. RCA is a global trademark of established, Inc.
• RCA has its own celebrated, winning history in the NASCAR Cup Series and previously sponsored Cale Yarborough Motorsports. Drivers Jeremy Mayfield and John Andretti both spent time in an RCA-sponsored entry throughout the mid-90’s, with Andretti taking the company to Victory Lane in the 1997 Pepsi 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway after holding off NASCAR Hall of Famers Terry Labonte and Dale Earnhardt to collect the checkered flag.
• In addition to its vibrant red RCA livery, McDowell will showcase K9s for Warriors on the rear bumper of his No. 71 Chevy. K9s for Warriors is the nation’s leading supporter of trained service dogs for veterans.
• McDowell owns three top-five and four top-10 finishes at Talladega, highlighted by a pair of third-place results in May 2021 and October 2022.
• After a rained out qualifying session this spring, the 41-year-old started 31st but was involved in a single-car wreck, leaving him 32nd when the checkered flag waved.
• The two-time Cup Series race winner led the field to the green flag at both Talladega races in 2024 and combined to lead 78 laps. Unfortunately, he was collected in late-race incidents at both events, erasing his hopes for a trip to Victory Lane.
• Across his last six starts at the famed 2.66-mile high-banked superspeedway, McDowell has combined to lead 99 laps. In 31 Talladega races in NASCAR’s premier series, he has topped the scoring pylon for 101 total laps, a career-high at any venue, while winning the pole position in three of the last five races.
• In last October’s YellaWood 500, the 2021 Daytona 500 Champion earned Spire Motorsports’ third pole award in team history and second of the 2025 season where he finished 17th.
• McDowell posted a fourth-place finish in the team’s most recent superspeedway outing – the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The solid effort marked the 19-year Cup Series veteran’s third top-five of the year.
• Over the first 33 races of the season, the Glendale, Ariz., native, has led 24 laps and logged three top-five and six top-10 finishes. McDowell is currently 20th in points with three races remaining in the 2026 season.

Michael McDowell Quote
How does fuel conservation continue to shape superspeedway racing?
“You’re still going to save fuel at some point. Fuel saving is just part of superspeedway racing. The changes in stage length will make the end of the race more exciting and we’ll still want to bring home as many stage points as possible. Making the last stage shorter has made things more ‘hammer-down’ in the end. Heading into Stage 3, you’re still going to want the shortest stop you can get. The last few superspeedway races we have really hit the strategy with fuel saving in the last stage. 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 at Talladega 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 checkers. I am eager to get back to Talladega. I feel like we didn’t get the shot we deserved in the spring so hopefully, we can have a Spire Motorsports sweep at Talladega this time.”

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

• Travis Peterson serves as the Crew Chief for driver Michael McDowell and Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Across 146 starts serving in the crew chief role, Peterson has called eight poles, one win, 10 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes. He’s prepared two pole-winning cars at Talladega.
• As a race engineer at JR Motorsports, the 34-year-old 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, photo 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 drive Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s YellaWood 500, the eighth 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. 
• Sunday’s 500-miler will mark Hocevar’s first return to the site of his first-career Cup Series victory. The third-year driver survived a late-race restart with three laps remaining in April’s Jack Link’s 500 and brought home the checkered flag to register Spire Motorsports’ second Cup Series win and first since the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400. He also became the 13th driver to earn their first-career victory at Talladega – the first since Bubba Wallace in 2021 – also joining Ron Bouchard, Davey Allison, Ken Schrader and Brad Keselowski on the elite list of first-time winners.
• 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 Spire Motorsports will compete for a Cup Series title. Through seven of 10 races in The Chase – NASCAR’s playoff-style format – the No. 77 team sits 11th in points, nine markers outside 10th.
• Through 33 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
• 837 points scored
• 12.6 average start
• 16.0 average finish
• The 23-year-old driver has been one of the most improved on the circuit throughout the 2026 campaign with average starting and finishing positions that have improved by over five spots compared to this point in 2025. Hocevar is on pace to best his average finish by 5.6 positions by season’s end and his 11th position in points is a 12-position increase compared to the end of 2025 – both of which are the second-largest improvements in the field.
• The 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year owns six career NASCAR Cup Series starts at Talladega where he’s logged one win and three top-10 finishes.
• In 18 combined Cup Series starts at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Daytona and Talladega – all drafting-style racetracks – Hocevar has notched one win, four top fives, seven top 10s and 13 top 20s.
• In the past four drafting-style races, dating back to February at Atlanta, Hocevar owns an 11.5 average finish. Despite a race-ending accident at Daytona in August, he ranks fifth of all drivers in the series across that span.
• Hocevar, a five-time CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race winner owns three previous starts in the series at Talladega, earning a venue-best 11th-place finish in 2023.
• Last Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, Hocevar started 28th, and despite falling to 34th at the end of Stage 1 to make a suspension adjustment, he made forward progress throughout the day and finished 12th.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
What are your thoughts as you return to Talladega for the first time since your victory?
“Obviously, I’m looking forward to it. I already enjoyed going to Talladega, but coming back after winning will be a really fun experience. That was a big moment for Spire Motorsports, so I know there are a lot of people excited for us to head back there.

“Dale, Jr., was my favorite driver as a kid, and he swept the races in 2002. It would be really cool if I could join him on that list.”

What is your opinion on superspeedway racing, in general?
“I love superspeedway racing. From my seat, it’s the most fun we have in the sport. I enjoy the fact you don’t have to worry about car speed. You either get awarded for making a good decision, or you make a bad decision and you go backwards. You aren’t dictated off handling or downforce numbers. It is really methodical racing.”

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 113 races.
• April’s victory at Talladega marked the Mount Airy, N.C., native’s second in NASCAR’s premier division and first since March 2017 with Ryan Newman at Phoenix Raceway. In total, Lambert has been atop the box for 14 victories across NASCAR’s Cup and O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
• The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 26 NASCAR Cup Series races at Talladega, earning four top fives and nine top 10s, highlighted by April’s victory with Hocevar. He also owns runner-up finishes with drivers Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman in Oct. 2011 and 2017, respectively. Meanwhile he’s credited with a pair of top fives with Burton during his time as a race engineer at Richard Childress Racing.
• The 43-year-old 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 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.