TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Homestead-Miami Speedway
November 6-8, 2026

Chevrolet heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway with two NASCAR driver championships within reach and a milestone victory in its sights as the 2026 season comes to a close. In the NASCAR Cup Series, defending champion Kyle Larson carries a commanding 67-point advantage into Sunday’s finale, positioning the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team to deliver back-to-back titles. In the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, the championship is guaranteed to go to a Chevrolet driver, with Justin Allgaier leading an all-Chevrolet group of five remaining title contenders representing four organizations. Adding to the championship weekend stakes, the Bowtie brand will look to close out the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season by earning its milestone 300th victory.

 
A Championship-Rich History in South Florida:

Homestead-Miami Speedway has provided the backdrop for some of Chevrolet’s most memorable championship moments. The manufacturer enters the weekend with eight NASCAR Cup Series victories at the 1.5-mile oval, with Larson’s March 2025 triumph adding to a record previously built by seven different Chevrolet winners. Three of those victories came with a championship celebration: Tony Stewart’s dramatic title-clinching performance in 2011, Kevin Harvick’s first championship in 2014 and Jimmie Johnson’s record-tying seventh crown in 2016. After hosting the championship-deciding races for all three national series from 2002 through 2019, Homestead returns to that role this weekend, giving Chevrolet another opportunity to add to its title-winning history in South Florida.

 

LARSON LOOKS TO FINISH A CHAMPIONSHIP DEFENSE

Kyle Larson and Chevrolet arrive at the finale poised to complete their championship defense, with the Hendrick Motorsports driver needing just nine points Sunday to secure his third career NASCAR Cup Series title. Following a ninth-place finish at Martinsville Speedway, Larson leads Christopher Bell by 67 points and Denny Hamlin by 70, leaving the two Toyota drivers as his only remaining challengers. A championship would make Larson the first driver to win consecutive Cup Series titles since Jimmie Johnson’s run of five straight from 2006–2010. Larson also returns as Homestead’s most recent Cup Series winner, having taken the lead from teammate Alex Bowman with seven laps remaining in the March 2025 event. That victory was his second Cup triumph at the track, joining his Oct. 2022 win, giving the No. 5 Chevrolet team a proven foundation to pursue both the race trophy and the season championship.

 
FIVE CONTENDERS, ONE BOWTIE CHAMPIONSHIP

The NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series championship battle comes down to five Chevrolet drivers separated by 42 points. Justin Allgaier reclaimed the points lead with a runner-up finish at Martinsville, while Carson Kvapil’s victory kept the JR Motorsports driver firmly in the fight. Richard Childress Racing’s Jesse Love, Hendrick Motorsports’ Corey Day and Haas Factory Team’s Sheldon Creed complete the title-eligible field. Allgaier and defending champion Love are each pursuing a second series championship, while Day, Kvapil and Creed are all seeking to add their names to the history book as a first-time champion in the division.

 

Justin Allgaier — Points leader, No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet: Allgaier heads to the championship finale with a 22-point advantage and a season-long statistical résumé to match. Through 32 races, the veteran leads the series in victories with a career-high six, top-five finishes with 19 and top-10 finishes with 23, underscoring the speed and consistency that powered his regular season championship. He also returns as Homestead’s defending series winner following his overtime triumph in March 2025—a breakthrough that marked his first top-five finish in 17 starts at the South Florida oval. With a proven winning performance at the track and the championship lead in hand, Allgaier will look to cap his standout season with a second career series title.

Jesse Love — Second, 22 points behind, No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet: The defending series champion heads to Homestead with a key strength beyond the cockpit: his No. 2 pit crew, who are ranked first in the series and played a pivotal role in his championship-winning performance a year ago. Love’s 2026 Chase, which included two trips to victory lane and four-straight podium appearances, has put him firmly in contention for back-to-back titles. At Martinsville, a brake failure and late-race crash relegated him to a 30th-place finish, leaving him 22 points behind Justin Allgaier entering the finale. Love returns to Homestead after a points-earning effort in both stages and a sixth-place result in the March 2025 race. He’ll look to combine that track experience with his team’s pit road execution to become the series’ first repeat champion since Tyler Reddick in 2018–2019.

Corey Day — Third, 23 points behind, No. 17 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet: Day may be preparing for his first O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Homestead, but the rookie has already demonstrated championship-caliber speed on 1.5-mile tracks this season. At Las Vegas in October, he converted the pole into a victory, leading 136 of 201 laps and prevailing in a late-race battle with fellow title contender Carson Kvapil. Day followed that performance with another victory at Charlotte, where he led 55 of 200 laps to give the No. 17 Chevrolet team consecutive wins on 1.5-mile ovals during The Chase. While neither track is an exact match for Homestead, those performances provide a strong foundation as Day looks to erase a 23-point deficit and cap his rookie campaign with his first series championship.

