Spire Motorsports announced on Tuesday that Justin Haley will not return to the No. 7 Cup Series car after the 2025 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. So what is next for the team?
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The three-car team could look to the Craftsman Truck Series or Xfinity Series ranks to find a new teammate for Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell. After all, the two national series have no shortage of talented drivers rising up the ranks.
However, based on discussions in the garage, Spire Motorsports could lean more toward a veteran driver who already has won in NASCAR's top series. Many people in the industry have pointed to Daniel Suarez as the leading candidate to take over the No. 7 Chevrolet next season.
The Monterrey, Mexico, native has been a key player in Silly Season since early July when he and Trackhouse Racing announced a mutual parting of ways. At one point, it appeared that Suarez would potentially join JR Motorsports to chase another Xfinity Series championship.
At another point, it appeared that he could be a candidate to fill a third seat at Legacy Motor Club. However, this move to Legacy MC became far less likely as legal issues continued between the team and Rick Ware Racing. These issues have since ended with a charter resolution between the two teams.
As co-owner Jimmie Johnson explained, the timing would not work out to add Suarez to the lineup.
"Danny is a great friend and somebody I stay in touch with," Johnson said in late July. "I kind of knew his situation from a friend standpoint for a while. Great talent. Very popular. Can really perform on any track, has great sponsorship interest. A well-rounded modern-day NASCAR athlete.
"The real opportunity for any team owner. I would love to think about him seriously, but I don't have a seat, on top of the fact I'm not sure if and when we'll get a seat as we're trying to acquire our third charter. I would look hard at him if we were prepared and ready and moving in that direction. In this instance, I highly doubt timing is going to work out."
Suarez has made 320 starts at NASCAR's top level with Joe Gibbs Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, Gaunt Brothers Racing, and Trackhouse Racing. He has scored wins at Sonoma Raceway and EchoPark Speedway while making two playoff appearances.
He has the experience to help Spire Motorsports continue building, and he remains very motivated to prove he can consistently contend for a championship. Spire Motorsports also continues to inch closer toward victory lane with consistently fast cars. The foundation is there, and Suarez could potentially build upon it by taking over the No. 7 Chevrolet.
