Haley: Spire No. 7 ‘Just Has To Get A Little Better’

Justin Haley (Matthew Thacker/Nigel Kinrade Photography)

MOORESVILLE, N.C. - After Justin Haley returned to Spire Motorsports for his second NASCAR Cup Series stint, early projections of his 2025 season had him taking the next step and becoming a contender.

In all honesty, however, things haven’t gone the way of the 26-year-old.

A season that was supposed to be a career advancement after departing from Rick Ware Racing turned tumultuous quickly, with Haley’s initial crew chief Rodney Childers being replaced after just nine races and the loss of his car chief and pit crew in April as well.

Haley currently sits 29th in the overall point standings, while Spire teammates Carson Hocevar and Michael McDowell have shown flashes of contending speed and both sit within the top 23 in regular season points.

“I think it's just been interesting. I mean, that's really all I can think about when I think about our season. Obviously, I feel like at the start of the season, we were pretty good, and then the car chief and crew chief change happened,” said Haley. “We kind of went through a section through May and June where I thought we were pretty decent, we had good speed but just caught up in a lot of incidents that kind of tanked us back in the points.”

The reason Childers was replaced was largely due to chemistry and the fit between driver and crew chief not being the right one. This led to competition director Ryan Sparks becoming the head man of Haley’s No. 7 team in April and for the remainder of the season.

Despite only one top 10 so far, Haley’s fortune has finally begun to turn, and it continued on Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Haley extended his top 20 streak to three races in a row dating back to California’s Sonoma Raceway on July 13.

Justin Haley (7) battles Michael McDowell at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Nigel Kinrade/NKP photo)

He captured an 11th-place finish and led 15 laps despite qualifying 28th and starting at the rear of the field. The Brickyard 400 marked Haley’s highest finish in a race since March, where he captured his lone top 10 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.

“We've kind of tried to climb back through the metric and have decent days. I feel like we're coming off two OK finishes right inside the top-20. I feel like we've had good speed, but are just trying to find our groove again,” said Haley in a pre-Indianapolis media availability. “Obviously, it’s been a pretty difficult season, in general, with where we are in the point standings and kind of what we've gone through.

“It’s definitely not what I expected when I started in Daytona in February, to go through all we've been through,” he added. “But we’re just trying to find a little bit of a silver lining and get some good finishes by the end of the year in November.”

The Winamac, Ind., native was able to secure his best finish on the 2.5-mile Indy oval and led his first Cup Series laps at the ‘Racing Capital of the World.’

He also mentioned he still questions why he got to the point of having a major team personnel change and how tough it’s been on him. But through it all, his Spire team hasn’t given up.

“I feel like there's been weeks where we show a lot of promise, and a lot of those weeks we got caught up in someone else's mess. I feel like the past two weeks, we've had decent speed,” he said. “We had the fastest lap at Sonoma, but now we’re just trying to find a little bit of speed and get some finishes.”

Through the difficult season, Haley also said he’s thankful for his teammates - particularly the veteran perspective and leadership of Michael McDowell, who’s in his first year with the Spire team.

“I'm glad to have Michael on my side. He's been a big part of this year and helping me. He's been an awesome teammate,” Haley noted. “Can't say enough about Michael and what he's done for our organization and our team.”

“I relate to him a lot like I did with A.J. Allmendinger [at Kaulig Racing]. He’s a figure that's been around and seen it all. He just has a good overview perspective on maybe where your team's at, where your car's at or where you're at as a driver,” added Haley. “I'm living in it and trying to do it all, but having a neutral figure like Michael who is just there for your best interest has been a big help.

“I’m glad he's taken me under my wing, and obviously I'm fully supportive of him and his team, as well. He's just been a great human being.”

As he builds steps with his still new look team, Haley turns to Iowa Speedway, where he finished 13th last season for Rick Ware Racing.

“I feel like we're OK currently,” he pointed out. “We just have to get a little bit better.”

Coverage of the Iowa Corn 350 powered by Ethanol begins Sunday, Aug. 3 at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.