Carson Kvapil — Fourth, 31 points behind, No. 1 JR Motorsports Chevrolet: Kvapil heads to Homestead with renewed championship momentum after delivering a clutch victory at Martinsville. The 23-year-old won the pole, led a race-high 121 of 250 laps and held off teammate Justin Allgaier by 0.434 seconds to collect his third victory of the season. That performance moved him from fifth to fourth in the standings and trimmed his deficit from 59 points to 31 entering the finale. While his Homestead experience is limited, Kvapil has demonstrated front-running speed on another 1.5-mile oval during The Chase, finishing second at Las Vegas after a thrilling late-race battle with fellow championship contender Corey Day. That combination of intermediate-track competitiveness and a pressure-packed Martinsville victory gives the No. 1 Chevrolet team an extra boost as they pursue their first championship.

Sheldon Creed — Fifth, 42 points behind, No. 00 Haas Factory Team Chevrolet: Back in the Chevrolet camp following Haas Factory Team’s manufacturer switch this season, Creed remains mathematically eligible for a shot at the crown after finishing sixth at Martinsville. Creed brings a strong collection of 1.5-mile track performances into the championship finale, including a runner-up finish at Kansas, a third-place finish at Las Vegas in the spring and Charlotte in October, and a sixth-place result at Texas. His Charlotte performance highlighted both his speed and resilience, as the No. 00 Chevrolet team overcame early contact with the outside wall that required damage repair before Creed rallied to a podium finish. The 2020 Truck Series champion will look to draw on that intermediate track experience as he pursues his first O’Reilly Series championship.

 

SILVERADO TEAMS TARGET A MILESTONE FINISH

Chevrolet will open championship weekend with the opportunity to secure its milestone 300th NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory, returning to a track where the manufacturer has won the series’ last three races. Carson Hocevar started that streak in 2023, Grant Enfinger followed in 2024 and Kyle Larson extended it in March 2025. Among Chevrolet’s current Truck Series drivers, Enfinger brings race-winning experience from his 2024 Homestead triumph, when the No. 9 CR7 Motorsports team paired fuel strategy with a late-race charge to the victory. The manufacturer also has recent top-five performances to draw upon from Tyler Ankrum and Daniel Hemric, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the series’ most recent appearance at the track. With a proven Homestead winner and additional front-running experience in its Silverado ranks, Chevrolet will look to turn Friday night’s season finale into a milestone celebration.

 
BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will serve as the official pace vehicle for the tripleheader weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

NASCAR Cup Series: Corvette Grand Sport

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series: Silverado RST

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series: Silverado RST

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Homestead-Miami Speedway:

Kyle Larson – two wins (2022 & 2025)

William Byron – one win (2021)

· In 27 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded eight victories, including Kyle Larson’s two career wins at the track that came in the Next Gen era (2022 & 2025).

· Chevrolet has earned wins in 29 of the 32 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series races this season, setting the series’ record for the most wins by a single manufacturer during a season in the division.

· With Sammy Smith and the No. 7 Spire Motorsports team’s victory at Talladega Superspeedway, Chevrolet sits just one win away from its milestone 300th all-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series win.

· In 178 points-paying races in the NASCAR Cup Series Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 77 victories – a winning percentage of 43.3%.

· With its 44 NASCAR Cup Series manufacturer championships, 34 NASCAR Cup Series driver championships, and 891 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

FOR THE FANS:

Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Homestead-Miami Speedway, which will feature a variety of Chevrolet vehicles including: 2027 Silverado ZR2, Silverado Trail Boss, Silverado HD, Blazer EV SS, Traverse Z71, Tahoe Z71, Equinox RS, Colorado ZR2, Corvette Grand Sport, and the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 show car.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

Friday, Nov. 6: 2:00 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7: 12:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 8: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Friday, Nov. 6

Corey Day: 3:00 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

Daniel Suarez: 4:00 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.

Tyler Ankrum: 4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Grant Enfinger: 4:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Justin Allgaier & Carson Kvapil: 5:40 p.m. – 5:55 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 7

Jeremy Clements: 2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.

Rajah Caruth & Sammy Smith: 2:45 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Sam Mayer: 3:15 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 8

Shane van Gisbergen: 10:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Austin Dillon: 10:45 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Connor Zilisch: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

Ross Chastain: 11:20 a.m. – 11:35 a.m.

Kyle Larson: 11:35 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.

Chase Elliott: 11:50 a.m. – 12:05 p.m.

Alex Bowman: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

William Byron: 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m.

 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race

Sunday, Nov. 8, at 3 p.m. ET

NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Championship Race

Saturday, Nov. 7, at 5 p.m. ET

CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship Race

Friday, Nov. 6, at 6:30 p.m. ET

FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

How do you feel the No. 1 team is progressing?

