3 reasons NASCAR opted against making a $40 million move

3. Rick Ware Racing signed Justin Haley

Rick Ware Racing making a surprising move and signing Justin Haley as a full-time driver for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series was a clear indication that they want to be more competitive moving forward.

Haley was a driver whom many believed Kaulig Racing would try to build around for years to come, and Rick Ware Racing went out and added him to their roster just weeks after he recorded a season-best second place finish in the inaugural race at the Chicago Street Course.

It's very rare that you can pinpoint a backmarker team making a "splash" in free agency, but this is as close as you're going to get, and NASCAR certainly took notice.

With all due respect to Cody Ware, who had driven full-time for the team in 2022 and in 2023 before his arrest and suspension, Rick Ware Racing going out and signing a full-time driver other than the boss's son made a statement to NASCAR that they are truly trying to build up their program and that they are willing to go big to make it happen.

The fact that RFK Racing co-owner and driver Brad Keselowski was so supportive of the move only added to the idea that this is a team committed to not only the long-term success of themselves but that of their manufacturer and the team with which they are closely aligned. It was a win-win.