NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Justin Haley won his first-career NASCAR Cup Series race in only his third series race last July when he was declared the winner of the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. He’ll get a chance to defend that Daytona win, courtesy of Kaulig Racing’s planned Cup Series debut in the 2020 Daytona 500 on Feb. 16. Kaulig Racing, the team for which Haley drives a #11 entry in the Xfinity Series, plans to field a #16 entry in the Daytona 500.
”I am super excited to attempt not only our first NASCAR Cup Series race, but our first Daytona 500,” Kaulig Racing owner Matt Kaulig said. “To be competing at the World Center of Racing on the main stage is incredible, especially for our team that began just four years ago. I have all the confidence in the world that Justin Haley will make everyone at Kaulig Racing proud and truly let everyone know that Kaulig Racing is here to compete.”
Haley contested three Cup Series races last year, all from behind the wheel of the #77 Spire Motorsports entry. Fraternal Order of Eagles, his sponsor for his win at Daytona in 2019, also will be his sponsor for this year’s Daytona 500.
“I am eager to try and qualify for the Daytona 500,” said Haley. “It is an honor for me to compete for a starting spot in Kaulig Racing’s first NASCAR Cup Series race. The F.O.E. has been with me since 2016. The Eagles were on my car when I won in July at Daytona, so it’s a great fit for them to be back on my car as we try to lock ourselves into the Daytona 500.”
The 2020 race season will be Haley’s second full-time season in the Xfinity Series and with Kaulig Racing after he contested three series races for GMS Racing in 2018. He scored four top-fives and 20 top-10 finishes in the 33-race 2019 Xfinity Series season and finished the year 12th in the driver standings.
