Justin Haley Bio
Justin Christmann Haley (born April 28, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, driving the No. 7 for Spire Motorsports. Haley 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. He also owns Darkhorse Racecars, a dirt late model and dirt modified chassis manufacturer.
After scoring his first victory in the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400, Haley became the 32nd driver to win a race in all three NASCAR national touring series. He is recognized as one of the youngest drivers to reach that milestone, and he continues to compete across NASCAR’s top three national series.
Early Life and Background
Justin Haley was born on April 28, 1999, in Winamac, Indiana. He grew up in a family with deep ties to motorsports, as he is the nephew of Todd Braun, owner of Braun Motorsports. Haley is one of four children, with two younger sisters and an older brother, and he later relocated to North Carolina, where he currently resides.
Haley began his racing career at the age of nine, in Quarter Midgets at Kokomo Quarter Midget Club during the late summer months of 2008. In 2009 and 2010, he scored in the KQMC, Indiana State Series, and in 2011 he competed in the Light 160 State Championships. Those early seasons helped him build a strong foundation in grassroots racing and set the stage for his climb through the NASCAR ladder.
Path to NASCAR
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, contending for Rookie of the Year honors. In 2016, Haley recorded his first career Pro Series East win at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and went on to win the series championship after finishing in the top-ten in all fourteen races, the only driver to do so in series history.
That championship opened the door to NASCAR’s national touring series. In 2015, Haley made his Camping World Truck Series debut at Bristol with Braun Motorsports, driving the No. 32 Chevrolet Silverado, and he continued developing his skills with part-time Truck starts before moving into full-time national competition.
Justin Haley Career
Early Career (2015-2017)
Haley’s first national touring series appearance came in 2015 at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Truck Series, where he finished fourteenth for Braun Motorsports. Additional starts at Martinsville and Phoenix helped him gain valuable superspeedway and short-track experience, including a seventh-place finish at Phoenix that produced his first Truck Series top-ten.
On December 9, 2016, it was announced that Haley would drive the No. 24 truck for GMS Racing in 2017, beginning with the third race of the year. After missing the first two races due to NASCAR’s age restriction, he finished twelfth in the final Truck Series standings in his first full season.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Breakthrough (2017-2018)
In June 2018, Haley earned his first career Truck Series win at Gateway, which locked him into the playoffs for the first time. He captured his second 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 added a third victory after race leader Gilliland ran out of fuel on the last lap. Those results propelled him into the playoff finale at Homestead, where he finished third in the final standings.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2018-2021)
In June 2018, Haley made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Iowa Speedway, driving the No. 23 for GMS Racing while filling in for Spencer Gallagher, finishing twelfth. On December 1, 2018, he signed a multi-year deal to drive the No. 11 full-time for Kaulig Racing in 2019, replacing Ryan Truex. He finished second in the 2019 Daytona July race to Kaulig teammate Ross Chastain, qualified for the Xfinity playoffs, and ended the season twelfth in points with twenty top-tens.
In June 2020, Haley scored his first Xfinity victory at Talladega Superspeedway after starting on the pole and winning the first stage, becoming the 32nd driver to win a race in all three NASCAR national series. In 2021, he won the July Daytona race for the second year in a row, beating teammate A. J. Allmendinger by 0.023 seconds, reached the Round of 8, and finished sixth in points.
NASCAR Cup Series (2019-2025)
In April 2019, Haley joined Spire Motorsports’ No. 77 for his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Later that summer, he captured his first Cup victory in dramatic fashion at the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, inheriting the lead under caution when lightning and rain hit the area. The win came in just his third career Cup start and was the first victory for Spire Motorsports in their maiden season. In June 2021, Kaulig Racing announced that Haley would race full-time in the Cup Series in 2022, and on December 15, 2021, the team revealed he would drive the No. 31 entry.
Haley began the 2023 season with a 32nd-place finish at the Daytona 500. He nearly won the inaugural Cup race at the Chicago Street Course, but lost the lead to Shane van Gisbergen late. On July 20, 2023, it was announced that Haley would move to Rick Ware Racing in 2024 under a multi-year contract. He later swapped seats with Corey LaJoie during the 2024 Hollywood Casino 400 and finished 31st in the final 2024 Cup standings. On October 14, 2025, Spire announced that the team and Haley would part ways after the 2025 season.
Kaulig Racing Truck Series Return (2026)
On January 29, 2025, it was announced that Haley would return to the Truck Series, driving the No. 7 truck for Spire Motorsports at Daytona. On October 29, 2025, Kaulig Racing announced Haley will join their Ram Trucks team in 2026, marking a new chapter in his career with a new manufacturer and team direction.
Notable Races and Milestones
Haley’s signature victory remains the 2019 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, where he won in only his third Cup start. His 2020 Xfinity win at Talladega made him the 32nd driver to win in all three NASCAR national series, and his back-to-back July Daytona Xfinity victories in 2020 and 2021 cemented his reputation as a superspeedway threat. In 2016, he became the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East champion and the only driver in series history to finish in the top-ten in every race that season.
Justin Haley Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Haley is the nephew of Todd Braun, owner of Braun Motorsports, the team that gave him his first Truck Series start. He is one of four children, with two younger sisters and an older brother, and his family ties to racing helped him gain early access to equipment and competition. His uncle’s team played a key role in launching his national touring series career.
Personal Life
Haley lives in North Carolina. On November 17, 2023, he married Haley Mottinger. He has gone vegan for stretches of time, a lifestyle choice he has discussed publicly. He is also a business owner, running Darkhorse Racecars, a dirt late model and dirt modified chassis manufacturer.
2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Haley competed in the NASCAR Cup Series with Spire Motorsports, recording several strong runs including a seventh-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway, which was his best result of the year. The season featured a mid-year driver swap with Corey LaJoie that gave Haley additional seat time and momentum heading into the final stretch of races.
On October 14, 2025, Spire announced that the team and Haley would part ways after the 2025 season, signaling a major change in his career path. Earlier in the year, on January 29, 2025, Haley had also announced a return to the Truck Series, driving the No. 7 truck for Spire Motorsports at Daytona, demonstrating his continued commitment to competing across multiple NASCAR national series.
Looking ahead, on October 29, 2025, Kaulig Racing announced Haley will join their Ram Trucks team in 2026, providing a fresh opportunity with a new manufacturer and renewed playoff prospects. The upcoming transition marks one of the most significant off-season moves of his career and sets the stage for a competitive 2026 campaign.