WELCOME, N.C. — Tuesday’s announcement of Justin Haley’s extension with Kaulig Racing for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series season didn’t just come with a sigh of relief for the Winamac, Ind., young gun.

It came with a promise of more fun to be had by a team that Haley regards as “family,” one that has grown with him from being overlooked to becoming a bona fide championship contender — who still has a shot at claiming this year’s Xfinity Series title.

Haley, 21, will become the first driver to contest a third season with the Matt Kaulig-owned team when he returns in 2021, and he’s arguably the driver who has built the largest portion of the organization’s foundation.

But Haley admitted this week that there was a time during the middle of the year when he wasn’t sure if signing an extension would be in the cards. Around late May and early June, he thought he’d have to look elsewhere in order to stay in NASCAR beyond this year.

“Honestly, through the middle of the summer, Kaulig (Racing) and I … we weren’t really talking much. I was a little nervous. And then all of a sudden, I started winning some races and continued running up front a little bit more and they felt a little more interested after that,” Haley told SPEED SPORT. “When they brought me the deal, I couldn’t resist at all. I knew it felt right for me.”

Haley noted he had “plenty of options” when asked if there was an avenue for him to advance into the Cup Series, but that coming back to Kaulig made the most sense for his development — especially when the debut of the Next Gen car in the NASCAR Cup Series was pushed back to 2022.

“There were actually plenty of options that came to me post-Talladega (after winning in June),” he said. “It was kind of like the flood doors opened and there were several options for several series … and I just had to weigh them all. But I felt like Kaulig Racing was the right move and the right plan, when it comes to trying to figure out not just next year, but the years ahead and maybe trying to roll the dice on some other stuff. I feel like one more year in Xfinity and getting that new Next Gen car up into Cup will give me a chance to bank off that.

“I did the two-year deal (with Kaulig) several years ago and the Next Gen car was supposed to be this year … but when the pandemic hit, everything kind of fell apart and moved the Next Gen car back a year, where it kind of messed with our plan a little bit,” Haley continued. “Personally, I didn’t really think it did me much good to get into the (current) Cup car just to relearn the Cup Series in a year. So 2021 just became a strange filler year and that’s really what made all these decisions happen the way they did.

“I think that’s why (Austin) Cindric and (Noah) Gragson came back as well. It’s just such an odd time. But we’re ready to keep building on what we’ve been doing together.”

In 30 races this year, Haley has earned three wins —  in the process matching Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the most superspeedway victories in a row in Xfinity Series history — as well as 10 top-five and 19 top-10 finishes.

All told, he’s notched 14 top-five results and 39 top 10s in 63 starts with the organization.

It’s a testament to Haley’s consistency, but Haley was quick to add that it’s also a testament to what he and the team have built during two years together.

“I told Chris (Rice, team president) at lunch the other day that when I came to Kaulig Racing, they had one top five and 22 top 10s in three years,” Haley added. “Think how crazy that is over that time … and now, man, we’re just beating our heads against the pit box if we don’t get a top five. It’s just crazy to see how much the organization has grown and to be a small part of that is pretty special, if you ask me.

“I love that now we look at each other and all we want is wins now, because we know we’re capable.”

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