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Justin Haley to Make Cup Debut at Talladega

NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Justin Haley will make his Monster Energy Cup Series debut at Talladega Superspeedway for Spire Motorsports, the team announced Tuesday (April 23).

Haley is tabbed to drive the No. 77 with backing from the Fraternal Order of Eagles.

The No. 77 has been fielded by a number of drivers in 2019, including Quin Houff, Garrett Smithley, Reed Sorenson and D.J. Kennington. Haley will be the fifth driver to pilot the car.

Haley won three races in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series last year. He nearly won the summer Xfinity Series feature at Daytona International Speedway that year as well but was relegated to 18th after it was ruled that he dipped below the yellow line to make a final-lap pass.

“This is a dream come true,” Haley said in a team statement. “I couldn’t be prouder than to make my Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut with Spire Motorsports and the Fraternal Order of Eagles.”

The 19-year-old has recorded six top 10s in eight Xfinity Series races this year for Kaulig Racing. He’ll pull double duty this weekend at Talladega.

“The F.O.E. has supported my career since the beginning and it feels like our program will come full circle when I make my debut on NASCAR’s biggest stage this weekend at Talladega,” Haley said. “I’m incredibly grateful to both Spire Motorsports and the F.O.E. for this opportunity. I’m excited to get on track and see what we can do.”

This weekend’s Geico 500 will be televised on FOX at 2 p.m. on April 28.

Adam Cheek joined Frontstretch as a contributing writer in January 2019. A 2020 graduate of VCU, he covered sports there and later spent a year and a half as a sports host on 910 the Fan in Richmond, VA. He's freelanced for Richmond Magazine and the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and also hosts the "Adam Cheek's Sports Week" podcast. Adam has followed racing since the age of three, inheriting the passion from his grandfather, who raced in amateur events up and down the East Coast in the 1950s.

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