Spire Motorsports announced on Tuesday that 26-year-old Justin Haley will not continue as the driver of the No. 7 Chevrolet Camaro beyond 2025. The news comes ahead of Sunday's Round of 8 race at the Talladega Superspeedway, with Haley 31st in the driver standings. Future plans for the No. 7 car haven't been officially confirmed yet.
The team's co-owner, Jeff Dickerson, said in a team release, "This is a decision that was not taken lightly. Justin has been a member of the Spire family since he was a teenager. We’ve watched Justin grow from a young driver trying to make his mark in the sport to a proven winner. He helped strengthen our organization into what it is today."
Notably, Haley brought the team its inaugural win in the Cup Series back in 2019 after being declared the victor in a rain-shortened race at Daytona. His departure now comes roughly a year after Spire swapped him with Corey LaJoie in a trade deal involving Rick Ware Racing. His best finish of the year was at Daytona, where he finished third in August.
NEWS: @SpireMotorsport announces the team has agreed with @Justin_Haley_ to part ways following the 2025 Cup Series season. pic.twitter.com/4yR0tasOmx
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 14, 2025
He had begun the season on a bright note after being paired with the legendary crew chief, Rodney Childers. But issues inside the garage led to the combination ending after just nine races, and Childers was replaced with Ryan Sparks, who also serves as a competition director for Spire.
Who Will Replace Haley?
Haley made 34 starts for Spire Motorsports in the 2019-2020 season while also competing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He began racing full-time in the Cup Series in 2022 with Kaulig Racing. 74 of his 177 starts in the premier tier came with Spire. His tally thus far includes one win, six top-5s and 18 top-10s.
He has also won four Xfinity Series races and three Truck Series races, becoming one of the only 41 drivers to have at least one victory in each of the three national NASCAR series. A resume like this cannot be replaced easily. Sources confirm that Trackhouse Racing's Daniel Suarez could be a top candidate for the job.
Suarez lost the keys to his No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro earlier this season when it was announced that he would be replaced by Connor Zilisch in 2026. Being the talented driver he is, he could potentially find a cozy home with Spire. Should the news be confirmed, he will drive alongside Michael McDowell and Carson Hocevar next season.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Oct 14, 2025, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
