Would Spire Motorsports Signing Daniel Suarez Make Sense?

What’s Happening?

Though he is the top Free Agent in the NASCAR Cup Series, it was once thought that Daniel Suarez would not have a shot at a NASCAR Cup Series ride in 2026. But, a new NASCAR Silly Season development could be the driver’s saving grace.

Entering the latter half of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season, NASCAR fans had come to realize that this Silly Season will not be as exciting as last year’s.

In 2024, fans saw three charters on the move, alongside multiple drivers switching rides for the new year. Among these drivers was Justin Haley, who, prior to the 2025 season, joined Spire Motorsports as part of a driver swap with Rick Ware Racing.

Haley, who moved to RWR from Kaulig Racing at the start of the 2024 season, exceeded expectations at the Ford team, earning the opportunity to head to Spire Motorsports. But, this season has not gone according to plan, as bad luck, the departure of Championship-winning Crew Chief Rodney Childers, and poor finishes have all resulted in rumors that Haley is on the hot seat in his new ride.

Per an Aug. 5 report by Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic, Haley needs to make “considerable improvement” on track, and, if this does not happen, Spire could move on from Haley, with Bianchi noting “maybe even before the season is out.”

While Haley seems to be set in his ride for now, likely not comfortably, this opens the door for the only known free agent in the NASCAR Cup Series garage.

Enter Daniel Suarez

Though Trackhouse Racing built its foundation on Daniel Suarez, the team’s original driver during the 2021 season, the team is set to move on from the 33-year-old at season’s end.

As of press time, the team has yet to announce who will replace Suarez, with 18-year-old Connor Zilisch likely the likely option. Trackhouse has publicly announced that this is their final season with their first driver.

While Suarez, a two-time Cup Series winner and former NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, would seem like a prime target for a full-time Cup Series ride, early signs showed that a lack of open seats for 2026 could force the veteran to consider other options in a lower series.

As Suarez remains a viable option for teams and with the news of Haley’s instability at Spire, fans are asking if Suarez would be a suitable replacement.

Haley v. Suarez

Currently, there are no rumors that the team is in conversations with Suarez or that Spire has begun preparations to replace Haley. But it’s easy to see how Suarez and Spire could be drawn to one another.

Aside from the ties to Chevrolet, if Spire were to move on from Haley, the addition of a driver like Suarez would add another winning veteran to the lineup, complementary to that of Michael McDowell in the No. 71 and another veteran resource for 22-year-old Carson Hocevar.

While it makes sense on paper, this raises the lingering question: Is Suarez even an upgrade over Haley?

On the surface, Suarez has a leg up on Haley as a two-time Cup Series winner and former Xfinity Series champion. However, Haley is no stranger to victory lane, tying Suarez with four Xfinity Series wins and a Cup Series win in a rain-shortened race at Daytona.

Through 23 races in the 2025 season, a year in which Haley has lost a Crew Chief and struggled mightily, the No. 7 team has outperformed the No. 99 in both average finish and average starting position. Of course, the two drivers both sit well below the playoff cutline, though Haley is 29th in points, 15 points over Suarez in 31st.

It seems clear that the two are equal, with Haley having the statistical edge over Suarez. But if Suarez is running worse than Haley, is it even worth moving on from Haley? And if Spire were to move on from Haley, who would they replace him with, if not Suarez?

Is a Driver Change Even the Right Move?

The current Truck and Xfinity Series Silly Season market is not as well-known as the Cup Series.

Looking at their developmental talent, it seems unlikely that Spire would call on their Truck Series winner Rajah Caruth for a full-time debut. Of course, there are plenty of young drivers hungry for a Cup Series ride—Sam Mayer and Jesse Love quickly come to mind.

But promoting a young driver to take over for Haley begs yet another question. Would changing drivers leave the already unstable No. 7 even worse off?

After all, this is a team that has had two drivers in less than a calendar year, a late-season driver change, and has, debatably, had the worst performance of the three Spire Cup Series cars since the team expanded last season.

Though it wouldn’t be hard to find a young talent to take the ride, finding someone who will succeed in the No. 7 car, if the team parted ways with Haley, seems like a tough undertaking for a team still trying to find its groove.

If Suarez is the only option, maybe it’s worth sticking it out with Haley until Spire has a long-term plan in place.

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.