In 16 previous NASCAR Cup Series starts at Michigan International Speedway (MIS), Spire Motorsports has earned two top-10 finishes, with a best result of seventh achieved by Zane Smith in 2024. This weekend, the team returns to the high-speed two-mile D-shaped oval in the Irish Hills of Brooklyn, Michigan, fielding three entries for Daniel Suárez, Michael McDowell, and Carson Hocevar.

Race Info & Broadcast ScheduleRace: FireKeepers Casino 400 (Race 15 of 36)Track: Michigan International Speedway (2-mile D-shaped oval)Date: Sunday, June 7, 2026Time: 3:00 p.m. EDTTV/Radio: Live on Prime, Motor Racing Network (MRN), and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90)Daniel Suárez – No. 7 NationsGuard Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Daniel Suárez will pilot the No. 7 NationsGuard Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 on Sunday. The Monterrey, Mexico native currently sits 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 378 points after 14 races.

Driver NotesMichigan Resume: Suárez has made 13 Cup Series starts at MIS, earning two top-five and four top-10 finishes, with a career-best fourth-place result in 2019. He holds an average starting position of 21.9 and an average finish of 18.2 at the track.Historic Milestone: Michigan holds a special place in Suárez’s career; he secured his first NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory here in 2016, edging out Kyle Busch to become the first Mexican-born driver to win a NASCAR national series race.Big Track Experience: Out of Suárez’s 337 career Cup Series starts, 76 have come on tracks measuring two miles or longer, yielding seven top-five and 20 top-10 finishes.Recent Momentum: Last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, Suárez started third and collected a Stage 2 victory before slipping to a 19th-place finish.Crew Chief: Ryan SparksWinning Legacy: Sparks has called seven races at Michigan since 2020, with a personal best finish of 15th in 2023. He recently guided the team to a massive victory at this year’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.Driver Quote

“I have lots of good memories at Michigan. I enjoy the track and how fast it is, how wide it is, and how many different lines you can run. It really lets you be aggressive, but you also have to be smart with tire management and track position. This place has been good to me in the past, and it’s definitely one I look forward to every time we come back… When everything clicks – the car, the strategy, and the team – you can really make a statement.”

Michael McDowell – No. 71 Garner Trucking Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Michael McDowell will pilot the No. 71 Garner Trucking Chevrolet, featuring associate branding from Alvys and 419 Black Swamp Bucks. Garner Trucking, the Official Transportation Partner of Spire Motorsports, returns as the primary sponsor for the second consecutive week.

Driver NotesMichigan Stats: McDowell has made 19 Cup Series starts at MIS, claiming a personal venue-best 19th-place finish in 2024. He also has three intermediate starts at the track in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, finishing as high as seventh in 2012.Recent Consistency: Across his last four races, the Glendale, Arizona native holds an strong average finish of 9.75, which includes pacing the field twice at Watkins Glen and Charlotte.Power Advantage: The Spire stable continues to benefit from elite horsepower provided directly by the Hendrick engine shop, a critical asset on Michigan’s long straightaways.Last Outing: At Nashville Superspeedway last weekend, the two-time Cup Series race winner started 14th and brought home a solid 15th-place finish.Crew Chief: Travis PetersonProven Record: Peterson has called 127 races in NASCAR’s premier series, earning eight poles, one win, nine top-five, and 26 top-10 finishes. He has called three Cup races at MIS alongside McDowell.Driver Quote

“Michigan is always a track I look forward to. It’s one of those places where you really get a sense for where everyone stacks up from a performance standpoint. With the speed we’ve had over the last month at Spire Motorsports, especially on the intermediate and larger tracks, I’m excited about what we can do this weekend. The horsepower from the Hendrick engine shop has been a huge help for us this year, and Michigan is a place where that can really make a difference.”

Carson Hocevar – No. 77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

Portage, Michigan native Carson Hocevar returns home this weekend for his third Cup Series start at MIS. It will be a busy week for the 2024 Rookie of the Year, who is pulling double duty on the track and kicking off his week at Eldora Speedway for the Dirt Late Model Dream.

Driver NotesHome-State Sponsor: Zeigler Auto Group returns to the No. 77 car for their first points race of the season. Headquartered just miles from where Hocevar grew up in Kalamazoo, the group operates 88 franchises across 41 locations.Career-Best Season: Hocevar currently sits ninth in the Cup Series standings, just 10 points out of eighth. Through 14 races, his stats represent career highs across the board, anchored by his first career Cup victory earlier this year at Talladega Superspeedway.Michigan Heartbreak & Hunger: In last year’s Cup race at MIS, Hocevar started 14th, led 32 laps, and was pacing the field with just 19 laps remaining before a cut left-rear tire relegated him to 29th.Double Duty: Hocevar will also pilot Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet Silverado RST in Saturday afternoon’s Truck Series race.Recent Momentum: Last Sunday at Nashville, Hocevar battled handling issues all night but persevered to secure a hard-fought 10th-place finish, his sixth top 10 of the year.Crew Chief: Luke LambertVeteran Experience: Now in his 16th season as a premier division crew chief, Lambert has called 20 Cup races at MIS, recording one top-five and four top-10 finishes.Driver Quotes

“I remember that moment last year really well. I got to [Kyle] Larson’s right rear, and I knew he lost a lot of momentum from it so I shot out to the lead… I actually looked in the stands when I was coming off of Turn 4. It is a really long straightaway, and I remember seeing so many of them jumping up and cheering. It’s definitely one of the coolest racing memories I have – one I will cherish for a long time. Michigan is somewhere I am really comfortable and we have shown we have the speed to compete up front.”

“Harold, Aaron and the whole Zeigler family have been really great to me… When you represent the Zeigler family and Zeigler Auto Group, you feel like you are representing the Kalamazoo and Portage areas. Could be a really special day if we can get it done.”

Spire Motorsports PR