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It’s been some time since we first considered the possibilities for Spire Motorsports’ No. 7 car. Since then silly season has seen many changes to the driver market. So, who could drive the No. 7 for Spire in 2025?
Chandler Smith’s plans for 2025 are still unknown. Just one year after moving out of Kauling Racing’s Chevrolets and back into Toyota Racing Development, Smith is a top driver in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
While he could stay at Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025, Kauling was grooming Smith for the Cup Series as recently as last season. Smith’s improvement this season is no accident, and if given the opportunity, he may take the step with any team that offers.
TRD has eight spots in the Cup Series; however, none of those are open, as Chase Briscoe quickly filled the No. 19 spot at JGR, and Erik Jones signed an extension at Legacy MC.
That’s not saying that a ride could be open if 23XI if the team were to buy one of the few remaining charters from Stewart-Haas Racing. However, many have tied Riley Herbst and sponsored Monster Energy to that potential opening.
If Spire were to give Smith a chance, it could be a worthwhile gamble, similar to Carson Hocevar last year.
Zane Smith currently races for Spire in the No. 71. However, recent developments have found Smith out at Trackhouse Racing, the team that sent him to Spire.
Smith’s release from Trackhouse was no accident. His poor performance early this season at Spire and Shane Van Gisberegen’s wins in the Xfinity Series found him left out of the third car at the expanding Trackhouse.
However, Smith, who had just signed with Trackhouse last season, has improved tremendously in the second half of the season. Other options for Smith could be at his former developmental team, Front Row Motorsports. But bad blood from his departure could keep him out.
If Spire wanted to make no change while locking down a former top prospect, Smith could be their guy.
Christian Eckes is the topic of the Truck Series’ “where will they go” conversations, similar to Chandler Smith at JGR. Eckes had a stellar 2024 with McAnally Hilgemann Racing.
Battling all season with top TRD talent Corey Heim, Eckes, already the regular season champion, has his sights set on the Truck Series title in his Chevrolet Silverado. The conversation, however, is whether or not he should take the step to Xfinity.
Many drivers, like Carson Hocevar and Todd Gilliland, have gone straight from Trucks to Cup in recent years. While those two have shown skill, Eckes has a history of slow development in the Truck Series.
Eckes initially struggled for wins in the Truck Series. In 2022, He found himself out at TRD after five seasons with the manufacturer. However, the 2023 season would be monumental for Eckes, winning his second Truck Series race and three more after.
With the turnaround in the Truck Series, Eckes looks primed for a spot in the Xfinity or Cup Series. Cup teams may be concerned about the time it took Eckes to adjust to the Truck Series, potentially fearing that it could be worse by stepping over the Xfinity Series.
Bringing up Eckes at a frantic pace could be risky, but signing one of the hottest young drivers Chevrolet has to offer may be too good to pass up.
Justin Haley is a name tied to Spire several times by both fans and industry insiders.
Haley, once a Chevrolet developmental mainstay with Kaulig Racing, has worked hard at Rick Ware Racing to rebuild his reputation and make himself a tempting free agent.
While there is no word that he will leave RWR officially, the year he has had in their equipment has tied Haley to potentially better opportunities in the future.
One party that may have a problem with this is Ford. Currently losing SHR and drivers like Briscoe and Gragson, Ford may want to keep Haley around, whether in an FRM or RWR car.
On the other hand, Spire has a history with Haley, having won the team their first race in a rained-shortened Coke Zero Sugar 400 in 2019. At Spire, Haley could play the middle ground between winning veteran Michael McDowell and young Carson Hocevar.
If a reunion were to happen, it could domino the rest of free agency, with Ford drivers in search of a new home. For now, Haley, the first domino, is still standing.
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