Matt Johnson
NASCAR silly season is just a few months away, with Kyle Busch‘s future the biggest uncertainty in the Cup Series right now. There might be a little less uncertainty now.
Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports wrote that if Busch were to leave RCR, which remains iffy, joining Spire Motorsports is the “most logical” destination for the future Hall of Famer.
Related: What’s Happened During and Since Kyle Busch’s Winless Streak
There were reports in February that Spire wanted to go big-game hunting in NASCAR Silly Season. Team co-owner Jeff Dickerson is adamant about Spire becoming one of the top teams in the Cup Series and has demonstrated a willingness to make aggressive moves to improve.
However, a move isn’t necessarily a guarantee. Carson Hocevar is emerging as a superstar in NASCAR and just delivered a monumental win for Spire at Talladega. Meanwhile, the addition of Daniel Suarez has paid off immensely.
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Suarez, who many believed was fighting to save his Cup career entering 2026, has the highest average starting position (12.92) and average finishing position (15.00) in his Cup Series career. He currently ranks 14th in points, in a position for a spot in The Chase while Busch sits in 24th.
Who Could Kyle Busch Replace at Spire Motorsports?
Entering 2026, the likeliest scenario seemed to be Daniel Suarez not meeting expectations in his first season with Spire Motorsports and being replaced by Kyle Busch in the No. 7 car. Circumstances might have changed that.
Related: Michael McDowell Reveals Who his Successor May Be
However, Michael McDowell has been Spire’s worst-performing driver this season. Even after a second-place finish at Watkins Glen, McDowell ranks 21st in points and trails Suarez in average starting position (17.78), average finishing position (19.92), and points (225, 21st).
““It’s been rough … but, no, I don’t have any plans to quit anytime soon. But I do feel like there’s obviously a limit on how long you can do this. I don’t know what that number is, but I want to be performing well, and as long as I’m performing well, I feel good about doing it.”
Michael McDowell to Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic on his struggles this season, future plans
McDowell, who turns 42 years old in December, has given no indication of an interest in stepping away from full-time racing. If Spire wants to make a change, it now seems possible that Busch could replace McDowell in the No. 71 car next season.
Related: Latest Buzz on Kyle Busch’s Likely Landing Spot in 2027
However, the most likely outcome is that McDowell gets another season with Spire and Busch stays with Richard Childress Racing. If both drivers struggle to perform well again in 2027, then they would almost certainly be replaced by up-and-comers in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
