Justin Haley signs with Rick Ware Racing for 2024
Rick Ware Racing said Thursday morning Justin Haley signed a multi-year driver agreement, starting with the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
Haley will depart Kaulig Racing, leaving the No. 31 Chevrolet open for 2024. He will compete full-time in one of RWR’s Ford Mustangs.
RWR had no full-time drivers signed after NASCAR suspended Cody Ware earlier this year.
Ware’s former team, the No. 51, is at risk of NASCAR invoking rules pertaining to the bottom three charters in owner points.
The rule states NASCAR reserves the right to repossess any charter that finishes as one of the bottom three chartered teams in owner points three years in a row.
In the off-season, RWR swapped the No. 15 and No. 51 charters around. This year, the No. 51 has the No. 15’s charter, while the No. 15 has the No. 51’s charter.
The No. 15 finished in the bottom three the last two years. With that charter, the No. 51 team is in position to finish bottom three again.
Meanwhile, the No. 15 team is in position to finish above the bottom three. That will avert NASCAR possibly revoking that charter.
Bottom Three charters since 2016:
| Year | 34th | 35th | 36th |
| 2023 (currently) | Rick Ware #51 (3; was Rick Ware #15 in 2022) | Spire #77 | LiveFast #78 (2) |
| 2022 | Rick Ware #15 (2) | Rick Ware #51 | LiveFast #78 |
| 2021 | Rick Ware #15 | Rick Ware #53 (2) | StarCom #00 (2) |
| 2020 | StarCom #00 | Rick Ware #53 | Petty-Ware #51 (2) |
| 2019 | Petty-Ware #51 | Spire #77 | Rick Ware #52 |
| 2018 | Starcom #00 | BK Racing #23 (2) | Rick Ware #51 (became Petty 43 after 2018) |
| 2017 | Premium #15 | BK Racing #23 | Circle Sport/TMG #33 |
| 2016 | HScott #46 | GoFas #32 | Baldwin #7 |
