What’s Happening?

In the wake of Spire Motorsports dropping Corey LaJoie, rumors of a reunion with one of the team’s first drivers are running rampant. Bob Pockrass and Lee Spencer have indicated that Justin Haley is a candidate to join Spire Motorsports in 2025. Would this make sense for Justin Haley?

• Justin Haley competed part-time for Spire Motorsports in the Cup Series from 2019 through 2021. He made 36 starts for the team, with 31 coming in 2021. He won one race at Daytona in 2019, thanks to a lightning delay, and recorded two more top-10 finishes in 2021 at the Indianapolis Road Course (eighth) and Daytona (sixth), respectively.
• While at Spire, Haley competed full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Kaulig Racing. When Kaulig moved to Cup full-time in 2022, he jumped up with them, and he competed there for two seasons before moving to Rick Ware Racing for the 2024 season.
• While Haley has publicly declared his loyalty to RWR, many suspect that other teams might be interested in Haley due to his performance. Spire Motorsports has been notably aggressive the past two years, acquiring major sponsorship and investing tens of millions in purchasing a third charter and buying out Kyle Busch Motorsports. Do they have enough of a sales pitch to lure Haley over?

Why Would He Rejoin Spire?

From Spire’s perspective, Haley is an exciting young prospect who could be a tremendous asset. He’s someone who hasn’t gotten a Cup Series opportunity in top equipment, and while Spire is by no means top equipment, it certainly would be the best situation he’s ever been in.

From Haley’s perspective, he would partner with a Hall of Fame caliber crew chief in Rodney Childers. Add to that perk all of Spire’s investments in recent years, and the team seems set to break out at any moment.

While Haley has absolutely helped improve Rick Ware Racing, the team is still a ways away from consistently competing for wins or even a Playoff spot. An argument could be made that Spire is more ready for a push like that should someone with experience like Haley join.

There’s also their past relationship. Haley was a big part of Spire when it was just getting its feet off the ground as a race team, and the one trophy the team has, as fluky a win as it is, has Haley’s name on it.

Should He Leave Rick Ware Racing?

However, there are some drawbacks to pursuing this opportunity. The major hurdle is Rick Ware Raicng, a team that has rallied around and seems set to build around Haley for the future. The grass may always seem greener on the other side, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better opportunity.

Haley has publicly declared that he enjoys working at RWR and still has a contract with them beyond 2024. He discussed his commitment to the team when talking to the media in June.

The biggest issue seems to be whether Haley really has an interest in joining Spire. It makes sense for him to search for the best opportunity for him. However, he’s found a nice home at RWR, and it’s a place that is absolutely building around him.

If he moves to Spire, he could easily get lost in the shuffle among Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell. Spire still does not have a driver even close to the top 20 in points, and it’s legitimate to ask if it is really that much of an upgrade over RWR.

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