“We’ve had a solid last few weeks on the track which is very promising. I feel like we’re making gains, some smaller, some bigger, but we’re moving in the right direction and I think everyone can feel and see the progress. Last weekend at Martinsville was a very positive sign. We went forward after the start of the race and were able to stay up there. That means we hit the setup pretty close so we were making small adjustments and maintaining track position, instead of making big swings and trying to get the car to respond. Obviously, I’d love to get a win this weekend but it’s also nice to know we’re going into the off season seeing progress.”

Final race of the season, thoughts on going to Homestead-Miami?

“It feels good to be going back down to South Florida with the sun and humidity and get to Homestead-Miami Speedway. I’m going to drive over from Fort Myers, take the alley across and enjoy a couple of hours on the road. It’s been a few years since we’ve been at Homestead for the Championship race so it will have a little bit different feeling driving into the track. Of course, I wish we were in the Championship hunt, but the good news is we’ve experienced improvement over the last few weeks in our cars at Trackhouse. It feels good going into the off season with a positive direction. I’m certainly going to enjoy a few cold Busch Lights after the race, I know that.”

Austin Dillon, No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

It’s been a number of year since NASCAR ran the season finale at Homestead. How are you feeling about closing out the season in South Florida?

“Homestead is probably my favorite track of the year, and I love that it’s the last race of the year down in Florida. I can’t wait to get there with the No. 3 BREZTRI AEROSPHERE® (budesonide, glycopyrrolate, and formoterol fumarate) Chevrolet and just slide around, try to run the fence from the bottom, try to run everywhere. It’s a place that you can move all over and find grip. It’s slick, just a great place to go race.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 Hyak Motorsports Chevrolet

“We’re looking forward to wrapping up the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend with Commas and 7th Level on board the No. 47 Chevrolet. Homestead is a fun track where you can move around and try different lines to find speed, so having a good balance throughout the race will be important. We’ve had some ups and downs this season, but everyone at Hyak Motorsports has continued to work hard and push forward. Hopefully we can put together a strong weekend and finish the year on a high note for our team and partners.”

Cody Ware, No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet

“I’m cautiously optimistic going into Homestead. Our intermediate-track package has definitely improved here in this last stretch of races between Kansas, Vegas and Charlotte, so I’m hopeful that will continue at Homestead. The track is a pretty unique mile-and-a-half oval. It’s its own animal. It’s not a traditional tri-oval, so we’ll see how much it translates. But for us to be able to hang our hat on some of the positives we’ve learned this season by just having a good run at Homestead – a no-frills, no-chaos weekend where we execute and earn a good result – that’ll give us all something to build off of for next year.”

Michael McDowell, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet

What are your thoughts heading back to Homestead for the season finale?

“Homestead it’s still one of those racetracks we go to with a good bit of fall off. You slip and slide around and work really hard as a driver all day. The racing presents a lot of options. You can run the bottom, run the top or run the top to the bottom. So, you can find where your car works best. You can find clean air. It’s just one of those tracks that you just drive all day long and it’s a lot of fun. It is special to be back at Homestead for the Championship. Being able to go down there to celebrate the end of the season has always been fun and rewarding. The track is special and I can’t wait to see what they have done since we were there last. I’m excited to feel the energy back in Miami with The Annika Driven by Gainbridge coming onboard and then head to Pelican Bay next week for their big week of LPGA golf!”

Connor Zilisch, No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

The long and winding road that is the NASCAR Cup Series season concludes Sunday at Homestead Miami Speedway. What are your thoughts going into the last race of the year?

“I’ve learned a lot about myself and continue to stay motivated through the bad weeks. It’s gotten better here toward the end of the season and I’m certainly proud of that. My entire team has stuck with me and not given up on me, and we’ve started to turn a corner. I never wanted the year to go like this, but I’m proud of the resilience and just the way that my team has handled it. I look forward to hopefully making gains as we head into 2027 and hopefully have a good year in 2027.”

What about Homestead-Miami Speedway itself? This weekend we’re back after not being there for a year and seven months. What’s the fun level of Homestead like for you as a race car driver?

“I love it. It’s just such a unique racetrack. You’re up on the fence and you have no grip. Tires are falling off a crazy amount and you’re just trying to find grip wherever you can. It’s a lot of fun. I’ve always enjoyed racing at Miami. I had a decent run going in the O’Reilly race last year, but I ended up getting a pit road penalty under green in the last stage. It’s a ton of fun racing there and certainly a place that I always enjoy going to.”

Homestead is another weekend where you have a 50-minute practice session before qualifying. How much has that helped you?

