- In 10 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) in Madison, Ill., Spire Motorsports has one top-10 and four top-20 finishes. Carson Hocevar earned the team’s best result in 2024 with an eighth-place effort. 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 Enjoy Illinois 300 will be televised live on USA Network Sunday, Sept. 13 beginning at 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 28th 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 NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWTR.
- 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.
- With nine races remaining to determine the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Suárez sits 13th after last weekend’s race at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway with 2,041 points, 94 markers behind the leader. He enters Sunday’s race at WWTR with one win, three top-five, seven top-10 and 21 top-20 finishes. Over 27 races this season, he holds a 13.9 average starting position and a 14.9 average finish.
- The 34-year-old veteran driver finished 21st in the Southern 500 where he started second after qualifying was canceled due to inclement weather and led the opening two circuits. Despite falling two laps down to the leaders while he struggled with handling and mechanical challenges, he stayed the course and raced his way back to the lead lap before the checkered flag.
- Suárez’s best finish at WWTR came in 2023, when he came home seventh. In four starts at the uniquely configured 1.25-mile Madison, Ill., oval, the 34-year-old driver has one top 10. Last season, he started 26th but was ultimately credited with a 35th-place finish after a Lap-64 incident forced him to retire early from the event.
- The Monterrey, Mexico native boasts 350 Cup Series starts and has earned three wins, 27 top fives and 82 top 10s in NASCAR’s premier division. He’s led 949 laps and earned three poles since 2017. Suárez has collected checkered flags at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway (2022), Atlanta Motor Speedway (2024) and Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway (2026).
Daniel Suárez Quote
With a new aero and engine package this year at World Wide Technology Raceway, what are you expecting from the changes?
“I’m excited to get back to World Wide Technology Raceway with a new aero and engine package this year. It’s going to create some unknowns, and we’re excited for the challenge. We’ve been working hard to prepare for the changes, and I think it’s going to be important to adapt quickly. I’ve had some good runs at this track in the past, so hopefully, we can have a strong race. It would be great to put our Freeway Insurance Chevrolet in position to fight for a good finish.”
Ryan Sparks – Crew Chief, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1
- Ryan Sparks is the Crew Chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series.
- Sparks’ best finish at WWTR came last season, when he guided Justin Haley to a 28th-place finish. He has called four races at the St. Louis-area track in NASCAR’s premier division.
- The Winston-Salem, N.C., native has called 228 NASCAR Cup Series races, earning one win, seven top-five and 17 top-10 finishes since making his Cup Series debut atop the pit box in 2020.
- 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 ZL1 in Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300.
- 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.
- McDowell has four starts at WWTR, where he’s earned one pole, one top 10 and led 74 laps.
- In last season’s visit to WWTR, McDowell started 28th and raced his way to a respectable 14th-place finish.
- The 2021 Daytona 500 Champion has only finished outside of the top 20 once at WWTR. After starting on the pole and leading 40 laps in 2024, McDowell was left to settle for a 25th-place finish. The 41-year-old has led laps in two-of-four races, pacing the field for 34 laps in 2022 and 40 more in 2024. The two-time Cup Series race winner holds an average starting position of 16.8 at the egg-shaped oval paired with an average finish of 16.3.
- The Glendale, Ariz. native, competed in two NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races at WWTR and finished 32nd and 30th in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
- Last weekend at Darlington Raceway, McDowell started fifth and raced near the front until mechanical issues stalled what looked to be a promising night. Still, the 19-year Cup Series veteran held on to his No. 71 Chevy to bring home a workman-like 17th-place finish.
- Dating back to New Hampshire Motor Speedway three races ago, the father-of-five has maintained an average finishing position of 12.3, an 11.3 position increase compared to his previous three races (Indianapolis – Richmond).
- In 27 races this year, McDowell has led 24 laps and logged three top-five and six top-10 finishes. He’s recorded a 15.9 average start, an 18.7 average finish and currently sits 19th in points.
Michael McDowell Quote
How can you continue to build the momentum at WWTR while leaning on the speed you’ve shown in the past?
“World Wide Technology has been a good track for us in the past. We broke a track record and sat on the pole in 2024. Before that, we had a top 10 in 2023. I am confident that we can continue to build on our momentum from the last few weeks. We have had some quality runs and speed, but we haven’t put together a complete race. We were well on our way to a top-10 finish at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, but we ran into a mechanical failure with under 10-to-go and had to nurse our Delaware Life Chevrolet home. Regardless, I am proud of the progress we’ve made and hoping to capitalize on it this weekend at Gateway.”
