The NASCAR world rarely slows down. And when Spire Motorsports announced parting ways with Justin Haley after the 2025 season, it ignited a fresh wave among fans. Haley, who grabbed Spire’s first Cup win back in 2019 at Daytona, had a tough go this year with just two top-10s and a 31st-place points finish. That news alone got folks talking about who could step into the No. 7 Chevrolet for 2026, with names like Corey Heim and Daniel Suarez popping up everywhere online.

Speculation ramped up quickly after Spire hinted at an announcement, pulling in fans who see Heim’s Truck dominance or Suarez’s Cup experience as perfect fits. As the buzz builds toward tomorrow’s reveal, one thing’s clear: this seat could shake up the midfield.

Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson didn’t mince words on Haley’s exit, calling it a tough call after years together. “This is a decision that was not taken lightly,” Dickerson said. “Justin has been a member of the Spire family since he was a teenager. We’ve watched Justin grow from a young driver trying to make his mark in the sport to a proven winner. He made us winners and returned home after forging his own path in the Cup Series.”

Haley returned full-time in 2025 after stints at Kaulig and Rick Ware, but the No. 7 team’s struggles throughout the season, marked by a crew chief swap after Bristol, left them lagging behind teammates Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell. Now, with the announcement set for Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET, insiders point to Daniel Suarez as the frontrunner, fresh off his Trackhouse split in July.

#NASCAR… @SpireMotorsport will formally announce the driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet for the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series campaign on Wednesday, October 22nd at 1:00 PM ET.

— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) October 20, 2025

Former No. 7 driver Corey LaJoie, now at Rick Ware, spilled some tea on his Stacking Pennies podcast, tipping Suarez hard. “It seems like Suarez, when the music stops, is going to be in that seat,” LaJoie said, adding context on the team’s chaos: “That is a dumpster fire over there at the moment with that No. 7 team in particular.”

LaJoie swapped spots with Haley late last year, so he knows the car’s quirks firsthand, its potential buried under instability. Suarez, with two Cup wins including that wild 2024 Atlanta photo finish, brings stability after Trackhouse’s one-year deal signaled doubts; his 2025 average finish of 20.9 showed regression amid crew changes.

The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi backs it up, too. “Daniel Suárez is going to be in that car next year… A Suárez-Spire union makes sense for both sides.” Bianchi notes Suarez’s motivation post-Trackhouse, where he voiced frustrations like feeling undervalued despite 74 career top-10s.

Over Corey Heim, who leads the 2025 truck series with 10 wins but stays tied to 23XI’s development deal for a mixed schedule, Suarez offers immediate Cup polish without contract snags. Fans lean on Suarez for his sponsorship pull and road-course edge, fitting Spire’s Chevy alliance.

That insider nod has only fueled the fire online, where everyday fans are weighing in with their takes on this pivotal shift.

Fans’ voices from the stands

One supporter cut straight to it: “Suarez. Won’t be Heim cause he’s tied up with 23XI.” That rings true; Heim’s locked into a part-time Cup push with 23XI alongside Truck duties at TRICON, leaving little room for Spire‘s full gig. After three season runs and with an average finish of 5.3 this year, Toyota’s pipeline still keeps him on a slow burn rather than a leap to midfield like Spire needs now.

Doubts crept in elsewhere, with a fan musing, “Idk how much of an upgrade this is gonna be from Haley to Suarez.” This fan made a fair point; both hover around 20th in average finishes, and Spire’s No. 7 has cycled drivers yearly without top-15 consistency. Yet Suarez’s 314 Cup starts dwarf Haley‘s 171 starts, including poles at road courses where Spire lacks punch.

Talk turned nostalgic for some, as one user wrote, “Corey Haim? He was rumored to be in a shot for that ride a while back.” Early 2025 whispers had Heim eyed for Spire amid his Truck hot streak, but 23XI‘s grasp tightened post his four Cup outings this season. Those rumors faded as Spire prioritized vets over young prospects still proving Cup mettle.

“Idk how much of an upgrade this is gonna be from Haley to Suarez. The Spire 7 as a team just sucks; it’s not a driver issue.” Spot on, the car’s ninth crew chief change since 2023, and lagging Speedway results point to pit shop woes, not just the wheelman. Haley’s Daytona P3 masked deeper issues like sparse laps led.

Finally, money talks loudest: “It’s Daniel Suarez because he comes with sponsorship.” Suarez’s Mexican market draw, boosted by his 2025 Mexico City Xfinity win, could fund Spire’s growth, much like Trackhouse leveraged it early on. In a cost-capped era, that edge seals deals faster than raw speed alone.

This sentiment was also shared by Corey LaJoie recently when he said in the Stacking Pennies podcast that, “It’s like, if you’ve got sponsorship and you can plug it in somewhere, and it’s the best available seat.”  This shows how money talks in the garage, and has the bending power that can shape narratives and careers as well.