Justin Haley

Justin Haley Bio

Justin Christmann Haley, born on April 28, 1999, is an American professional stock car racing driver from Winamac, Indiana. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 16 Ram 1500 for Kaulig Racing. Haley first gained national attention with a dramatic rain-shortened victory in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway, becoming the 32nd driver to win a race in all three NASCAR national touring series.

Earlier in his career, Haley raced under the nickname J. J. Haley before switching to his given first name in January 2016 to avoid confusion with fellow competitor J. J. Yeley. Beyond driving, Haley owns Darkhorse Racecars, a manufacturer of dirt late model and dirt modified chassis. Standing 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighing roughly 141 pounds, he is one of the smaller drivers in NASCAR’s top touring divisions.

Early Life and Background

Justin Haley was born on April 28, 1999, in the small town of Winamac, Indiana. He grew up in a close-knit family with parents John Haley and Melissa Braun-Dennis, and he is one of four children, sharing his upbringing with an older brother and two younger sisters. His family ties run deep in racing, as he is the nephew of Todd Braun, the owner of Braun Motorsports, which helped open doors for his early career.

Haley first climbed into a race car at age nine, competing in Quarter Midgets at the Kokomo Quarter Midget Club during the late summer months of 2008. He quickly progressed through junior open-wheel and stock car divisions, scoring wins in the KQMC, the Indiana State Series, and the Light 160 State Championships by 2011. These formative years on short tracks in the Midwest built the foundation for his move into NASCAR’s development ladder.

Raised in Indiana, Haley balanced his education with a growing travel racing schedule, often spending weekends at tracks across the Midwest before relocating closer to NASCAR’s hub in the Southeast. His family’s long-standing connections within the motorsports industry gave him the support system needed to advance as a teenager.

Path to NASCAR

Haley’s first step onto the NASCAR ladder came in 2014, when he ran three races in the ARCA Menards Series East, posting a best finish of seventh at Dover International Speedway. That same year, he also debuted in the ARCA Menards Series at Toledo, giving him valuable experience on a variety of track types. His progress quickly attracted attention from established teams.

In 2015, Haley joined HScott Motorsports to compete full-time in the Pro Series East, where he earned Rookie of the Year honors. He balanced that schedule with his Camping World Truck Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway, driving the No. 32 Chevrolet Silverado for Braun Motorsports and finishing fourteenth. By the end of the year, he had proven he could compete at the national level.

The 2016 season marked Haley’s true breakout. He recorded his first career Pro Series East win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and went on to capture the 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship. That year, he became the only driver in series history to finish in the top ten in all fourteen races, a remarkable consistency that cemented his reputation as one of the top young talents in the country.

Justin Haley Career

Early Career (2015-2017)

Haley’s professional career began in earnest in 2015 with part-time Truck Series starts for Braun Motorsports and a full Pro Series East campaign with HScott Motorsports. He earned his first Truck Series top-ten finish at Phoenix International Raceway, finishing seventh, and gained valuable seat time across both ovals and road courses. These early appearances laid the groundwork for a full-time opportunity in NASCAR.

In 2016, Haley earned his first ARCA Menards Series win at Springfield and dominated the K&N Pro Series East with two wins and the series championship. On December 9, 2016, GMS Racing announced that Haley would drive the No. 24 truck for the team in 2017, beginning with the third race of the season. The deal signaled his arrival as a rising prospect in the NASCAR garage.

NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2017-2018)

Haley moved into GMS Racing’s No. 24 Silverado full-time in 2017, although NASCAR’s age restriction forced him to miss the first two races of the year. Despite the slow start, he finished twelfth in the final Truck Series standings and gained playoff experience. The 2018 season was a defining year, as he earned his first career Truck Series win at Gateway in June, locking himself into the playoffs.

Haley added two more victories in 2018, at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Texas Motor Speedway, to qualify for the playoff finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He finished third in the final Truck Series points standings that year. Across his Truck career, Haley has accumulated three wins, 36 top-ten finishes, and one pole position. He returned to the Truck Series in 2020 with GMS and announced a return to the series in 2025 with Spire Motorsports before later moving to Kaulig Racing’s Ram program.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2018-2021)

Haley made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in June 2018 at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 23 for GMS Racing while filling in for Spencer Gallagher and finishing twelfth. In July 2018, he unofficially won the Xfinity race at Daytona ahead of Kyle Larson and Elliott Sadler, but NASCAR ruled his last-lap pass below the double yellow line illegal, handing the win to Larson. The decision ended in an eighteenth-place finish, but it previewed his superspeedway talent.

On December 1, 2018, Haley signed a multi-year deal to drive the No. 11 full-time for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series. In 2020, he captured his first Xfinity victory at Talladega Superspeedway after starting from the pole and winning the first stage. That win also made him the 32nd driver to win a race in all three NASCAR national touring series. He earned a second Xfinity win in 2021 at the July Daytona race, beating teammate A. J. Allmendinger by just 0.023 seconds, and finished sixth in the final 2021 standings. Across his Xfinity career, Haley has tallied four wins, 69 top-ten finishes, and zero poles.

