MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 4, 2025) – Totalplay, Mexico’s leading telecommunications provider, will serve as Carson Hocevar’s primary sponsor when the NASCAR Cup Series makes its inaugural visit to Mexico City, Mexico for the Viva Mexico 250 at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

Totalplay delivers top-quality connectivity and entertainment services through its 100 percent fully fiber-optic, direct-to-home network. Its commitment to innovation and excellence has positioned the company as the provider with the fastest internet, best service, and most advanced technology in the market.

Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez – a 17-turn, 2.674-mile road course located in the heart of Mexico’s capital city – hosted the NASCAR Xfinity Series four times from 2004-2008. Last August, NASCAR announced it would bring the Cup Series to the historic venue and contest a points-paying race outside the United States for the first time since 1958 when the series raced in Toronto, Canada.

“We’ve seen a lot of growth for the sport over the last several years, and because of that, I think it’s time that we have an international race and give that a try,” said Hocevar. “This car has put on a good race on the road courses and it will be interesting to see how it does on a track where we see other high-level motorsports series compete.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how we unload at Mexico. The No. 77 team has put in a lot of effort to improve and find consistency from week to week no matter what type of course we’re racing. We finished 2024 with a strong finish at Watkins Glen and had made a lot of progress overall with our road course program. I expect we’ll have speed and since everyone is on an even playing field to start, we should have a good shot at a decent starting position. From there we’ll just learn with every lap and hope to be fighting for the win.”

As the Mexican leader in ultra-fast internet, the Totalplay pairing with Spire Motorsports’ ultra-fast sophomore sensation couldn’t come at a more opportune time.

Meanwhile, Hocevar has good reason to be optimistic heading into the second road-course race of 2025. Last September, the Portage, Mich., native turned in what was then career-best third place finish at the Go Bowling at the Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. Since then, the 22-year-old driver has upped the ante in circle track competition, notching runner-up finishes this season at Atlanta Motor Speedway and most recently, Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

The 2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year is currently 17th in the NASCAR Cup Series championship point standings and sits just four points outside the top 15. Hocevar continues to impress during his sophomore Cup Series campaign, posting a pair of top-two and trio of top-10 finishes over this season’s first 14 races.

The Viva Mexico 250 from Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in will be streamed live on Amazon Prime Sunday, June 15, beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The NASCAR Cup Series inaugural race in Mexico City, Mexico will also be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Channel 90.

About Totalplay …
Totalplay is Mexico’s leading telecommunications provider, delivering top-quality connectivity and entertainment services through its 100 percent fully fiber-optic, direct-to-home network. Its commitment to innovation and excellence has positioned the company as the provider with the fastest internet, best service, and most advanced technology in the market.

As part of Grupo Salinas, Totalplay continues to transform the industry by developing and integrating new technologies, offering unique experiences that redefine how Mexican households access the internet, television, and digital services.

With over 155,000 kilometers of fiber optic network deployed across the country, Totalplay currently serves more than 5.2 million users in 173 cities, reaching nearly 20 million people as of the first quarter of 2025.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports 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 on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville Superspeedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (June 4, 2025) – When drivers have their right foot mashed to the floorboard, their throttle wide open as they run more than 190 mph, fuel efficiency is not top of mind. But at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, the conundrum of balancing outright speed and maximizing fuel mileage is ever present.

The 2-mile oval in the state’s Irish Hills region produces some of the fastest speeds on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule. Its sweeping corners, banked at 18 degrees, grants drivers the ability to go wide-open or, at least attempt to, based on how much grip their tires and their own grit allow.

“Michigan is about as fast as it gets,” said Cody Ware, driver of the No. 51 Jacob Construction Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing. “You’re just about wide-open, and completely wide open when your car’s right and the track conditions are right.

“It takes a mega-level of commitment to keep your foot to the floor. You’ve got to tell yourself not to lift when you really want to going into the corner.”

