Denny Hamlin points to Spire Motorsports as a 'team on the rise'
Denny Hamlin believes Spire Motorsports is on the rise after landing Michael McDowell, beginning in 2025.
During the latest episode of his Actions Detrimental podcast, the No. 11 wheelman pointed to Spire as a team that’s quickly improving in the Cup Series, praising their lineup of drivers and believing they’ll be competing for playoff spots over the next couple of seasons.
“We might be talking about two years from now that it was a good move, because obviously, we’re seeing through Carson Hocevar’s performance, that the team is on the rise,” Hamlin stated. “So I think that, they’re going to have a really good driver lineup over there for sure at Spire. So this is a team that probably will be contending for the backend of the playoff spots.
“Even if they don’t win a race, they’re going to be contending for the backend of the playoff spots here in the next year or two.”
That’s some solid praise from Hamlin, as he thinks Spire’s lineup can make the playoffs on merit, and not simply by lucking into a win at an unexpected track. Still, Hamlin had some interesting thoughts on McDowell’s move to Spire from Front Row Motorsports, explaining that he believes it may be a lateral one.
“I think Spire likely paid him more. I think, a multi-year deal that pays you more, versus what he was paid over at Front Row, and a year-by-year thing, he just wanted some stability,” Hamlin explained. “Now, if I were an agent, however, I would say, it’s okay to bet on yourself. Michael McDowell’s been running better. Over the last few years, he’s done a really, really good job, and he’s got the team in the playoffs last year, and he’s had some really strong runs this year. Even if you’re on a year-to-year deal, which I understand is not ideal whatsoever. It certainly is not ideal. You’re still running good enough where, even if your team let you go, you’d be able to get in another ride, that’s comparable to what you’re in, even if you got caught off guard. So, to me, he must view it as, the No. 71 will be equal to what he’s in.
“I don’t necessarily think that’s the case right in this one moment right now. Down the road, I don’t know. … In the current time that we live in, I don’t know that it’s a better ride than what you’re leaving, because you know, you’ve got the Front Row cars, that now have Penske Tier 1 information. … I don’t fault the deal, at all. I think Spire gets a really, really good driver. I think that they probably get the best end of the deal, is the long and the short of it. McDowell, I think it’s a lateral — a lateral-ish move. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it, and we might be talking about two years from now, that it was a good move.”
Alas, many eyes will be on Michael McDowell, and Spire Motorsports as a whole, moving forward. We’ll see if the former Daytona 500 champion can prove why the move was the right one for himself when he officially changes teams.