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 139 starts serving in the crew chief role, Peterson has called eight poles, one win, 10 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes.
- The West Bend, Wis., native called McDowell’s 2024 pole position at WWTR when the potent duo set a track record of 138.598 mph (32.368 seconds).
- Paterson called McDowell’s ninth-place finish in the 2023 Enjoy Illinois 300.
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 Enjoy Illinois 300 at WWTR, the second of 10 races in The Chase.
- Spectrum is a suite of advanced communications services offered by Charter Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:CHTR), a leading broadband connectivity company available to 58 million homes and small to large businesses across 41 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 percent U.S.-based employees, the Company offers Seamless Connectivity and Entertainment with Spectrum Internet®, Mobile, TV and Voice products. More information can be found at corporate.charter.com.
- Hocevar and the No. 77 team, along with teammate Daniel Suarez and the 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 the first of 10 races in The Chase, the No. 77 team sits 12th in points, one marker behind 11th.
- Through 27 races, the Portage, Mich., native has already set career-highs in multiple categories:
- Season-to-date results of one win, five top fives, nine top 10s
- 159 laps led
- 699 points scored
- 13.0 average start
- 16.5 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 5.1 positions at the end of the season while his 12th position in the series’ points is an 11-position improvement compared to the end of 2025.
- In three career NASCAR Cup Series starts at WWTR, Hocevar secured a venue-best eighth-place finish in June 2024. He’s also made four NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts at the suburban St. Louis oval where he’s earned one top five and three top 10s, including a fourth-place finish in 2023.
- On June 4, 2023, 19-year-old Hocevar was called up from the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series to fill in for Spire Motorsports driver Corey LaJoie at WWTR, who. coincidentally, was filling in for Chase Elliott at the same track, on the same weekend. At the time, Hocevar had just earned his first CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win at Texas Motor Speedway and was riding a streak of four-straight top-five finishes. He started 26th and was racing towards the top 10 when a brake failure ended the No. 7 team’s day. Hocevar went on to compete in eight of the last nine Cup Series events in 2023 for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB before signing full-time with Spire Motorsports prior to the 2024 season.
- Exactly one year prior to his Cup Series debut, during his second year of full-time competition in the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for Niece Motorsports, Hocevar was running fifth as the field took the white flag for the series’ annual stop at WWTR. Contact with a competitor shuffled him out of position, causing him to sustain significant damage to his race truck, and a broken tibia in his right ankle that required surgery. Hocevar was back behind the wheel just one week later at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway where went on to earn his first and only CRAFTSMAN Truck Series pole award. He was relieved of his driving chores following Stage 1 by current teammate Daniel Suárez on Lap 11. Suárez recovered from the extended time needed to facilitate the driver change to collect a sixth-place finish, which was ultimately credited to Hocevar.
- In last Sunday’s Southern 500, Hocevar started 34th after inclement weather washed out Saturday’s qualifying session but rallied to earn an 11th-place finish in Sunday’s 367-lap affair at Darlington Raceway.
- 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 Quotes
As the site of your Cup Series debut, what does World Wide Technology Raceway mean to you?
“That track means a lot to me. It was a fun day. We were moving forward and running faster lap times than we were running all day when we broke a brake rotor. That place will always kind of hold a dear place in my heart. We’ve had a lot of speed and run well there in both trucks and a Cup car.
“Before the race, one of the other drivers pulled me into his bus and gave me some advice. The advice was how to stay out of the way as a lap car that day. We weren’t very far behind him (on the lead lap) when that happened.”
How do you expect the simple diffuser and 750-horsepower package will change the racing this weekend?
“It is probably going to be harder to stop and change directions, which means it’s probably going to be tighter and will be difficult to get up and go. It is going to be really valuable who can get on the brakes while keeping the car turning so you can stay pointed. Whoever points the earliest and can get back to the throttle straight is going to have a lot of straightaway and will have the power to take advantage of it.”
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 24 top-10 finishes in 107 races.
- The 16-year veteran crew chief has called three NASCAR Cup Series events at WWTR, earning a venue-best eighth-place finish with Hocevar in 2024.
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.
