As it was announced Tuesday morning (12/14/21) AJ Allmendinger, Daniel Hemric and Noah Gragson will all pilot the No. 16 Camaro ZL1 for part-time opportunities in the 2022 season of the NASCAR Cup Series. That left many questions about Justin Haley, and what number he would pilot full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Kaulig Racing
Haley was expected to drive the No. 16, an assumption made by Next Gen test cars which he drove for the team. Similarly, during Wednesday morning’s Next Gen test at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Justin Haley and Kaulig Racing arrived at the track with a No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The team made a vague note that this number change will have some relation to the 2022 season (see below) — Almost certainly being the number that Haley pilots full time.
The number question ... 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙙.@Justin_Haley_ will pilot the No. 31 in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022! pic.twitter.com/kZ0Jmt6mf5
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) December 15, 2021
The 31 looks good on you, @Justin_Haley_… bring on 2022! 🤩#TrophyHunting | #CupSeries pic.twitter.com/KdP3ZOeqwc
— Kaulig Racing (@KauligRacing) December 15, 2021
Justin Haley, who is already a winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, may be receiving the offer of a lifetime with Kaulig Racing. As Haley has competed in the NASCAR Cup Series with Spire Motorsports for a handful of seasons, the young driver will now be given (presumably) race winning equipment, and opportunities to win on a more regular basis.
Justin Haley’s one and only NASCAR Cup Series victory (to this date) came in 2019 during the “Coke Zero Sugar” 400 at Daytona International Speedway. After leading only a single lap, rain broke loose and the race results were declared official, with Haley being the winner. Justin Haley showed that he could bring mediocre equipment to the front of the pack on occasion and that he had the ability to score victories. With a significant upgrade in 2022, and the Next Gen (Generation 7) cars giving smaller teams more competitive advantages, Haley may become a (not so) surprise winner.
The No. 31 that Haley will pilot is a number which was used extensively by Richard Childress Racing, with drivers such as Mike Skinner and Ryan Newman behind the wheel. It appears that Kaulig Racing, who has assistance from Richard Childress Racing took the first available number which was owned by Childress, the No. 31. For many reasons, the No. 31 has no significance to Kaulig Racing’s previous lineup but will provide a good home for their driver Justin Haley.
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