NASCAR Cup Series (2019-Present)

Haley debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series in April 2019 at Talladega Superspeedway, driving the No. 77 for Spire Motorsports. Just three starts later, he captured one of the most improbable victories in recent Cup history, winning the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona under rain-shortened conditions. The win was Spire’s first Cup victory in its maiden season and instantly elevated Haley’s profile.

Because he was not running for Cup points that year, Haley was not eligible for the 2019 Cup playoffs. He later drove for Kaulig Racing in the 2020 Daytona 500, qualifying as the fastest non-charter team, and returned to Spire for the 2021 Cup season. In June 2021, Kaulig announced Haley would race full-time in the Cup Series starting in 2022, and in December 2021, the team revealed he would drive the No. 31 entry. In 2023, he nearly won the inaugural Cup race at the Chicago Street Course before settling for second behind Shane van Gisbergen.

Haley moved to Rick Ware Racing in 2024 on a multi-year contract and earned his first top-ten finish with the team at Darlington Raceway. On September 20, 2024, Spire Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing announced a driver swap, putting Haley back in the No. 77 for the final stretch of 2024 and the full 2025 season. On October 14, 2025, Spire announced the team and Haley would part ways after the 2025 season. Across his Cup career, Haley has one win, 18 top-ten finishes, and zero poles.

Driving Style and Strengths

Haley has built much of his reputation on superspeedways, where his patience, race-craft awareness, and ability to time late-race restarts have produced memorable results at Daytona and Talladega. Crew chief partnerships with established strategists at Kaulig Racing have also helped him maximize pit-road opportunities and stage points. While smaller than most of his peers, he has earned a reputation as a calm, calculating driver who rarely overdrives his equipment.

Notable Races and Milestones

Signature moments include his rain-shortened 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 victory at Daytona, his first Xfinity win at Talladega in 2020, and his heartbreaking runner-up finish at the Chicago Street Course in 2023. The 2018 Truck Series win at Gateway, followed by road-course and oval victories later that season, established him as a playoff-caliber talent.

Justin Haley Career Wins

Justin Haley has compiled 12 total NASCAR victories across the Cup Series, Xfinity Series, Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series East. His wins span short tracks, intermediate ovals, road courses, and superspeedways, demonstrating the versatility that has defined his climb through NASCAR’s national ranks.

Cup Series Highlights

Haley has one NASCAR Cup Series win, captured in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The dramatic rain-shortened victory came in just his third Cup start and gave Spire Motorsports its first-ever Cup win. The result instantly elevated Haley into the record books as the 32nd driver to win in all three NASCAR national touring series.

Xfinity Series Highlights

Haley owns four NASCAR Xfinity Series wins, with his first victory coming in the 2020 Unhinged 300 at Talladega Superspeedway. He added his most recent Xfinity win at the 2021 Wawa 250 at Daytona, edging teammate A. J. Allmendinger by 0.023 seconds. Across his Xfinity career, Haley has also recorded 69 top-ten finishes.

Truck Series Highlights

In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Haley has three career wins, all earned during the 2018 season with GMS Racing. He first won at Gateway in June 2018, then added victories at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park and Texas Motor Speedway, the latter coming after leader Todd Gilliland ran out of fuel on the final lap. His Truck Series career also includes 36 top-ten finishes and one pole position.

Other Wins and Performances

Haley has three ARCA Menards Series wins and two ARCA Menards Series East victories, including a series championship in 2016. He also captured a CARS Super Late Model Tour event during his development years, underscoring his versatility across stock car disciplines.

Justin Haley Family

Family Background and Racing Lineage

Justin Haley comes from a motorsports family with deep roots in stock car racing. His father, John Haley, and mother, Melissa Braun-Dennis, supported his early racing ambitions, while his uncle, Todd Braun, owns Braun Motorsports, the team that gave Haley his first Truck Series opportunity. Growing up around race shops and haulers helped shape his understanding of the business side of the sport from a young age.

Personal Life

Haley currently resides in North Carolina, near the heart of NASCAR country. He married Haley Mottinger on November 17, 2023, and the couple has been together through his Cup Series transitions. Outside of racing, Haley is also a businessman, owning Darkhorse Racecars, a chassis manufacturer focused on dirt late model and dirt modified race cars.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began with Haley returning to the series full-time, driving the No. 7 for Spire Motorsports starting at Daytona. After returning to the Truck Series for the first time since 2020, Haley worked to re-establish his rhythm across a schedule that includes short tracks, intermediates, and road courses.

On October 14, 2025, Spire Motorsports announced that the team and Haley would part ways after the 2025 season, signaling a change for the following year. Despite the transition, Haley continued to chase consistent finishes as the schedule rolled toward the playoffs and the championship finale at Phoenix.

On October 29, 2025, Kaulig Racing announced that Haley would join their Ram Trucks program for the 2026 season, driving the No. 16 Ram 1500 full-time in the Craftsman Truck Series. The move gives Haley a fresh start with a manufacturer program and reunites him with Kaulig, the team where he enjoyed his most successful Xfinity Series seasons. Heading into the offseason, Haley and his new team are focused on building momentum toward a championship run in 2026.