What’s Happening?

Spire Motorsports is moving on veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver Justin Haley after just one season in a full-time role with the team. With such a dramatic move late in the season, fans are curious as to which driver will fill the seat in the No. 7 for the 2026 season. Here is a look at some of the options fans are talking about, and who out of that group might be the best candidate available for the team.

Corey LaJoie

Spire built their program around Corey LaJoie. As the team’s first full-time driver, LaJoie’s personality and knack for drafting made him and the No. 7 team a fan favorite.

Since rumors first surfaced about Haley’s then-potential departure this summer, fans have given their opinion that his tenure in the No. 7 car was no better than that of the driver he replaced, Corey LaJoie. This, combined with his return to the team’s truck program to round out a difficult part-time 2025, has led some fans to call for another shot in the No. 7 for the 33-year-old.

While his exit and Haley’s short tenure in the No. 7 were a letdown, the fact remains that Haley put up slightly better stats than LaJoie’s final 36 races in the No. 7 car.

Now, if the team were looking for a reliable, short-term option for the No. 7, LaJoie could make since to stabilize the ride until long-term plans are made, But even then, the fact remains that LaJoie is probably not returning to Spire or maybe even a full-time ride, though, once again, if there weren’t any top free agents, he would be a safe yet temporary option.

Rajah Caruth

While Rajah Caruth may not have the pop off the page stats that his peers in the Craftsman Truck Series have, the 23-year-old is a consistent runner, playoff driver, and in-house option for Spire. So, of course, when this opening arose, fans quickly pointed to Rajah as an option for the team.

It’s easy to understand why. Rajah is a young, likable driver, with a winning record. Furthermore, despite his lack of a full-time effort in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Spire has not shied away from this in the past, pulling up 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Carson Hocevar with only five Xfinity Series starts under his belt.

Nonetheless, there are a few asterisks with this applied logic.

First, Hocevar was coming off a career year in the Truck Series in 2023, and Rajah has yet to find the sheer speed that Hocevar had during his breakout Truck Series season. That’s not to say Rajah won’t find himself in a Cup Ride one day as Spire’s first Truck-to-Cup prospect, but for now, there are better, more experienced options for Spire.

Daniel Suarez

Free Agent Daniel Suarez is, of course, the talk of the town when it comes to the No. 7. While neither party has confirmed his signing, he seems like the perfect short-term, if not long-term, option for Spire.

Not only is the 33-year-old a former National Series champion, multi-time Cup Series winner, and a fan favorite, but Suarez has the name and sponsorship to bring real legitimacy to the No. 7.

Now, there is an elephant in the room when it comes to the Suarez conversation, that being that he is running about the same as Haley in equal, if not slightly better, equipment at Trackhouse in 2025.

But, once again, his outside factors, such as wins in recent seasons and sponsors like Coca-Cola, Telcel, and potentially even Freeway Insurance, push him past Haley when weighing the two drivers.

The question is, how long would he be there?

If Suarez performs the same as Haley, and with rumors of a big free agent market next season, the team may want to move on from him after a year for competition purposes. But if he finally stabilizes the No. 7, Suarez could remain a long-term asset at Spire and hold the role as a foundational piece for the team’s growth.

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