2021 Daytona 500 winner Michael McDowell to drive the team’s No. 71
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (May 8, 2024) –Spire Motorsports has agreed to a multi-year contract with 2021 DAYTONA 500 winner Michael McDowell to drive the team’s No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) beginning with the 2025 season.
McDowell, a native of Glendale, Ariz., is a veteran of 477 NCS starts and a two-time race winner. He made his NCS debut in 2008 and has since recorded two pole positions, nine top-five and 40 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s premier division.
He will be teamed with veteran Corey LaJoie and 2024 Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Carson Hocevar.
“This is a new chapter for my family and me, and we’re incredibly thankful for the opportunity that’s in front of us,” said McDowell. “It’s going to take some hard work, but I feel like everything is in place for us to be successful as a race team — to win races and contend for championships. People are the greatest asset to any organization, and with Spire’s vision, ambition, knowledge, and dedication, we will achieve great things. Failure is not an option, and that’s the mindset that it will take to achieve our goals.”
The father of five comes to Spire Motorsports from Front Row Motorsports where he was the organization’s leader in wins, starts, and top-five finishes. In addition to his victory in the 2021 Great American Race, McDowell proved his versatility with a road-course win in last year’s Verizon 200 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He earned NASCAR Cup Series Playoff berths in 2021 and 2023.
In addition to his vast NCS resume, McDowell has made 94 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts where he earned two poles, one win (Road America 2016), six top-five and 20 top-10 finishes. He’s also a four-time ARCA Menards Series race winner.
“Michael McDowell is a proven winner and brings a NASCAR Playoff pedigree,” said Spire Motorsports president Doug Duchardt. “Michael has always been committed to elevate his teams. His experience and enthusiasm are a perfect fit for Spire Motorsports, and we are sure he will be a great teammate to both Carey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar. We’re thrilled to keep up the positive momentum by adding someone as accomplished as Michael to our driver lineup.
“Our 2024 plan for the No. 71 team remains unchanged. Spire Motorsports fully supports Zane Smith and Stephan Doran. We remain committed to the success of our collaboration with Trackhouse. That team is just beginning to realize its potential. We’re looking forward to seeing how the Rookie of the Year battle plays out between Zane and Carson.”
Outside the stock car world, McDowell is an accomplished road racer with wins and championships spanning the karting, Formula Renault, Star Mazda and IMSA landscapes. He is a two-time International Karting Federation Champion who compiled 18 consecutive World Karting Association wins.
The 39-year-old collected Formula Renault USA Championship honors in 2002 and went on to claim the Star Mazda Series championship two years later. He boasts a 2005 IMSA win in Mexico City and was named the ARCA Menards Series Rookie of the Year in 2007.
Spire Motorsports was founded in 2018 and has logged 324 Cup Series starts, posting one win, six top fives and 12 top 10s. Since then, its teams and drivers have become Cup Series mainstays.
*** Editor’s Note ***
Michael McDowell and Spire Motorsports President Doug Duchardt will be available to meet with the media Thursday, May 9 at 11 a.m. ET at the NASCAR Productions facility in Concord, N.C. Please RSVP to [email protected] and [email protected] if a representative from your outlet plans to attend.
About Spire Motorsports …
Spire Motorsports is a NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series race team co-owned by long-time NASCAR industry executives Jeff Dickerson and Thaddeus “T.J.” Puchyr. In 2024, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Corey LaJoie, Zane Smith and Carson Hocevar, respectively. The team will also field the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Silverados full time in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. An all-star driver lineup will rotate throughout the 2024 season in the No. 7 Chevy. Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 71 entry and Chase Purdy rounds out the team’s fleet of Chevrolets in the No. 77.
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 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 Speedway. The team’s most recent win came on April 12, 2024, when Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the SpeedyCash.com 250 at Texas Motor Speedway.