Justin Haley is currently driving for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series for the second straight season and it has represented slightly better performances. Haley, 24, has four top-5 finishes and nine top-10 finishes in 54 starts with the organization since the start of 2022.
Kaulig Racing knew the 24-year-old driver wouldn’t be able to consistently compete for victories at this point; however, it has been successful due to the NASCAR team’s status in the Cup Series. As of now, Haley sits 21st in the point standings after finishing the 2022 season in 22nd place.
Meanwhile, Haley’s average finishing position has improved from 18.4 to 18.2 compared to last year. Despite his improvements, the performance of the Kaulig Racing driver might not determine whether the young NASCAR organization brings him back for a third full-time season or not.
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Latest on Justin Haley’s chances of driving for Kaulig Racing in 2024
Haley truly burst onto the scene when he drove for Spire Motorsports in select races during the 2019 season. No one expected much from him but the unthinkable happened on July 7, 2019, at Daytona International Speedway.
Driving the No. 77 car, Haley saw drivers in front of him come down pit road and he found himself in the lead. Before the race went back green, it was red-flagged due to the weather. NASCAR wouldn’t get the event resumed and Haley was deemed the winner as it poured outside.
Justin Haley’s career stats (Cup Series): 1 win, 5 top-5 finishes, 3 top-12 finishes
Since then, it has been a gradual rise for the 24-year-old driver. Haley won three races for Kaulig Racing during the 2020 NASCAR Xfinity Series season and went full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series that next season. Despite his success, there are questions about his future.
The Athletic’s Jordan Bianchi talked to Chris Rice, the president of Kaulig Racing, and he said the organization “loves Justin” and believes the team can build around him moving forward. Rice said he wants to have the NASCAR team’s driver lineup secured by mid-August.
What did the President of Kaulig Racing say about Haley’s chances of returning to the No. 31 Chevrolet next season? Rice said the chances of the Indiana native returning to the organization were “high.”
For Haley, Kaulig Racing is a place he wants to be for the foreseeable future and it isn’t hard to understand why he thinks so highly of the organization. This is what Haley had to say about his future at Kaulig Racing.
“I would love to stay with (Kaulig Racing). It’s where I’ve grown up basically and stayed with forever, but obviously there’s a big part of the business to the sport and all the sponsorship that is needed. So, I feel confident of my position in the sport and feel like there’s no reason that we can’t get a deal done. Matt Kaulig and Chris Rice have been good to me for a long time.”
Justin Haley on his future at Kaulig Racing beyond 2023
It is clear that everyone involved wants to see Haley drive the No. 31 car next season and beyond. The only issue is the sponsorship aspect which has plagued many drivers. It may not be enough to truly knock him out of the entry but the business side of NASCAR can take control sometimes.
If the unthinkable happens and Haley doesn’t return, who would be a good replacement moving forward? Continue reading to find out three ideal drivers for Kaulig Racing to consider in 2024!
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3 ideal candidates to drive for Kaulig Racing if Justin Haley doesn’t return
Kaulig Racing hopes to have Haley behind the wheel of the No. 31 car for the 2024 season but the business side of NASCAR is difficult. If that doesn’t happen, who would be a good replacement as the organization continues to grow in the NASCAR Cup Series?
Chandler Smith would be a very good replacement as it appears he will join Kaulig Racing in the Cup Series sooner rather than later. Smith, 21, was picked up by the organization before the 2023 season as he moved up from the NASCAR Truck Series.
The 21-year-old driver has been very solid as he sits fifth in the point standings with one victory at Richmond Raceway. Smith’s future in NASCAR remains incredibly bright and Kaulig Racing will be ecstatic when he’s ready for the top level.
Austin Hill has been one of the top drivers in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as he sits second in the point standings with three victories. Hill, 29, currently drives for Richard Childress Racing which means the connection is present.
The 29-year-old’s current organization has a relationship with Kaulig Racing so this wouldn’t be an out-of-the-box idea. Hill would be a very solid option if the NASCAR team believes Smith is not completely ready to move up yet.
Daniel Hemric is another driver for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series that would make sense. Hemric, 32, won the 2021 Xfinity Series championship after beating Austin Cindric for his first NASCAR victory overall.
The 32-year-old driver has run well in his select starts in the NextGen car so this would be a good fit. Plus, Hemric’s move to the Cup Series would allow the organization to possibly pick up another young driver for its No. 11 car in the Xfinity Series.
Kaulig Racing would have a backup plan if the contract and sponsorship talks with Haley fall through over the next month; however, this is something that everyone hopes to avoid as the 2024 season begins to creep into the picture.