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NASCAR Cup Series driver Justin Haley recently announced his shock move from Kaulig Racing to Rick Ware Racing for 2024 and beyond. Haley's announcement was one of the biggest surprises of the NASCAR silly season, which has left the team with a seat to fill for the upcoming season.
Haley joined Kaulig Racing's lineup as a full-time Cup Series driver in 2022, driving the #31 Chevy. Haley impressed in his second season on the team and has four top-10 finishes and a runner-up finish in the Chicago Street race.
With Justin Haley vacating the #31 seat, there is a lot of curiosity about his replacement for the 2024 season. With the anticipation building for the NASCAR silly season, let us take a look at the possible replacements for the outbound Haley.
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#4 Chandler Smith
Chandler Smith is currently having an impressive rookie campaign for Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Driving the #16 Chevy in the junior category, Smith is a viable candidate who is eligible for promotion to the #31 Cup Series car.
Smith has one win, five top-5, and eight top-10 finishes in the 19 races this season. He currently occupies fifth place in the drivers' standings, two places ahead of his teammate Daniel Hemric.
In his Cup Series debut with Kaulig at Richmond, Chandler Smith finished ahead of both full-time drivers Justin Haley and A.J. Allmendinger.
The 21-year-old might not yet be ready for Cup Series promotion, but it will not be long until he makes it into the topmost series.
#3 Daniel Hemric
Daniel Hemric is a much better prospect for Kaulig Racing as he has the experience that Smith lacks. The 2021 Xfinity Series champion is currently in his fifth full-time Xfinity season and occupies seventh place in the standings.
Hemric trails his rookie teammate in the standings in the #16 Kaulig Racing Chevy, but could overturn his season with his recent form. The 32-year-old also has plenty of experience in the Cup series, having made 47 starts, driving full-time for Richard Childress Racing in 2019.
Hence promoting Daniel Hemric to replace Justin Haley would be a logical option for Kaulig Racing.
#2 Austin Hill
Austin Hill is currently the best driver in the Xfinity Series, ranking second in the drivers' championship. Hill has put the #21 RCR Chevy in the victory lane four times, has 11 top-five finishes, and 15 top-10 results to his name.
Fox Sports journalist Bob Pockrass reported that Hill is the "most associated" driver with Kaulig Racing, given RCR's Cup Series lineup is not expected to change.
Austin Hill would be a stellar addition to Kaulig Racing's driver lineup if the deal goes through.
#1 Shane van Gisbergen
Shane van Gisbergen would be a top pick for any team on the Cup Series grid, given his recent exploits in NASCAR. After winning in Chicago in his debut, the Kiwi driver is reportedly interested in a full-time NASCAR gig.
In the final laps of the Chicago Street race, it was Gisbergen who defeated Justin Haley to take his first win. A few weeks later, the Kiwi driver is now a favorite to drive the #31 car, which he overtook en route to victory.
If the 3x Supercars champion does decide to join forces with Kaulig Racing, the team's lineup, which includes A.J. Allmendinger, would be a favorite to win every road course race. In addition, a playoff spot would be almost guaranteed with Gisbergen on the team.
