Stephen Doran to replace Peterson as McDowell crew chief in 2027

NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 9, 2026

Doran returns to Spire

Spire Motorsports is bringing Stephen Doran back into the fold as the crew chief for driver Michael McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 in the NASCAR Cup Series. The move sends Doran back to Spire after his time at Trackhouse Racing and gives McDowell a new lead voice on the pit box. Doran replaces Travis Peterson, who helped McDowell reach Victory Lane at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and now has been offered a leading engineering role by Spire. The shift keeps the core of McDowell’s program in motion, but it changes the person calling the shots on race days. It also gives Spire another experienced name to plug into its competition group as the team continues to build around McDowell’s car and the broader No. 71 effort.

Doran track record

Doran arrives with a resume that covers some of NASCAR’s top programs. He spent 11 seasons at Stewart-Haas Racing and was part of Kevin Harvick’s Cup Series championship team. That background gave Doran experience in a title-caliber environment, where race preparation, strategy and execution all carry weight every week. He then moved to Trackhouse Racing and paired with Shane van Gisbergen, a run that produced seven Cup Series wins and five poles. Those numbers show the kind of production Doran helped drive at his most recent stop, and they explain why Spire wanted him back. The combination of long-term stability at Stewart-Haas and recent results at Trackhouse gives McDowell a crew chief with a broad Cup Series background and a clear record of working inside successful organizations.

Spire lineup gains

Spire said Doran will work in a collaborative role alongside Ryan Sparks and Luke Lambert, which adds another layer to the team’s competition structure. Jeff Dickerson said the move strengthens a lineup that already includes Matt McCall, Ryan Sparks, Luke Lambert and Dax Garringer. That puts Doran into a group built around shared responsibility rather than a single isolated assignment, with several experienced names working in support of McDowell’s program. The offer to Peterson could keep him tied to the organization as well, even as Doran takes over the crew chief job. For Spire, the change blends continuity with a personnel reset. The team adds a crew chief with championship experience and recent race-winning results. Spire also keeps its engineering and competition bench deep with several established hands in place.