“It’s been super beneficial to me to dial my car in, feel changes and get laps on the racetrack. We almost did 100 laps of practice at Martinsville, which is super helpful for me going into a race. I don’t really have a notebook, a huge notebook, at least on setups and what I want out of the race car so when I get the opportunity to practice, and make changes to my race car and make it better on Saturday, it helps us a lot as a team.”

Shane van Gisbergen, No. 97 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

What do you expect this weekend at Homestead-Miami, given the progress the No. 97 Team has made this year?

“Hopefully, I will do better there this time. I struggled there last year, but I guess it was like my fourth race of the year in this car. So, hopefully I’ve made some progress since then. It’s a tough track, riding the fence and getting used to that speed. Hopefully I’m a bit better this time around.”

A couple of weeks ago, you mentioned using this period of the Chase to figure some things out on the ovals. Do you feel like that is happening?

“Yeah, we are still missing a bit. Like at Phoenix (Raceway) we struggled. But our speed has been good at the mile and a half tracks. Overall, I think the team has done a really good job. It’s good to still be experimenting and all three cars trying stuff. We have to work forward as a team and I think as a team, we are working well together at the moment.”

Jesse Love, No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet

You were winless in the regular season, but have since won two races in the Chase. What has clicked with the team?

“This year, no doubt, the beginning was a struggle to find victory lane with the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet. Racing can be hard because you don’t always get instant gratification or satisfaction from your work and effort that you put in. For whatever reason, throughout each race it was always something different. But I knew if we continued to see it through and stick with our plan, and put our best foot forward, that it was just a matter of time before things started to get back on the right track. Obviously once the Chase starts you start to see what teams and what group of people are capable of operating at the highest level and I believe that the No. 2 team has shown throughout the last couple of years, that when it comes to that, there’s nobody that can operate on as high of a level.”

What role is the track in Homestead going to play in determining the Champion this weekend?

“Crowning a Champion at Homestead-Miami Speedway, it’s a dynamic racetrack, and it’s going to be a lot different than the year’s past in Pheonix. The track, like I said, is very dynamic. You move around a lot. You do somewhat at Pheonix too, but when you go to Homestead there’s a lot of risk versus reward, probably more so than there is at Pheonix. So balancing that risk and dancing more on that razor’s edge is something that you have to manage throughout the whole weekend, not just in the race and at the end of it, but through each stage, through qualifying and through practice as well. It’s also a track that we usually don’t go to twice a year, so all of these things add an impact to it, and make it probably more of a challenge, however it’s the same challenge for everybody. So you have to be prepared for that and get ready to execute a flawless weekend.”

What is it going to take as a driver to be a Champion this weekend?

“People ask that a lot, what it’s going to take from the driver standpoint to be a Champion this weekend, and that’s going to change throughout the whole weekend. It’s going to change during practice, it’s going to change during qualifying, it’s going to change through each stage of the race and down to the wire of it. You don’t know 100% before you get there, but you can be present in the moment and live in the moment and be prepared to adapt. There are so many different things that can happen, point and situation scenarios can change, and reality will set in whether that is good, bad or somewhere in between. But I think where the real value and where the real champion will come from a driver standpoint and a team standpoint is those that are prepared to be champions, but are also living in the moment and ready to adapt to whatever Homestead throws at us.“

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturer Championships:

Total (1949-2025): 44

First title for Chevrolet: 1958

Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Most recent: 2025

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

Driver Championships:

Total (1949-2025): 34

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most recent: Kyle Larson (2025)

Driver and Manufacturer Championship Sweeps: 29

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2020, 2021, 2025

Event Victories:

Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2026 STATISTICS:

Wins: 10

Poles: 6

Laps Led: 2,896

Top-Fives: 61

Top-10s: 125

Stage Wins: 24

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 891 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 772

Laps led to date: 259,630

Top-fives to date: 4,497

Top-10s to date: 9,276

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,225

       Chevrolet: 891

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 855                                                                               

       Ford: 755

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 221

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future.

GM Motorsports, including the Cadillac Formula 1® Team develops and proves advanced technologies in the most demanding environments, accelerating innovation in performance, safety, efficiency, and electrification for its production vehicles. Cadillac Racing is one of the leading manufacturers in the IMSA and FIA World Endurance Championships (WEC). Chevrolet competes in single seaters in the US IndyCar series, and in NASCAR with multiple team partners and drivers. Corvette customer teams compete in GT series across the globe including IMSA and WEC. Learn more at GM.com.

