Justin Haley (racing driver)

Justin Haley (born April 28, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 11 Chevrolet Camaro for Kaulig Racing and part-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for Kaulig Racing. He previously went by his nickname J. J. Haley until he switched to his first name in January 2016 to avoid confusion with fellow competitor J. J. Yeley.

Although he was yet to be a full-time Cup driver, Haley took a shock win in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona summer race in only his third career Cup Series start due to being in the lead, through pit strategy, under caution when lightning and eventual rain hit the area.

Racing career
Haley began his racing career at age nine, in Quarter Midgets at Kokomo Quarter Midget Club during the late summer months of 2008. In 2009 and 2010, he scored the KQMC, Indiana State Series and, in 2011, the Light 160 State Championships.

Regional series
In 2014, Haley ran three K&N Pro Series East races, recording a best finish of seventh at Dover International Speedway. The next year, he joined HScott Motorsports to compete full-time in the Pro Series East, competing for Rookie of the Year honors. In 2016, Haley recorded his first career Pro Series East win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway. Haley won his first Pro Series East championship in 2016 after finishing in the top-ten in all 14 races, the only driver to do so in series history.

Camping World Truck Series
In 2015, Haley made his Camping World Truck Series debut at Bristol with Braun Motorsports, driving the No. 32 Chevrolet Silverado and finishing 14th. His following Truck race at Martinsville Speedway ended when he was involved in a crash on lap 119. At Phoenix International Raceway, Haley recorded his first top ten, when he finished in seventh. On December 9, 2016, it was announced that Haley would drive the No. 24 truck for GMS Racing in 2017, starting with the third race of the year.

Haley joined GMS full-time in 2017, driving the No. 24 Silverado. However, Haley missed the first two races – the NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway and the Active Pest Control 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway – due to NASCAR's age restriction. Scott Lagasse Jr. and Alex Bowman replaced Haley at Daytona and Atlanta, respectively. He missed the playoffs and finished 12th in the final point standings. In 2018, he earned his first career win at Gateway in June, locking him into the playoffs for the first time. Haley would get his 2nd win of the season at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, after leaders Todd Gilliland and Noah Gragson took each other out in the final corner. In Texas, he got his third win after race leader Todd Gilliland ran out of fuel on the last lap. As a result of these 2 wins, Haley qualified for the playoff finale at Homestead. Haley finished 3rd in the points standings, after finishing 8th at Homestead.

Xfinity Series
In June 2018, Haley made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 23 for GMS Racing while filling for Spencer Gallagher. He would go on to finish 12th.

Haley drove the No. 24 car at Daytona in July 2018 for GMS Racing, where he unofficially won the race ahead of Kyle Larson and Elliott Sadler. However, it was revealed that Haley went below the double yellow line to pass both of the leaders just before the finish line and NASCAR ruled Haley's pass illegal after the race, giving Kyle Larson the win, while Haley finished 18th.

On December 1, 2018, it was announced that Haley signed a multi-year deal to drive the No. 11 full-time for Kaulig Racing in 2019, replacing Ryan Truex.

Cup Series
In April 2019, Haley joined Spire Motorsports' No. 77 for his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. With seven laps remaining, he was collected in a crash with Matt DiBenedetto, Chris Buescher, and Martin Truex Jr., finishing the race in 32nd. He returned to the team at Sonoma Raceway in June, finishing 34th.

For Daytona's Coke Zero Sugar 400, he qualified 34th. In the race, with around 30 laps to go, Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer tangled, causing "The Big One". Haley, in 27th, narrowly avoided it and sneaked into 3rd. Race leader Kurt Busch and second-place Landon Cassill would pit under caution but Haley did not, inheriting the lead just before lightning struck near the race track, red-flagging the race. After hours of red flag conditions, the race was called, securing Haley's first Cup win in his third start and Spire's first win in their maiden season. Since Haley was accepting points for the 2019 Xfinity Series, and was not competing full-time in the Cup Series, he would not be eligible for the 2019 Cup playoffs.

On January 10, 2020, Kaulig Racing announced Haley would drive for the team at the Daytona 500 in the No. 16. On February 9, Haley made the field by posting the fastest qualifying speed of all the non-charter teams (190.018 mph; 31st overall).

Personal life
Haley is the nephew of Todd Braun, owner of Braun Motorsports. He lives in North Carolina. He is one of four children, with two younger sisters and an older brother. Haley is a big believer in a healthy lifestyle, having previously gone vegan for stretches of time.

NASCAR
(key) ( Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )

K&N Pro Series West
$$ Season still in progress $1$ Ineligible for series points

ARCA Racing Series
(key) ( Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. )