As drivers push these boundaries, they also push how far their car’s 18-gallon fuel cell can take them. For as many Michigan races have been won by brute strength, seemingly just as many have been won by those who drive as if there was an egg between their foot and the gas pedal.

“You’ve got to have a car that’s really, really fast if you want to try to save fuel because the only way you’re going to do that is by having less wide-open throttle time,” Ware said. “It’s always good to be driving a Ford at Michigan because those Roush-Yates engines make really good gas mileage. That really helps with strategy. Fords can take less fuel and get more track position on restarts. I think that’s why you’ve seen the Blue Oval in victory lane on so many Sunday afternoons at Michigan.”

Ford owns a series-best 44 Cup victories at Michigan, including a recent streak of nine straight that began in June 2018 and lasted all the way through the 2023 FireKeepers Casino 400.

Fuel strategy delivered more than a few of those wins. Among that run of nine consecutive victories was Kevin Harvick’s win in August 2019 when he stretched his fuel for a 48-lap, green-flag run to the finish.

The ability to go fast, yet still save fuel, is an art that requires in-race adaptation.

“Being smooth is always key at Michigan,” Ware said. “You want to find your rhythm – your throttle points, your lift points, your pickup points – but when you have to break that in an effort to save fuel, it gets tricky. You have to find a whole new set of markers on the track to sustain that new rhythm. You can get jumbled up and make a mistake.”

How does Ware view his ability to save fuel?

“I don’t think there’s ever anyone who walks away from a fuel-mileage race and says, ‘Yeah, I did that perfectly,’ because in the moment you never know. There’s no fuel gauge in the car. We don’t see how many miles-per-gallon we’re getting,” Ware said.

“Sometimes, you slow down too much. Other times, you don’t slow down enough and you run dry. You even try to get ready for the moment and look at historical data before the race weekend even starts, but still, in the moment, it’s almost impossible to really know if you’re doing a good job or not.”

The ultimate validation comes with a trip to victory lane. But is there an asterisk attached to a fuel-mileage win?

“A win is a win is a win,” Ware said. “I don’t care if it’s superspeedway racing, fuel-mileage racing, rain racing – you and your team have done something right if you’ve won a NASCAR Cup Series race. You just don’t fluke into it at this level.”

The FireKeepers Casino 400 will mark Ware’s 121st career Cup Series start, and his drive toward his first Cup Series win begins Saturday at 9:30 a.m. EDT when practice begins. Qualifying for the FireKeepers Casino 400 follows at 10:40 a.m. Sunday’s 200-lap race begins at 2 p.m. All of the action will be broadcast live by Prime Video and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

About Rick Ware Racing:

Rick Ware has been a motorsports mainstay for more than 40 years. It began at age 6 when the third-generation racer began his driving career and has since spanned four wheels and two wheels on both asphalt and dirt. Competing in the SCCA Trans Am Series and other road-racing divisions led Ware to NASCAR in the early 1980s, where he finished third in his NASCAR debut – the 1983 Warner W. Hodgdon 300 NASCAR Grand American race at Riverside (Calif.) International Raceway. More than a decade later, injuries would force Ware out of the driver’s seat and into full-time team ownership. In 1995, Rick Ware Racing was formed, and with his wife Lisa by his side, Ware has since built his eponymous organization into an entity that competes full-time in the elite NASCAR Cup Series while simultaneously campaigning successful teams in the Top Fuel class of the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series, Progressive American Flat Track and FIM World Supercross Championship (WSX).

The 200% American Brand Ramps Up Visibility with Bold New Paint Scheme on the No. 47 Chevy

TAMPA, Fla., June 04, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — June 3, 2025 – Real American Beer is back on the NASCAR track this weekend, teaming up with Hyak Motorsports to bring its 200% American energy to Michigan International Speedway for the FireKeepers Casino 400 on June 8.

The No. 47 Chevrolet, driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr, will debut a refreshed Real American Beer paint scheme—marking the second time this season Hyak Motorsports and the fast-growing beer brand have joined forces.

