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Kaulig Racing, Justin Haley will attempt to make Daytona 500

By Daniel McFadinJan 10, 2020, 3:51 PM EST
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Kaulig Racing announced Friday it and driver Justin Haley will attempt to make next month’s Daytona 500, which would be the team’s first Cup Series race.

Kaulig Racing, which competes full-time in the Xfinity Series, will field Haley in the No. 16 Fraternal Order of Eagles Chevrolet.

Without a charter, Haley is not guaranteed a spot in the 500.

Haley drives the No. 11 Chevy full-time for Kaulig in the Xfinity Series. Haley will try to make the “Great American Race” after his surprise upset win in last July’s rain-shortened Cup Series race at Daytona. 

“I am eager to try and qualify for the Daytona 500,” Haley said in a press release. “It is an honor for me to compete for a starting spot in Kaulig Racing’s first NASCAR Cup Series race. The F.O.E. has been with me since 2016. The Eagles were on my car when I won in July at Daytona, so it’s a great fit for them to be back on my car as we try to lock ourselves into the Daytona 500.”

Kaulig Racing has been competing in the Xfinity Series since 2016. It will field three entries in the Xfinity Series season opener with Haley, Ross Chastain and A.J. Allmendinger. Chastain won last July’s Xfinity race at Daytona for the team’s first NASCAR victory.

”I am super excited to attempt not only our first NASCAR Cup Series race, but our first Daytona 500!” said team owner Matt Kaulig in a press release. “To be competing at the World Center of Racing on the main stage is incredible, especially for our team that began just four years ago. I have all the confidence in the world that Justin Haley will make everyone at Kaulig Racing proud and truly let everyone know that Kaulig Racing is here to compete.”

LeafFilter returns as Justin Haley’s primary sponsor at Kaulig Racing

Justin Haley
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By Daniel McFadinJan 3, 2020, 2:01 PM EST
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Kaulig Racing announced Friday that LeafFilter Gutter Protection again will be the primary sponsor on its No. 11 Chevrolet driven by Justin Haley in the Xfinity Series.

Haley returns for his second season with the team.

LeafFilter is a company founded by team owner Matt Kaulig. LeafFilter and Kaulig first entered NASCAR as a sponsor in 2014 before Kaulig started the team in 2016.

Haley made the Xfinity playoffs in 2019 and finished 12th in the standings. He also earned his first Cup Series win at Daytona in July while racing for Spire Motorsports.

Haley will have a full-time teammate in 2020 with Ross Chastain in the No. 10 Chevrolet.

The Xfinity Series season opens Feb. 15 at Daytona.

 

AJ Allmendinger to drive in Watkins Glen Xfinity race for Kaulig Racing

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By Jerry BonkowskiJul 17, 2019, 11:54 AM EDT
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NASCAR On NBC analyst AJ Allmendinger will climb back behind the wheel for the August 3 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Watkins Glen International.

Allmendinger will pilot the No. 10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing for the second time this season.

Allmendinger is a past winner at Watkins Glen, having won the 2014 Cup race there. He has 10 prior Cup starts at the upstate New York road course, with the win, three top-five and six top-10 finishes, plus one pole.

He also has competed in one Xfinity race at Watkins Glen, starting fourth and finishing second for GMS Racing last year.

“It’s an honor to be able to compete for Kaulig Racing at one of my favorite tracks, Watkins Glen International,” Allmendinger said in a team release. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win there in the Cup Series and had a strong run finishing second last season in my only Xfinity start there.

“Matt Kaulig, Chris Rice and all of the guys made Daytona so enjoyable and fun, I can’t wait to get to The Glen.”

Allmendinger raced for Kaulig Racing two weeks ago in the Circle K Firecracker 250 at Daytona International Speedway on July 5, leading 33 laps and finishing third before the car was disqualified for failing post-race inspection, leaving Allmendinger with a last-place finish in the 38-car field.

Allmendinger has three additional Xfinity road course races scheduled with Kaulig Racing this season: Mid-Ohio (August 10), Road America (August 24) and Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Roval race (September 28).

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Ross Chastain wins Xfinity race at Daytona

By Daniel McFadinJul 6, 2019, 12:32 AM EDT
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Ross Chastain held off teammates Justin Haley and AJ Allmendinger to win Friday night’s rain-delayed Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

It is the first NASCAR win for Kaulig Racing in 125 combined Xfinity Series starts since 2014. It is Chastain’s second career Xfinity Series win.

Chastain is a native of Alva, Florida, located 207 miles Southwest of Daytona Beach.

“Oh my gosh, we did it!” Chastain told NBCSN. “I sat here as a kid. I watched these races as a kid every Fourth of July, never could come in the spring because we were growing watermelons. These guys right here gave me a race car that, oh my gosh, could win a race at Daytona!”

Kaulig Racing entered three cars in a race for the first time and had all three cross the finish line first. Allmendinger, who made his first start of the year for the team, appeared to complete the sweep after he passed Christopher Bell on the last lap.

NASCAR announced after the race that Allmendinger’s third-place car had been disqualified for failing inspection.

Kaulig said they decided to field three cars in the race because neither of their cars wrecked in the Talladega race in April.

“The only reason we didn’t run four (cars) today was because we don’t have enough cars,” Kaulig said.

The top five was completed by Bell, Austin Cindric and Stephen Leicht.

The final 10-lap run was set up by a 15-car wreck with 14 laps to go that included Cole Custer, Michael Annett, Noah Gragson and Ryan Sieg and resulted in a 17 minute and 45 second red flag.

Pole-sitter Tyler Reddick finished 17th after he pit with four laps to go to repair damage. He was involved in a wreck with Chase Briscoe, Justin Allgaier and Ryan Sieg on Lap 46 in Stage 2. Briscoe was eliminated after he hit the inside wall nose-first. Reddick was able to continue despite his No. 2 Chevrolet sliding through the rain soaked infield grass.

MORE: Click here for revised results

MORE: Click here for revised points

STAGE 1 WINNER: Ross Chastain

STAGE 2 WINNER: AJ Allmendinger

WHO HAD A GOOD RACE: Stephen Leicht finished fifth for JD Motorsports, scoring his first top-five finish since 2007. … Brandon Brown finished sixth for his first career top-10 finish. … Jeff Green was seventh, scoring top 10s in both Daytona races this year.

WHAT’S NEXT: Alsco 300 at Kentucky Speedway at 7:30 p.m. ET on July 12 on NBCSN

Ross Chastain to run third car for Kaulig Racing at Daytona

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By Dustin LongJun 27, 2019, 9:44 AM EDT
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Kaulig Racing will field a third entry for next weekend’s Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway with Ross Chastain driving that car, the team announced Thursday.

Chastain will drive the No. 16, joining Justin Haley, who will be driving the No. 11, and AJ Allmendinger, who will be driving the No. 10. It’s the first time Kaulig Racing will field three cars in one event.

“Being able to bring a third car to Daytona and have our part-time driver Ross Chastain behind the wheel only increases our chances of getting the win,” team owner Matt Kaulig said in a statement from the team. “Not by the addition of a car, but by the additional teammate our two drivers Justin Haley and AJ Allmendinger will have – Daytona is all about teamwork.”

Haley won the first stage at Daytona in February and Chastain won the second stage. Chastain went on to finish 13th and Haley 17th in that race.

The July 5 race can be seen on NBCSN at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Chastain appeared on this week’s NASCAR on NBC Podcast with Nate Ryan. Chastain discussed a variety of topics.