• In 14 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Spire Motorsports has logged two top-10 and four top-20 results with a best finish of ninth earned by Carson Hocevar in March 2025. Spire Motorsports will field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in NASCAR’s premier division with Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell and Justin Haley, respectively.
• The NASCAR Cup Series will contest the final race of The Chase Sunday at Homestead. Suárez is 15th in the championship standings while McDowell is 20th in the driver point standings. The No. 77 team is 11th in the owner’s Chase standings following last week’s race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway.
• The NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race from Homestead-Miami Speedway will be televised live on NBC Sunday, Nov. 8 beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The final points-paying race 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 sport a John Daly inspired Modo Super Gaming App livery on Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• Modo, America’s Super Gaming App, is one destination where every player picks their Modo moment: play Social+ games and Modo Arcade, rip collectible boxes and chase grail cards and one-of-one pulls with Modo Rips, and soon, predict the outcomes of real-world events. Proudly American-owned and operated, the Modo Super Gaming App is built entirely in-house by ARB Interactive. Learn more at modo.us.
• Modo brand ambassador John Daly, one of golf’s most recognizable and charismatic personalities, will be featured prominently on Suárez’s No. 7 Chevy and features a bold palette of hot pink, electric cyan, violet and orange highlighted by a racing stripe built from small Daly portraits in loud pop-art color.
• Suárez has made nine starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, earning one top-10 and five top-20 results at the 1.5-mile oval. He has recorded a 21.8 average start and 20.9 average finish. The three-time Cup Series race winner started 33rd and finished 22nd in last season’s visit to the popular South Florida oval.
• The Monterrey, Mexico native heads to the final race of 2026 ranked 15th in the championship standings. Through 35 races, he’s earned one victory, three top-five, eight top-10 and a handsome 27 top-20 finishes. The 2026 Coca-Cola 600 winner has led 42 laps this year and enters the season finale with a 14.6 average starting position and a 15.4 average finish.
• In last Sunday’s race at Martinsville, Suárez started 24th and raced his way into the top seven. Unfortunately, untimely pit cycles and damage to the nose of his machine cost him three laps, leaving Suárez and Co. with a disappointing 28th-place finish.
• The 34-year-old driver has made 358 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 debut in 2017. Suárez has also led 949 laps and collected three career poles.
• Suárez will host his Daniel’s Amigos event Thursday, November 5, from 5–8 p.m. at K1 Speed Miami. Fans can meet Suárez, race go-karts, enjoy food and giveaways, and participate in a question-and-answer session. The first 250 guests will also receive complimentary tickets to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race. K1 Speed Miami is located at 8600 NW South River Dr., Suite 8.

Daniel Suárez Quote
Miami is the final race of the season, and you’ll be running a special paint scheme on your car. What are your thoughts on the design, and how excited are you to wrap up the season?
“I always enjoy Miami. I love the culture, the energy and the people, so it’s a special place to finish the season. I really like the Modo car this weekend. The colors remind me of Día de los Muertos, (Day of the Dead), which makes it even more meaningful to me, especially with the colors on my helmet. Having John Daly on the car is pretty cool. Hopefully, I get to meet him this weekend. We want to end the season on a high note, and I know everyone on this No. 7 team is going to give it everything we have.”

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

• Ryan Sparks is the Crew Chief of Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Modo Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 with driver Daniel Suárez in the NASCAR Cup Series.
• Sparks has called 237 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 four races at Homestead, with his highest finish coming when driver Corey LaJoie took the checkered flag 20th 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 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 The Annika Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican is the Ladies Professional Golf Association’s (LPGA) annual tournament in the Tampa Bay region and features the world’s best female golfers competing over four rounds for a share of the $3.25 million purse, one of the largest on the LPGA Tour. The sole namesake event on the LPGA Tour, Annika Sörenstam serves as tournament host with proceeds benefiting the ANNIKA Foundation. The championship is operated by Outlyr, a global sports, event management and lifestyle marketing agency. For more information on The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, visit www.TheAnnika.com.
• McDowell owns 16 Cup Series starts at Homestead, where he’s collected two top 10s, highlighted by a venue-best sixth-place finish in 2021.
• The accomplished former sports car racer has two starts on the road course in the Grand-Am Sports Car Series at Homestead-Miami, earning finishes of fourth in 2005 and 10th in 2006.
• Last week at Martinsville Speedway, the No. 71 Spire Motorsports entry qualified 26th and raced to a respectable team-best 16th-place finish.
• Heading into the season finale, the Glendale, Ariz., native, has led 24 laps, logging three top-five and seven top-10 finishes. McDowell is currently 20th in points heading into the season finale.
• Next Wednesday, the 2021 Daytona 500 Champion will head to Bellair, Fla., for The Annika Driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, stepping onto the golf course as a celebrity caddy during the week’s Pro-Am for TWG Motorsports CEO, Dan Towriss.
• The Ladies Professional Golf Association is the world’s premier women’s professional golf organization. Created in 1950 by 13 pioneering female Founders, the LPGA, whose members now represent nearly 40 countries, is the longest-standing professional women’s sports organization. Follow the LPGA online at www.LPGA.com.
• The LPGA Tour is the world’s leading competitive destination for the best female professional golfers in the world. The Tour hosts 33 annual events across 13 countries for over 200 athletes, awarding total prize funds exceeding $132 million and reaching television audiences in more than 170 countries.