This latest collaboration builds on Real American Beer’s momentum as a disruptive new name in the premium light beer space. With Real American Beer now in 27 states and growing support across national retail, the brand has quickly become a fan-favorite among beer drinkers who live for race days, tailgates and flag-flying weekends.

“We didn’t get the result we were after in Nashville, and that’s frustrating for sure,” said Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet for Hyak Motorsports. “But this team’s got heart. We’ve put in the work this week, and we’re heading to Michigan with a clean state and a fast Real American Beer Chevy.”

The FireKeepers 400 paint scheme brings Real American Beer’s signature 200% American aesthetic to one of the fastest tracks in the series—giving fans on the ground and watching at home a taste of the brand’s trademark energy.

“Brother, Michigan knows how to go full throttle—and so does Real American Beer,” said Hulk Hogan, WWE Hall of Famer and co-founder of Real American Beer. “We’re back on the track, back in the fight, and there’s no better time to crack one open and let it rip.”

The partnership with Hyak Motorsports underscores Real American Beer’s commitment to the NASCAR community, especially in markets where beer drinkers are seeking alternatives with real identity and American-made values.

“Motorsports fans have been some of our loudest supporters from day one,” said Terri Francis, CEO of Real American Beer. “This partnership is part of our strategy to meet them where they are—on the road, in the stands and in the beer aisle.”

Jimmy Hart, aka The Mouth of the South, will be trackside bringing the heat—and handing out the cold ones. He’ll be repping Real American Beer all weekend long with a megaphone in hand. If you’re in the infield, you’ll hear him before you see him.

Fans can catch the FireKeepers Casino 400 live from Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, June 8 at 2PM EDT, broadcast on PRIME, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

And now, for fans who want to skip the beer run, Real American Beer is also available online. With just a few clicks, RAB can be delivered straight to your door—just in time for race day. Visit the Real American Beer Finder to order.

ABOUT REAL AMERICAN BEER

Co-founded by WWE legend Hulk Hogan, Real American Beer (RAB) is a premium light beer that’s proudly American-owned and made. At 4.2% ABV with just 110 calories and 4g carbs, RAB is now available in 27 states and counting, with a simple mission: bring people together, one beer at a time. Learn more at therealamerican.com and follow along on Instagram, Facebook and X.

ABOUT HYAK MOTORSPORTS

HYAK Motorsports welcomes in a new era of racing for the iconic No. 47 team with a fresh, new rebrand, name and ownership. For the 2025 season, the team has transitioned from JTG Racing to HYAK Motorsports as Gordon Smith, who became the principal owner of the team on November 18, 2023,transitions into the role after owning a large portion of the team since 2016.HYAK Motorsports will continue to carry out Smith’s plan to bring a fresh, new energy to the team and show his commitment in advancing the team’s legacy both on and off the race track. The change starts with the name “HYAK” which means “fast” in Chinook Jargon, which is a trade language of the Pacific Northwest that incorporates terms from Chinook, Chehalis, and many other local languages. The ownership transition promises to fuel HYAK Motorsports with a competitive edge by enhancing its approach to performance, innovation, and fan engagement. Smith is now joined by co-owners Brad Daugherty, Mark Hughes and Ernie Cope, who are also dedicated to maintaining the team’s high standards while introducing updated strategies and resources to help bring the team to a new level.

EVENT: FireKeepers Casino 400
DATE: June 8, 2025
TRACK: Michigan International Speedway | 2-mile intermediate oval

CLUB MINUTES:

JJ AT MICHIGAN: LEGACY MC co-owner and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson owns 38 starts in NASCAR’s elite series at the 2-mile oval in Brooklyn, Michigan. He has one win at Michigan from June 2014, where he started seventh and led 39 laps en route to a 1.214-second margin of victory over runner-up Kevin Harvick. Overall, Johnson has scored five top-fives, 12 top-10s and led 700 laps at Michigan in his career.

