What’s Happening?

Michael McDowell is joining Spire Motorsports in the No. 71 car on a multi-year deal in 2025. This directly affects one of Spire’s rookie drivers, Zane Smith. What will Spire do with Zane Smith in 2025?

Michael McDowell Signs Multi-Year Deal With Spire Motorsports

• Zane Smith is currently at Spire Motorsports as a development driver for Trackhouse Racing. While he technically drives for Spire, he’s under contract at Trackhosue, so, it’s more about what they decide to do with him instead of Spire.
• Smith has notably struggled in 2024. He sits outside of the top 30 in points, and he’s well behind his teammates Corey LaJoie and Carson Hocevar every week.
• Fans are intrigued by this move. They know Silly Season is in full swing, and the major moves are beginning to take form.

Could He Stay At Spire?

UPDATE: The Teams Looking to BUY and SELL Cup Charters

The original McDowell signing press release did not officially say that Smith would depart from the team in 2025, but, it seems like the most likely scenario. The only way Smith would stay at Spire is if Spire buys a new charter, and, that’s probably not going to happen.

First, Spire is absent from any report on who could buy charters for 2025. Secondly, why would Spire buy an entire charter just to house a driver they don’t have control of? It makes no sense unless they want to expand to 4 race teams.

Trackhouse

Understanding Trackhouse’s Many Teams and Drivers

When Smith originally signed with Trackhosue last September, the original press release said it was a Multi-year Deal. He’s still under contract with Trackhouse for 2025, and they likely want to bring him in-house given how much he’s struggled with the Spire No. 71 team this season. However, a couple of things are standing in their way.

First, Trackhouse must buy a third charter to bring someone like Smith into the fold full-time, and the charter market is quite crowded. Second, Trackhouse also has SVG under contract, but he might stay in Xfinity for another year, which would give him as many Xfinity Series seasons before full-time Cup as former Supercars star, Marcos Ambrose. Daniel Suarez is in a contract year, but, he won at Atlanta, qualifying him for the Playoffs.

Kaulig Racing

The other team Trackhouse is aligned with is Kaulig Racing. Kaulig is in a strange space right now with only one full-time driver, Daniel Hemric, for two chartered entries. If Trackhouse cannot get a third charter, maybe they can outsource Smith to a team Kaulig, whether that be Cup or Xfinity, given how tough this season has been for Smith.

However, this is an absolute last resort. Trackhouse likely wants to bring Smith and their other drivers in-house (pun intended) as soon as possible. If Trackhouse gets a third charter, this won’t happen.

Zane Smith has to race somewhere for 2025, but, where will that be?