Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson recently spoke about Justin Haley Spire Motorsports performance this season and the driver’s prospects with the team. Haley, who pilots the #7 Chevrolet ZL1 in the Cup Series, returned to Spire Motorsports earlier this year after competing with Kaulig Racing from 2022 to 2023. Despite previous experience with Spire in 2021, both the driver and team have fallen short of their expected results.

Dickerson acknowledged the mounting internal and external pressures to improve results and highlighted ongoing discussions on how to enhance performance. Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he said,

“There’s pressure internally and externally that we all have to answer to and kind of meet. It’s no secret that Justin and that team, they just have not performed up to the expectations that we’ve set forth. That is something that we’re constantly discussing. How do we do better? How do we make this go better and faster and more results? “I’ve been super proud of Justin the last few weeks because with all these rumors swirling around, I thought he put together a couple of good really weeks. I don’t know if the rumors added any more pressure.”

“I think as we have kind of evolved as a company, we are to a place where we have to meet those expectations. It’s just not good enough for us to make it to the racetrack anymore, or just kind of run 30th anymore. We just can’t do it, that’s just the way to put it,” he added.

Recently, Haley’s race finishes include placements of 15th, 11th, and 17th in three consecutive events, followed by a 23rd-place finish at Iowa and 27th at Watkins Glen. Currently, he holds 30th place in the Cup Series standings, having secured no top-five finishes and only one top-10.

Justin Haley’s Reaction to Crew Chief Rodney Childers’ Departure

Nine races into the season, Spire Motorsports and crew chief Rodney Childers parted ways, a move that Haley said did not come as a surprise. The 26-year-old driver noted that the pairing with Childers simply was not the right fit for either party. In an April statement shared via Joseph Srigley on X, Haley explained,

“It was just a fit thing. Nothing super wrong that stood out, or was super left or right.”

“Nothing surprises me in this sport anymore,” he added.

Childers, a veteran with nearly 40 Cup Series wins, had joined Spire Motorsports after Stewart-Haas Racing ended its NASCAR operations in 2024. Originally slated to work with Corey LaJoie, Childers’ role shifted following LaJoie’s reassignment to Rick Ware Racing, which opened the position for Haley to drive the #7 car.

Ryan Sparks has since taken over Childers’ responsibilities as crew chief for the #7 team. Under Sparks’ leadership, Haley has yet to achieve a top-10 finish, with his best result being 11th place at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The Path Forward for Haley and Spire Motorsports

As Spire Motorsports strives to enhance its standing in the Cup Series, attention remains focused on breaking free from mid- to low-tier finishes. Haley’s recent efforts indicate some progress, but consistency remains a challenge. The team’s leadership, including Jeff Dickerson, stresses the urgency of meeting competitive expectations not just to participate, but to contend effectively for stronger finishes.

With ongoing adjustments on technical and strategic fronts, the season ahead will test Haley’s resilience and the team’s ability to deliver improved results. How Haley and Spire Motorsports respond to these challenges could determine their trajectory for the remainder of the Cup Series calendar and beyond.