KENSETH – THREE-TIME WINNER WINS BIG IN MICHIGAN: LEGACY MC’s competition advisor Matt Kenseth found success at the 2-mile oval in Michigan as well. With 40 NASCAR Cup Series starts at the track, Kenseth owns three victories from his June 2002, August 2006, and August 2015 starts. He’s earned 14 top-fives, 20 top-10s, and led 443 laps at Michigan.

THE KING WINS AT MICHIGAN: Richard Petty has a total of 47 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan in his career. The LEGACY MC ambassador earned a total of four victories, 19 top-fives, and 25 top-10s during his legendary career. His victories at the track came in June 1974, August 1975, August 1979, and August 1981.

NEVER SETTLE: Join ESPN’s Marty Smith and LEGACY MOTOR CLUB’s co-owner Johnson for their weekly podcast, “Never Settle”. The podcast airs live on SIRIUS XM NASCAR Radio Ch. 90 at 2 p.m. ET every Wednesday and can be downloaded wherever fans source their podcasts. This week’s guest is Rodney Scott a renowned pitmaster and restaurateur, widely recognized for his expertise in whole hog barbecue. He gained national fame after opening Rodney Scott’s BBQ in Charleston in 2016. His barbecue journey began at his family’s restaurant in Hemingway, South Carolina, where he learned the art of whole hog cooking from a young age.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
NO. 42 PYE-BARKER FIRE & SAFETY TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
NATIONAL SAFETY MONTH: June is National Safety Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness and promoting safety at work, at home, and everywhere in between. Since 1996, this annual observance has offered free resources to spotlight the leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. One of LEGACY MC’s primary partners, Pye-Barker Fire & Safety is committed to making safety a priority this June and throughout the year.

JHN AT MIS: John Hunter Nemechek heads to Michigan International Speedway with three prior NASCAR Cup Series starts, two from his rookie season in 2020 and one from last year. Beyond the Cup Series, the 27-year-old has made 10 more appearances at the track, with five starts each in the NASCAR Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Nemechek visited Victory Lane in 2023 when driving for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR).

JHN IN THE POINTS: During this time last year, Nemechek sat 27th in driver points and ultimately finished in 34th. As the team heads into Michigan, Nemechek and the No. 42 team sit in 22nd in points and just 22 points back from the playoff cut line.

TMACK AT MIS: Crew chief Travis Mack has visited the Brooklyn, Michigan, speedway on six occasions as a crew chief. Five of those came in the Cup Series. Among those five starts, he has an average starting spot of 24 and finishing spot of 21. In the one Xfinity Series race with Michael Annett behind the wheel, the team started seventh and finished third (2019).

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK QUOTE:

“Last year at Michigan, we went in and had some speed but got caught up in a wreck early that ruined our race. We managed to continue to run and learn and gain some experience there. Our team continues to prep and try to find new speed. We’re hoping that we can unload with some speed and have a solid weekend.”

TRAVIS MACK QUOTE:

“Michigan always seems like it turns into a fuel mileage race. We should have the speed, and we should race good, but it seems like it turns into a strategy race. I am looking forward to going to Michigan and seeing what we have.”

ERIK JONES
NO. 43 DOLLAR TREE TOYOTA CAMRY XSE
TOP-10 AT NASHVILLE: Erik Jones is riding a wave of momentum into Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway after his seventh-place finish last Sunday night under the lights at Nashville Superspeedway. After qualifying 14th for the Cracker Barrel 400, he went on to score his second top-10 of the 2025 season. Both of these finishes have come on intermediate tracks with his first being his fifth-place result on May 4 at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth.

HOMETOWN HERO: Jones is returning to his home track of Michigan for Sunday’s Firekeepers Casino 400. The Michigan native grew up just 73 miles north of the track in the small town of Byron, where he started his racing career at a young age before transitioning to stock cars at age 13. He quickly moved up the ranks in NASCAR but never forgot his Michigan roots along the way. He is one of only three Michigan natives racing in the Cup Series fulltime along with Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar.

