NASCAR insider points to 2 drivers, including Ricky Stenhouse Jr., as possible Justin Haley replacement at Spire

NASCAR insider Jordan Bianchi hosted a Q&A session ahead of the Cook Out Southern 500 and named Hyak Motorsports driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as one of the two possible replacements for Spire Motorsports' Justin Haley. Following the changes made in the Truck and Xfinity Series for the 2026 season, the fan wanted to ask Bianchi about the changes the Cup Series teams will make.

Haley debuted in the Cup Series with Spire Motorsports over half a decade ago in 2019. He competed for Kaulig Racing in his sophomore year and landed a full-time seat with the team in 2022 before moving to Spire Motorsports as a full-time driver this season. However, despite a decent start at the beginning of the season, the #7 Chevy Camaro ZL1 driver struggled during the mid-season and performed poorly.

Reflecting on the same, a fan asked Jordan Bianchi:

"We’ve seen some musical chairs already in Trucks and Xfinity preparing for next season. With the Cup playoff field set, do you see any teams making changes in the final 10 races — i.e. another driver swap in the No. 7?"

According to the report, Spire Motorsports has been thinking about replacing Haley. Following the same, Bianchi replied (via The Athletic):

"While Haley may not be jettisoned before the season ends, there is no guarantee he’ll be back with Spire next year. The team continues to evaluate its options, with Daniel Suárez and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. as two possibilities. Suárez is a free agent, while Stenhouse has term remaining on his contract with Hyak Motorsports, which means a buyout would need to be negotiated."

Daniel Suarez has secured two wins, 24 top-five finishes, 74 top-10 finishes, and three pole positions in 313 starts in his Cup Series career. Additionally, he has an average finish of 18.6 and an average start of 19.1. Meanwhile, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has secured four wins, 26 top-five, and 63 top-10 finishes, and three pole positions in 462 starts in his career.

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"Smart move, by the way": NASCAR insider gave his take on Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s feud with Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar

Earlier this season, during the Viva Mexico 250 at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, held on June 15, 2025, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Carson Hocevar had a bit of a spat on the track. Following the same, NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck believed the Hyak Motorsports driver did the right thing, avoiding physical confrontation with Hocevar.

The #77 Chevy Camaro ZL1 driver spun Stenhouse Jr. for the second time this season. The repetitive contact made the Hyak Motorsports driver furious, leading to a verbal confrontation between the two. Following the incident, Gluck said [via YouTube/The Teardown. 57:05 onwards]:

"Smart move, by the way. Do not get yourself arrested in Mexico and find yourself in a Mexican prison while everybody else in the industry leaves for assaulting somebody; you don't know the laws here."

"In Ricky's mind he's going to say, 'Well now if I don't follow through, I said, "Okay, I'll listen to this, and it doesn't do us any good, but if you do it again," now he did it again, and now he's been captured on audio. And Carson's like, Yeah, I screwed up, but it doesn't matter at this point," Gluck added.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. missed this year's playoffs with a point gap of 1596. He ranks 29th on the Cup Series points table with three top-ten finishes and one top-five finish in 26 starts this season. Additionally, he led three laps with an average finish of 22.192.