Michael McDowell Quote
What are your thoughts heading back to Homestead for the season finale?
“Homestead is still one of those racetracks we go to with a good bit of fall off. You slip and slide around and work really hard as a driver all day. The racing presents a lot of options. You can run the bottom, run the top or run the top to the bottom. So, you can find where your car works best. You can find clean air. It’s just one of those tracks that you just drive all day long and it’s a lot of fun. It is special to be back at Homestead for the Championship. Being able to go down there to celebrate the end of the season has always been fun and rewarding. The track is special and I can’t wait to see what they have done since we were there last. I’m excited to feel the energy back in Miami with The Annika Driven by Gainbridge coming onboard and then head to Pelican Bay next week for their big week of LPGA golf.”

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.
• Peterson has served in the crew chief role for four Cup Series races at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he’s recorded a 20.5 average start paired with a 15.5 average finish.
• The West Bend, Wis., native called NASCAR Hall of Famer and 2004 Cup Series Champion, Matt Kenseth, to a sixth-place finish in the 2018 season finale at Homestead. The event marked Peterson’s debut atop the pit box.
• Across 148 starts serving in the crew chief role, Peterson has called eight poles, one win, 10 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes.
• Peterson recorded his 30th career top-10 result in NASCAR’s premier division two races ago at Talladega Superspeedway.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
• 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.
• Haley has recorded five previous Cup Series starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He recorded a series/venue best 10th-place finish in March 2025 driving the No.7 Chevy for Spire Motorsports. He has completed 1,332 of 1,335 (99.8 percent) of the laps contested over those five starts.
• Leading into the final race of the 2026 season, the No. 77 team has secured one win, six top fives, 12 top 10s en route to a berth in The Chase. Heading into Homestead, the No. 77 sits 11th in the owner’s Chase standings.
• In NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competition at Homestead, Haley has logged four previous starts, earning back-to-back sixth-place finishes in 2020 and 2021. The Winamac, Ind., native also owns two top 10s in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series at the 1.5-mile venue.
• Haley currently competes full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series for Kaulig Racing. He has collected one top-five and six top-10 finishes across 24 starts this season.
• The Winamac, Ind., native has two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (2017-2018) starts at Homestead where he finished ninth and eighth, respectively.
• Haley owns 180 Cup Series starts across seven seasons. He earned Spire Motorsports’ first Cup Series victory in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and has recorded a total of six top-five and 18 top-10 finishes.
• Justin Haley Quote
• Talk about the opportunity before you this weekend.
• “I appreciate the opportunity to return to the Cup Series with Spire Motorsports. This is certainly not a situation that anyone wants to experience, but I know the effort Luke Lambert and the No. 77 team put in every week. I enjoy racing at Homestead and I’m looking forward to giving it my all to end the season on a high note for the No. 77 team.”

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.
• Lambert is in his third season at Spire Motorsports and his led his team to a pair of pole awards, one win, nine top-five and 27 top-10 finishes.
• The 16-year veteran crew chief has called 13 NASCAR Cup Series events at Homestead-Miami Speedway, earning one top five and four top 10s, highlighted by a runner-up finish in the 2014 season finale with Ryan Newman. The race marked the first Championship 4 in series history, where Newman came just 0.500 seconds from claiming the title.
• During his time as a race engineer for Richard Childress Racing’s No. 31 team, the Mount Airy, N.C., native also played a key role in Jeff Burton’s second-place finish in the 2009 event.
• The 16-year veteran crew chief has been atop the pitbox for a pair of O’Reilly Auto Parts Series events at Homestead, collecting one win, one top five and two top 10s, highlighted by Noah Gragson’s dominant victory in 2022. After qualifying second, he led 127 of the event’s 200 laps to secure the Lambert-Gragson duo’s eighth and final victory in the season’s antepenultimate race.

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 October 23, 2026, when Sammy Smith won the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

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.

This Week in Motorsports: November 2 – 8, 2026

NCS/NOAPS/NCTS: Homestead-Miami Speedway – November 6-8

PLANO, Texas (November 4, 2026) – NASCAR’s Cup, O’Reilly and Truck Series close out their 2026 seasons at Homestead-Miami Speedway this weekend.

NASCAR National Series – NCS/NOAPS/NCTS

Looking to match best-ever wins total … With one race remaining in the regular season, Team Toyota has clinched the 2026 Cup Series Manufacturers’ title and sits at 18 wins – just one back of the all-time single season high of 19 set in 2019. Homestead-Miami Speedway has been a strong track for Camry drivers with wins in two of the last three Cup Series races at the 1.5-mile oval.