JONES MICHIGAN STATS: Sunday’s Firekeepers Casino 400 will mark Jones’ 13th NASCAR Cup Series start at Michigan. In his prior 12 starts, Jones earned a best finish of third in August 2017 after starting eighth. He owns another two top-10 finishes with his finishes of eighth in August 2022 and 10th in August 2023. He has an additional two starts outside of the Cup Series at Michigan – one in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and one in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He earned a finish of fourth in his one and only Xfinity Series start in June 2016 after starting second and leading 18 laps. In the Craftsman Truck Series, Jones finished third in August 2015 after starting seventh and leading 16 laps.

CLAYS FOR CAUSES: On Friday, Jones will host his third annual “Clays for Causes” fundraiser in Dryden, Michigan at the Huntsman Hunt Club starting at 8 a.m. CT. As a proud Michigan native with a deep appreciation for the outdoors, Jones uses this event to reflect both his roots and his passion for giving back. Clays for Causes raises funds to support the foundation and their efforts to change lives by igniting children’s passion for reading, encouraging early cancer detection and care, and promoting animal welfare. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit ErikJonesFoundation.org.

BESHORE AT MICHIGAN: Crew chief Ben Beshore has a total of four races under his belt at Michigan as a crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series. His best results are a pair of seventh-place finishes with Kyle Busch from the June 2017 and August 2021 races, where they started fourth and seventh, respectively. He has an additional two races on top of the box in the Xfinity Series as the crew chief for Riley Herbst and John Hunter Nemechek. He won at Michigan in August 2023 with Nemechek after the team started 10th.

GRADUATION AT THE TRACK: This Friday will mark the 11-year anniversary of Jones’ makeshift graduation ceremony held on the driver introductions prior to the WinStar World Casino 400K Craftsman Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway. On June 6, 2014, Jones missed his graduation at Swartz Creek Academy to run the race while still running a part-time schedule in the series. After he walked the stage in a graduation cap and gown to receive his diploma, he went on to start the race fifth and finished 11th.

TOYOTA IN-CAR CAMERA: Ride along with Jones this weekend in the No. 43 Dollar Tree Toyota Camry XSE with the Toyota in-car camera. His view from inside the car will be featured on the Amazon Prime broadcast and on HBO Max.

ERIK JONES QUOTE
“I always look forward to Michigan. Obviously, it’s a home race for me and my home track. It’s a lot of fun to get up there and be with family and friends. I typically get there earlier in the week to go spend more time with them and get to see them before the busy weekend. It’s always exciting and a lot of fun. The race itself – I just really enjoy the track. It’s come into its own here as it’s aged and widened out. Racing there with this NextGen car has been good. I’m looking forward to it. This one is high on my bucket list of tracks to win at one day. I just look forward for the chance to be out there every year.”

BEN BESHORE QUOTE
“Michigan is a high-speed oval where speeds are as fast as they can get at a sorta repaved-type track. It’s more strategy driven and trying to keep your car in the best position possible throughout the race plus playing the strategy so you’re out front and need the least fuel possible on the last stop. You can kind of leapfrog your way to track position with that. I know Erik’s super excited for that one with it being his home track and us having some speed at mile-and-a-halves this year, so we’re really looking forward to that one.”

CLUB APPEARANCES:
Nemechek will make a stop out at the NASCAR Classics Merchandise hauler on race day at 11:00 a.m. to meet with the fans and sign some autographs.

TUNE IN:
The NASCAR Cup Series will head to Michigan International Speedway for the Firekeepers Casino 400 on Sunday, June 8. The race broadcast will take place on Amazon Prime, MAX, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90) at 2 p.m. EDT.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: (LEGACY MC) is a premier auto racing organization co-owned by seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and 2024 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee, Jimmie Johnson and Knighthead Capital Management, LLC. Drawing from a rich tradition of success, LEGACY MC is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of motorsport and setting new standards of excellence. The CLUB competes under the Toyota Gazoo Racing banner in the NASCAR Cup Series with the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE piloted by Erik Jones and the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE driven by John Hunter Nemechek. Johnson also races on a limited basis in the No. 84 Toyota Camry XSE. With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Richard Petty, “The King”, serving as CLUB Ambassador, LEGACY MC blends timeless racing traditions with a new forward-thinking vision. As an inclusive community for motorsport enthusiasts, LEGACY MC honors both its storied past and the promising future of its members, always striving for victory and championship glory at the pinnacle of NASCAR competition.

