A Total Apex Sports Exclusive: Interview with Justin Haley On Where He Stands Ahead of the FireKeepers Casino 400
During a live interview from the Michigan International Speedway Media Center. Total Apex’s Dustin Judge spoke one-on-one with Cup Series driver Justin Haley about where he would have to qualify to cap a solid run for tomorrow’s FireKeepers Casino 400. The interview also touched on some of the most pressing questions, including where Haley needs to finish for a successful overall run, whether he believes he’ll secure a top ten spot, and how he feels about running at such a large and unpredictable racetrack.
Justin Haley’s 2025 Career Stats and Most Successful Runs
Haley, who runs with Spire Motorsports piloting the No. 7 in the NASCAR Cup Series, has been one of the few drivers on the track this season who have been all across the board when it comes to starts and finishes. So far in 2025, Haley is averaging a start of 21.6 and a finish of 22. 50, a single top ten finish, zero top-fives, and a single DNF.
He also averaged a low finish of P34 at Phoenix in the Shriners Children’s 500 and a high finish of P10 at Homestead Miami out of a total of 3,796 laps run in 14 races, which averages 94.17%. Justin Haley’s average starts told a similar story at the beginning of the season in the Bowman Gray Stadium exhibition race, “The Clash at Bowman Gray.” Haley secured an impressive P8 finish.
For Haley and his Spire Motorsports team, it was a step in the right direction, though points did not count toward playoff standings. His second-best finish was at Homestead-Miami, and his third was at Bristol. Finally, his last was at North Wilkesboro, where he finished P14. Overall, he has accumulated 218 points and is currently the fourth youngest driver to run in the Cup Series.
The Burning Questions
Playing off of Justin Haley’s performance this season, Total Apex Sports CEO Dustin Judge questioned the rising Spire Star ahead of qualifying for Sunday’s FireKeepers Casino 400. Judge jumped right into the interview candidly asking him “Where do you think you would have to qualify to be able to have a solid run today?” “You can qualify anywhere,” Haley replied. Judge responded with a follow-up question, stating,”
“In terms of having a successful weekend overall, where do you feel you need to finish?” Choosing his words wisely, Justin Haley smiled and said, “Oh, I want to be top five and to win it.” The Total Apex CEO continued his questioning by remarking that Haley and his Spire team should be in the top ten and based on how well the youngster has performed this season, there’s no argument there. Haley agreed with the remark, saying, “I would think so, yeah.”
Judge continued the interview by asking Haley whether he felt that, with Michigan International Speedway being such a large track, the driving would be more or less aggressive or faster. Haley’s response was baffling as he explained that it would be less aggressive. That’s likely due to Michigan’s size, making it easier for drivers to spread out.
Justin Haley Talks Favorites
Capping the interview, the judge made sure he didn’t walk away without asking Justin Haley about his favorite driver heading into Sunday’s race. He mentioned Joey Logano and edged into asking about Carson Hocevar. “Are you also keeping an eye on Carson Hocevar? He’s earning the moniker the “Intimidator” with all that stuff that’s going on between him and Ricky Stenhouse.
Is that something somebody is sort of keeping an eye on, or do you feel that it’s not that big of an issue in your opinion?” he continued. Haley said he had no opinion. Judge closed out the interview by wishing him luck ahead of the FireKeepers 400. Tomorrow’s competition on the track is set to be fierce, close, and downright dirty. Michigan International Speedway is notorious for its wear on tires due to its longer-than-average straightaways, unpredictable changes in speed, and variable banking. Will this put a damper on Justin Haley’s attempt at a spot in the top 10?
Final Thoughts
Justin Haley might be young, but he’s one of the fiercest competitors in the NASCAR Cup Series. This season, the Spire Motorsports driver has broken out, notching some of his best finishes in Homestead-Miami and North Wilkesboro. Based on Total Apex Sport’s exclusive interview with the driver, it’s clear that he’s more ready than ever to qualify inside the top five. Will this become a reality come 2 p.m. tomorrow? Stay tuned and check back in with us for real-time updates.
