The hot rumor going around NASCAR is that Justin Haley could be on the hot seat at Spire Motorsports. Spire co-owner Jeff Dickerson had a chance to squash those rumors while speaking with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio earlier this week.
Rather than affirm his commitment to Haley, Dickerson acknowledged that the rumors are out there. He openly said that Haley and the No. 7 team “have not performed up to the expectations that we have set forth.”
“There’s pressure internally and externally that we all have to answer to and kind of meet. It’s no secret that Justin and that team have not performed up to the expectations that we have set forth. That is something that we’re consciously discussing of how do we make this go better and faster and more results,” Dickerson said. “Look, I think Justin — I’ve been super proud of Justin the past few weeks because with all these rumors swirling around, I thought he put together a couple really good weeks. You know, obviously led practice [at Watkins Glen].
“I don’t know if the rumors have added more pressure; I think as we’ve kind of evolved as a company, we are to a place where we have to meet those expectations. It’s not good enough for us to just make it to the racetrack anymore or run 30th anymore. We just can’t do it.”
Justin Haley hasn’t performed up to expectations in 2025
Haley is 31 starts into his tenure at Spire after replacing Corey Lajoie in the No. 7 Chevrolet with seven races remaining in the 2024 Cup Series season. He overperformed for Rick Ware Racing last season but has struggled to replicate that at Spire.
Haley, 26, currently sits 30th in the points standings, tallying just one top-10 finish. Haley came into the season with championship-winning crew chief Rodney Childers atop the pit box, but Childers and Spire parted ways just nine races into the season. The crew chief-driver relationship wasn’t a fit, and Spire brought in Ryan Sparks in place of Childers.
Now, there is still some season to go. Two regular season races remain — this Saturday at Richmond Raceway and next Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. Daytona is always unpredictable and Haley has won there before. Dickerson would love nothing more than for Haley to get back to Victory Lane and have “no more rumors to have to answer.”
“I would say Justin is under no more pressure than us or than me to perform. I guess you just never know how this is gonna go,” Dickerson said. “I’m as curious as anybody to see where this thing goes over the next 12 weeks. I do know this — he’s got two opportunities here to make the playoffs.
“I would not bet against Justin Haley at either of these racetracks. These are two really good tracks for him, and I would love nothing more for all of us to get in Victory Lane in either of these two weeks and there’s no more rumors to have to answer.”
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