• In 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway (MIS), Spire Motorsports has logged two top-10 and and three top-15 finishes. Zane Smith posted a team-best seventh-place finish in last season’s 400-mile event at the Brooklyn oval. Spire Motorsports fields the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet ZL1s in the Cup Series for Justin Haley, Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar, respectively.
• The FireKeepers Casino 400 will be streamed live on Amazon Prime, Sunday, June 8 beginning at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT). The 15th of 36 points-paying races on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Justin Haley – Driver, No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Justin Haley will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Garner Trucking, Inc. Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
• Haley has recorded four previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at the famed two-mile oval. Over those four races, the Winamac, Ind., native has logged a 23.3 average start, a 21.3 average finish and earned two top-20 showings, while completing 805 of 806 laps (99.9%). His career/series-best finish was a 17th-place result in August 2022.
• Garner Trucking is a family-owned and operated business started in 1960 by Vernon E. Garner and Regina R. Garner, headquartered in Findlay, Ohio. Daughter Sherri Garner Brumbaugh currently owns and operates the business. Garner is a 100 percent woman-owned business. Since 2017, Garner Trucking has been named a Best Fleet to Drive For from trucking companies in North America. In 2022, Garner was named the Best Fleet to Drive For – Overall Small Carrier. The company’s dedication to its drivers earned it a spot in the Best Fleets to Drive For Hall of Fame in 2023. Continuing its legacy of excellence, Garner won the inaugural Best Fleets to Drive for Hall of Fame Stratosphere Award in 2024—and claimed the title again in 2025. Garner is celebrating its 65th anniversary in 2025.
• Last week at Nashville Superspeedway, Haley battled tight-handling Garner Trucking Chevrolet which ultimately left him one lap down to the leaders and 32nd in the final rundown.
• In NASCAR Xfinity Series competition, Haley earned a venue best 10th-place finish in the 2019 LTI Printing 250.
• Haley boasts a pair of top-10 results in NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series competition at MIS where he finished 10th and ninth, respectively in 2017-2018.
• Haley secured his first Cup Series win in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. He picked up both his and the team’s first win – an upset of practically unprecedented proportions – behind the wheel of the No. 77 Chevrolet.
• Over the course of his career, Haley has collected four NASCAR Xfinity Series checkered flags and three CRAFTSMAN Truck Series wins, making him one of just 41 drivers in history to have earned wins across all three of NASCAR’s National Touring Series.
• He made his first start in NASCAR’s premier division for Spire Motorsports at Talladega Superspeedway on April 28, 2019 – his 20th birthday. Sunday will mark Haley’s 160th career NASCAR Cup Series start. Over the course of the last seven seasons, the 26-year-old racer has notched one win, five top fives, 17 top 10s and 103 laps led.
• In total, Haley has made 56 Cup Series starts for Spire Motorsports, with the bulk of races coming during the 2021 season behind the wheel of the team’s No. 77 machine. In his second appearance amidst his return to Spire Motorsports at Talladega last October, Haley earned a seventh-place result, his first top 10 with the team since the 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona.

Justin Haley Quote
What’s your outlook heading into Michigan this weekend?
“I’m hopeful heading to Michigan this weekend. Personally, it is not top of the list of my favorite tracks, but it’s a good track if you have a fast race car. Generally speaking, we have fast race cars at these style tracks. Hopefully, we can turn that speed into a good result in our Garner Trucking Chevrolet.”

