Justin Haley Inks Multi-Year Deal with Rick Ware Racing

by
Peter Stratta
July 20, 2023

Photo Credits to Sean Gardner/Getty Images and Peter Stratta/TSJSports

Justin Haley Will Make Offseason Switch to Rick Ware Racing

A silly season move truly out of left field has struck. Free agent driver Justin Haley will leave Kaulig Racing’s No. 31 Chevrolet, moving to Rick Ware Racing for 2024. The 24-year-old from Winamac, Indiana is currently in his third NASCAR Cup Series season. He has spent the last year-and-a-half in Kaulig’s Cup Series car, with a best result of second a few weeks ago on the Chicago Street Course.

Before moving to Cup in 2022, Haley also spent three years with Kaulig’s Xfinity team. During this span, Haley won four Xfinity races and also won the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona with Spire Motorsports. Haley’s No. 31 team was 22nd in points last season and is 21st now with six races left in the 2023 regular season.

“This is a unique opportunity that I look forward to,” Haley said. “There are many key pieces of this program I believe can help me in taking the next steps in my NASCAR career. I look forward to working with our key partners, and many additional RWR partners to be announced soon. The alliance with RFK Racing is going to be pivotal for the future of our on-track success.”

“This is a great day for our team on many levels,” team owner Rick Ware said. “Having someone with Justin’s talent and background become part of our future is a testament to our commitment to growth over the past few years. I have known Justin for a long time, respect all he has achieved in many forms of motorsports and look forward to great success together. His versatility as a driver in multiple series, the continuity we can build around Justin and the respect amongst his peers will pay great dividends for our team. He will be a great teammate for the RWR/RFK Racing alliance.”

This shift for Rick Ware Racing will see Haley transition from Chevrolet to Ford, a first in his NASCAR career. RWR has two full-time Cup Series teams; the Nos. 15 and 51. Their cars are currently 32nd and 34th in Owner’s Points.

RWR’s organization has seen a few standout moments so far in 2023. Riley Herbst and JJ Yeley each have a top-10 this year for the No. 15. These results have come in the Daytona 500 and Atlanta two weeks ago.

What on paper may seem as a steep equipment downgrade for Haley does have some upside potential. 2023 is the first year in a partnership between RWR and RFK Racing. The RWR shop has moved onto the RFK campus, and their cars have seen a performance uptick.

It will be very interesting to see how Haley fares over the next few years in this new seat. Haley and Kaulig Racing now have 16 races left together in a lame duck period. Just how this pairing negotiates this final stretch will be a fun storyline for the rest of the year.