When Justin Haley climbs into the No. 11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet Camaro at Martinsville Speedway, he will mark a major moment in his career. He will make his 100th start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
The driver of the No. 11 Chevrolet has spent three full-time seasons in the Xfinity Series, all with Kaulig Racing. He has reached Victory Lane four times, including three in the 2020 season, while posting 22 top-five finishes. Haley has also showcased his skills on superspeedways with two wins at Talladega and two at Daytona.
This Saturday at @MartinsvilleSwy will be start number 💯 for @Justin_Haley_ in the @NASCAR_Xfinity Series!
Who thinks the #DARK11ORSE can bring home a grandfather clock in his milestone start? 🤔 🕰
Haley has made the playoffs in all three of his full-time Xfinity Series seasons. He finished 12th in the standings in 2019, third in 2020, and he is on the cusp of reaching the championship four for the second consecutive season. He currently sits seven points out of the final transfer spot, and he will have the opportunity to punch his ticket to the championship race at Martinsville Speedway on October 30.
Haley Only Has 2 Xfinity Series Starts at Martinsville
Xfinity: Cindric +47, Allmendinger +47, Allgaier +9, Hemric +7, Haley -7, Gragson -24, Jones -40, HBurton -51. Cindric and Allmendinger are in with 16 pts (21st if no stage points). Allgaier with 54 pts. Current tiebreaker ranking:
Locking up a spot in the championship four will not be a simple task. Haley will have to avoid incidents at a track known for more than 10 cautions. The list includes the past three Xfinity Series races at the track — 12 in the first Martinsville race in 2021, 10 in 2020, and 19 in 2006.
While Haley has only made two starts at the Virginia short track, he has contended for strong finishes. He finished 12th in the 2020 playoff race and then eighth in 2021 while JR Motorsports driver Josh Berry reached Victory Lane and took home the grandfather clock.
Haley will not necessarily have to win at Martinsville to lock up his spot. He could potentially secure a trip with a strong performance and points in all three stages. He currently has the fifth-best tiebreaker in the Xfinity Series with a fourth-place finish in the Kansas Race. Austin Cindric, Daniel Hemric, AJ Allmendinger, and Noah Gragson all have better finishes in the first two Round of Eight Races.
Haley Will Pursue More Milestones in 2022 & Beyond
OFFICIAL: The No. 77 WINS at Daytona! Retweet to help us congratulate @Justin_Haley_ on his first NASCAR Cup Series victory.
The moment he found out:
Haley will reach 100 Xfinity Series starts during the 2021 season, and then he will turn his attention to a different series. The Kaulig Racing driver will move up to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022 and pursue playoff points as a full-time driver.
Haley has already made 34 starts in the Cup Series as a part-time driver, split between three seasons. He joined Spire Motorsports for three races in 2019, one in 2020, and 28 of the first 34 in 2021. Haley also made one start for Kaulig Racing in 2020 and another in 2021.
While he isn’t a full-time Cup Series driver just yet, Haley will enter the 2022 season with the knowledge that he already has reached Victory Lane. He previously suited up for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on July 7, 2019. He drove the No. 77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet and captured the checkered flag in a unique way.
The Cup Series drivers did not complete the schedule 160 laps. Instead, they only finished 127 due to inclement weather. A wreck occurred on Lap 118 and disrupted 17 cars. Kurt Busch became the leader, but he headed to pit road under caution and left Haley at the front of the pack. It was at this moment that lightning strikes within eight miles brought out the red flag. NASCAR ultimately called the race due to weather and declared Haley the winner.
Once the 2022 regular season begins, Haley will pursue even more wins at NASCAR’s top level. He will pair with Kaulig Racing once again and try to contend against 23XI Racing, Team Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and the other Cup Series teams.
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Justin Haley Reaches Career Milestone at Martinsville