Atop the No. 7 Box – Crew Chief Ryan Sparks

• Ryan Sparks, Spire Motorsports Competition Director and crew chief for driver Justin Haley, has called six races at MIS, dating back to 2020. He earned an venue-best result when he led Corey LaJoie to a 15th-place finish in August 2023.
• The Winston Salem, N.C., native has called 180 NASCAR Cup Series races where he’s earned three top-five and nine top-10 finishes. He was first paired with Haley at Bristol Motor Speedway in September 2024.

Michael McDowell – Driver, No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet ZL1

• Michael McDowell will pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet ZL1 in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway (MIS).
• McDowell has made 18 NASCAR Cup Series starts at MIS, and turned in a venue/series best 19th-place finish in last year’s annual visit to Michigan’s Irish Hills.
• The Glendale, Ariz., native has logged a 26.7 average start and a 29.4 average finish at the two-mile Brooklyn, Mich., oval.
• In addition to his time in NASCAR’s top series, the 40-year-old has three starts at MIS in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, earning a best result of seventh in 2012.
• Spire Motorsports comes to the track known for its speed and width with fresh insight from Director of Vehicle Performance, Matt McCall. The former crew chief has coached his drivers to five top-five and 12 top-10 finishes, most recently earning back-to-back top-five performances with Brad Keselowski. The 44-year-old has an average finish of 9.9 in 16 Cup Series starts.
• During last weekend’s trip Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, McDowell qualified his No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet eighth and held a steady grip on the top 10 during the opening stage of Sunday’s 400-mile contest. As the sun set on the central Tennessee track and the track temperature dropped, the No. 71 Delaware Life Chevrolet faded from the top 20 and ultimately crossed the finish line 21st.
• The No. 71 team earned a $100,000 payday and a trip to Victory Lane after winning the Mechanix Wear Pit Crew Challenge during NASCAR’s recent visit to North Wilkesboro Speedway. The crew’s blazing 12.587-second stop topped all entries for both the NASCAR All-Star Open and NASCAR All-Star Race, earning the title of the fastest team on pit road.
• B’laster Products will ride along the No. 71 in associate-sponsor position this weekend, as the Cleveland, Ohio-based company gets ready for its primary paint scheme in next weekend’s inaugural visit for the NASCAR Cup Series to Mexico City.
• Through the first 13 races of the 2025 campaign, McDowell owns an average starting position of 13.6, including five starts inside the top 10.
• 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 claimed three Xfinity Fastest Lap awards this season, clocking the fastest lap in the Daytona 500, Phoenix Raceway and Talladega Superspeedway. The No. 71 stands as the only Cup Series team to win the newly unveiled award three times.
• McDowell secured Spire Motorsports’ first Busch Light Pole Award at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in March. His 28.833-second lap marks the fastest lap in NASCAR’s seventh-generation Cup Series car (2022-present) at the 1.5-mile Nevada oval.

Michael McDowell Quote
What are your thoughts as we head to Michigan?
“Michigan is a fun track. With the speed we’ve had this year at Spire Motorsports, our mile-and-a-half program and big-track program have been great. I feel like the Hendrick engine shop is a big part of that, too. Every year, when we think about Michigan, this is usually where you see how everybody is performance-wise. I think Michigan and Indianapolis are those places with big downforce, big horsepower. Being efficient in both those areas is important at both those places. Everything stands out. Everything is magnified at Michigan, and right now, with the speed that we have, I think it’ll be a great track for us to go do something special.”

Atop the No. 71 Box – Crew Chief Travis Peterson

• Crew chief Travis Peterson heads to the track with two NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway, both with McDowell; the duo holds an average finish of 21.5.
• During his time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, the Wisconsin native worked as an engineer for Regan Smith and the No. 7 entry at JR Motorsports. In 2013, Smith qualified 20th, leading 14 laps at the Brooklyn, Mich., oval. The No. 7 Chevrolet took home the checkered flag, earning the team’s second win of the season.
• The 34-year-old has called 90 races in NASCAR’s premier series, securing one win, four top fives, 18 top 10s and seven pole awards.