Bell likely to extend Cup-best top-five points streak … Christopher Bell heads into Miami with an outside shot at his first NASCAR Cup Series title, as the Oklahoma-native is 67 points out of the lead. However, he does look likely to extend his Cup Series-best streak of finishing in the top-five in the point standings to five consecutive years. Bell is the only driver who has finished in the top-five every year since 2022, and he holds a 58-point advantage over sixth place to continue that streak.

Gibbs, Wallace pushing for career-best finishes … Ty Gibbs and Bubba Wallace head into Homestead-Miami focused on career-best season finishes. It has been a career season for Gibbs as he has set new bests in wins, top-fives and top-10 finishes, and looks likely to easily beat his previous best points finish of 15th, while Wallace could match his career-best result of 10th (2023) with a solid day, as he sits just in 12th-place, 11 points out the top-10. Wallace led 56 laps and finished third at the series’ last race at Homestead-Miami in 2025.

Crews Rookie of the Year clinching … Brent Crews looks likely to clinch Rookie of the Year honors at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Crews, who turned 18 in March, got a late start on the season due to the age restriction policies. The Toyota Development Driver was impressive throughout his rookie campaign – scoring a top-10 finish in his series debut and earning 11 top-five finishes in 28 starts this season, including two runner-up results at Talladega Superspeedway and Nashville Superspeedway.

Honeycutt eyes first Truck Series title…Toyota Development Driver Kaden Honeycutt hold a 20-point lead with one race remaining in the season. Honeycutt, who made NASCAR’s Championship 4 a season ago, is making his TRICON Garage and Toyota debut at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The Texas native leads the series in top-five and top-10 finishes, and his average finish is more than two spots better than any other full-time driver.

Heim double duty …The reigning Truck Series champion Corey Heim will close out his 2026 season running double duty in Homestead-Miami Speedway, as he will run the No.1 TRICON Garage Tundra TRD Pro on Friday night before wheeling the 23XI Racing No. 67 Camry on Sunday. Heim is making his Cup Series debut at Homestead but has finished in the top-five in all four of his Truck Series starts there, including one year ago where he led 78 laps and finished third despite battling mechanical issues.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs approximately 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 36 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Veteran Driver’s Milestone 500th Career NASCAR Cup Series Start Comes With Beard Motorsports at Track Where His NASCAR Journey Started a Quarter Century Ago

MT. PLEASANT, Mich. (Nov. 4, 2026) – For Casey Mears, the road to 500 NASCAR Cup Series starts has taken a few unexpected turns. Its final stop, however, takes place at perhaps the most fitting track on the schedule.

When Mears takes the green flag in the No. 62 The Gracie Foundation Chevrolet for Beard Motorsports in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he will reach a career milestone that for a long time was never a part of his plans. His 500th start will also bring him back to the track where his NASCAR national-series journey began a quarter-century ago, when a one-off opportunity in what was then known as the NASCAR Busch Series (now the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series) unexpectedly opened the door to a 15-year Cup Series run.

The 48-year old driver who competed fulltime in the Cup Series for 14 consecutive seasons from 2003 through 2016, logging 488 starts along the way, has spent much of 2026 rediscovering what he missed about racing, and appreciating just how special the opportunity to do it again has become.

“I just feel really appreciative of the opportunity,” Mears said in leadup to his fifth and final race of 2026 with Beard Motorsports, and his 12th Cup Series start since returning for his first cameo appearance in 2019. “I’d say it’s pretty rare that somebody gets to be out of the sport for that long and then comes back and participates. I’m excited to go do it one last time.”

When the green flag waves Sunday, Mears will become the 50th driver ever to record 500 or more Cup Series starts. The opportunity has come through a collaboration with the family-owned Beard Motorsports team, with support from longtime friend and benefactor Bob Germain helping make Mears’ goal of reaching 500 Cup starts a reality. Mears arrives at Homestead encouraged by the speed the team has shown this season and eager to make the most of its final race of the season.

In 2001, the California-born Mears moved to North Carolina with an eye toward trying NASCAR before potentially returning to IndyCar, where he had already established himself as a promising open-wheel driver. With the direction of Indy-style racing unsettled at the time, a chance to test the waters in stock cars seemed worth exploring.

His first NASCAR national-series start came at Homestead in the No. 66 car for Cicci-Welliver Racing. At the time, he had little reason to believe that single appearance would define the next chapter of his career.

“I honestly felt like I was going to try this NASCAR thing out, get a taste of it, and probably end up going back to IndyCar,” he said.

Instead, that initial outing helped set the stage for a fulltime Busch Series season in 2002 and a move to the Cup Series with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates in 2003. Mears went on to drive for several prominent organizations, including Hendrick Motorsports and Germain Racing.

