Michael McDowell will run the season-opening NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway for Spire Motorsports, the team announced Jan. 9.
McDowell will pilot the No. 7 with sponsorship from Tibbetts Lumber Company.
“I have a great deal of respect for the Tibbetts Lumber team,” McDowell said in a team release. “They’ve helped me on my own property and their team truly combines outstanding service with a high-quality product. It’s special to have them racing with us at Daytona, and earning a win in all three national series is something I’ve wanted to make happen for a long time. I think we’ll have a real opportunity to do that on Friday night in Daytona in our Tibbetts Lumber Chevy Silverado.”
McDowell also drove Daytona for Spire in 2025, steering the No. 07 to a 26th-place finish.
He’s the first driver announced to Spire’s Truck program for 2026. The team previously revealed it plans to field the Nos. 7 and 77 this year.
Kevin Rutherford is the executive editor of Frontstretch, a position he gained in 2025 after being the managing editor since 2015, and serving on the editing staff since 2013.
At his day job, he's a journalist covering music and rock charts at Billboard. He lives in New York City, but his heart is in Ohio -- you know, like that Hawthorne Heights song.