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

• Carson Hocevar, driver of the No. 77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet ZL1, will make his 60th NASCAR Cup Series start in Sunday’s Firekeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
• The Portage, Mich., native will be joined by Michigan-based Zeigler Auto Group for his second Cup Series appearance at the two-mile oval after a 10th-place showing in the 2024 event.
• Zeigler Auto Group has turned the No. 77 Chevy gold in celebration of the company’s 50th anniversary. Zeigler Auto Group is one of the largest privately-owned dealer groups in the U.S. with 84 franchises across 41 locations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Vehicle brands represented include all the domestic and majority of the imported manufacturers. The family-owned and -operated organization has been a regular on the Cup Series tour since 2019.
• The Firekeepers Casino 400 will be Hocevar’s third race of the week. He’ll first take to the track Tuesday night at Berlin Raceway near Grand Rapids for the Money in the Bank 150 Super Late Model race. Hocevar won the prestigious event in 2020 and 2021 and will compete alongside fellow Cup Series competitor and Michigan native Erik Jones. He took victory in the 2024 Battle at Berlin, his last appearance at the historic Michigan short track.
• Following his trip to Berlin, Hocevar will make his way 135 miles east to Michigan International Speedway to prepare for his first NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at the venue. It will be his third CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start of the season and first since taking the checkered flag in the Heart of Health Care 200 at Kansas Speedway.
• The 22-year-old driver is fresh of his second runner-up finish of the season after a stout showing at Nashville Superspeedway. Hocevar started 26th for the 300-lap event, steadily working his way toward the top five by the conclusion of Stage Two. From there, the reigning Cup Series Rookie of the Year ran consistent lap times and was aided by a lightning-fast pit stop from the No. 77 team to claim the second position with 30 laps remaining in the event. The result tied his career-best Cup Series finish, first earned on February 23 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
• Hocevar’s finish at Nashville resulted in a net gain of five positions in the Cup Series driver point standings, placing the No. 77 team just four points behind the Playoff cut line.

Carson Hocevar Quotes
You’re headed back home to Michigan and riding the wave of another second-place finish. How do you carry that momentum over to a bigger, faster track and balance the environment of being at your hometrack?
“I’m really excited to get to Michigan and have a chance to improve on our race from last year. I’ve been saying for a few weeks that we’ve improved so much and, thankfully, we finally put a race together where that shows. There are definitely some lessons and things that we learn each week that will only continue to make us better down the line, but I think we have a good chance to keep things going to get another top five or top 10 this weekend.

“There is for sure a balance that has to happen in terms of showing appreciation to fans and friends who come to the track and staying aware of the job that we’re there to do. I work on that every weekend just as much as I work on my race craft. It’s an ever-evolving process and we have a solid group that holds me accountable to make sure I’m giving my attention to all of those different areas.”

How much does it benefit you to race in events outside of the Cup Series?
“I feel like it helps a lot. Not so much in terms of things specific to the car and what we can do, but just having that time on track to be in race mode. I love racing and I’m happiest when I’m getting to do that, but I think it does help that I can be in that racing mindset more often and earlier in the weekend. I also really enjoy getting to be around fans. It makes me a better driver to hear what they love about our sport and know that we’re making a difference.”

Atop the No. 77 Box – Crew Chief Luke Lambert

• Crew chief Luke Lambert will call his 20th Cup Series race at Michigan in Sunday’s race. In his previous 19 races, he’s led drivers to five top-10 finishes and earned a fourth-place finish with Ryan Newman in 2017.
• The Mount Airy, N.C., native has now completed 58 races atop the pit box for Hocevar with 50 of those starts occurring with Spire Motorsports. Together they’ve earned three top-five, nine top-10 finishes, and captured Hocevar’s first Cup Series pole award on May 3 at Texas Motor Speedway.

About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports 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 on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on May 10, 2025, when Carson Hocevar took the checkered flag in the Heart of Health Care 200 at Kansas Speedway.

In 2025, Spire Motorsports campaigns the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolets in the NASCAR Cup Series. The team also fields the Nos. 07, 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and the No. 77 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series in select events.