This weekend, Homestead brings the story around full circle. The track has changed considerably since that first visit. Mears remembers a much flatter surface, with competitors running low around the apron. Today’s progressive banking, first raced on in 2003, encourages drivers to carry speed high against the wall – a demanding challenge that will test the No. 62 team in a very different way than the high banks of Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, where the part-time team has made 30 of its 38 starts since first competing in the Cup Series in 2017.

Beard Motorsports has built its program around superspeedway racing, but Mears believes the team has shown enough speed this season to be encouraged heading into its first-ever race at Homestead, laying down solid laps early in Mears’ outings in the No. 62 Chevrolet at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in June, Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July, and two weekends ago at Talladega.

“Prior to every single one of those events, I felt like we had a car that was capable of truly having a good result, speed-wise,” he said.

Homestead will require a different approach. Finding the right balance, managing tire wear and carrying speed along the high line will be critical, particularly for a small independent team competing against much larger organizations.

Beard Motorsports crew chief Darren Shaw began working on this weekend’s Homestead car months ago, focusing on details that could make a measurable difference. Mears also expects to benefit from time in the Team Chevy simulator and, most importantly, the 50-minute practice session on the weekend schedule for Friday at Homestead. That track time will allow the team to evaluate its setup and make adjustments before the race, a departure from the typical superspeedway weekend schedule with just a single qualifying lap taking place before race day.

“The adjustments on these NextGen cars are so small, so minute, but they make a big difference,” Mears said. “Being able to come down into the pits and in the garage and make a couple changes and make changes during that long of a practice session is something that’s going to really benefit our program this weekend.”

Mears credits Shaw’s attention to detail in preparation and the team’s determination to maximize what it has accomplished during its part-time Cup Series schedule over the last decade. He also appreciates the family behind the operation, whose involvement is rooted in a passion for racing shared by team owner Linda Beard’s late husband, Mark Beard Sr., and their daughter Amie Beard-Deja.

“I feel like I’m by far in the best place I could be to be doing this,” Mears said. “I enjoy spending time with the family and being around them.”

Germain’s support has been equally important in bringing Mears’ milestone goal within reach. For Mears, the experience has been about more than adding another number to his résumé. He has enjoyed reconnecting with fans, and working alongside a crew chief and engineers to solve the familiar puzzle of making a racecar faster.

“You take for granted, when you’re doing it, even though you know it’s special, it’s your job,” he said. “I think this year’s kind of allowed me just to really reflect on how special the opportunity to get to race cars for a living is.”

The milestone also gives his family a chance to share in that appreciation. His children were very young when his fulltime Cup career ended in 2016, but they are now old enough to understand what their father accomplished and what returning to the sport means.

For Mears, a successful afternoon Sunday will be based on simply keeping the No. 62 Chevrolet intact and running competitive laps throughout.

“If we can stay on the lead lap, if I could finish somewhere inside the top-25, that would be an amazing day for us,” he said. “My goal is to just stay in the hunt all day, stay in the fight, not have issues.”

A solid finish would reward the work of the entire Beard Motorsports organization and give Mears a result to celebrate alongside the many family members and friends who will join him at Homestead for his milestone race. It would also provide a fitting close to a season that has reminded him why he fell in love with racing in the first place.

All the while, Mears is careful not to declare Sunday his final Cup Series start. The reality, he acknowledged, is that it could be. With opportunities to compete at this level no longer guaranteed, the milestone carries a measure of finality alongside the excitement.

A quarter-century after a single Busch Series opportunity helped launch his NASCAR career, Mears returns to the same track with 500 starts within reach, a solid, family-owned team behind him, and a crowd of familiar faces to cheer him on.

No. 62 Beard Motorsports Team

Primary Team Members

Driver: Casey Mears Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Crew Chief: Darren Shaw Hometown: Mooresville, North Carolina

Car Chief: Travis Owens Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee

Spotter: Rick Carelli Hometown: Arvada, Colorado

President: Linda Beard Hometown: Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Over-the-Wall Members

Front Tire Changer: Shiloh Windsor Hometown: Ada, Oklahoma

Rear Tire Changer: Michael Russell Hometown: Virginia Beach, Virginia

Tire Carrier: Lamar Neal Hometown: Halifax, Virginia

Jack Man: De’Quan Hampton Hometown: Los Angeles

Fuel Man: Douglas Warrick Hometown: Hamilton, New Jersey

Road Crew Members

Mechanic: Jack Gagnon Hometown: Quebec, Canada

Mechanic: Mark Sanders Hometown: Springfield, Ohio

Engine Tuner: Brian Trevino Hometown: Statesville, North Carolina

Interior Specialist: Nic Hill Hometown: Fort Myers, Florida

Truck Driver: Roger Lankford Hometown: Mills Creek, North Carolina