By Adam Carabine & Logan Morris
This year, in preparation for the 2024 NASCAR season, we present our Team Previews Series. Each day until the end of January, a new Team Preview will be live on our website. Check back every day to see what we have to say about your favourite team!
Adam Carabine: Welcome back to another season of NASCAR, Logan. Hope you had a good holiday break and a merry offseason…
Logan Morris: It’s good to be back! It’s hard to believe we’re on the cusp of another season but here we are!
AC: We’ll start with the teams at the back of the pack and make our way forward through the field. Last season’s slowest team was the 78 of Live Fast Motorsports, but they sold their charter and will be a part-time open team this year. Next on the list is Rick Ware Racing.
LM: We Just had some news regarding them. Journeyman driver JJ Yeley just announced he’ll be focusing on the Xfinity Series this season. Who do you think fills that void?
AC: It’s an interesting wrinkle in this somewhat under-the-radar team. For now, the 15 remains open, and likely will have a cast of rotating drivers. But without Yeley in the fold, their roster is a little smaller. Do we ever see a day when the 15 has a single full-time driver?
LM: I think we could see that day, but I don’t think that is in 2024. I agree with you that the 15 will be spilt between a handful of drivers. If I had to guess, and that’s purely all that it is, but I think Kaz Grala, Ryan Newman, Cole Custer, and Cody Ware all see time in the 15 this season.
AC: Justin Haley made waves last July when he announced that not only was he leaving Kaulig Racing at the end of the season, he was going to be joining RWR in the 51 full-time. By most accounts this looked like a step back for Haley, what do you think?
LM: On the surface, I would agree. However, let’s not forget RWR has a stronger alliance with RFK Racing this season. What kind of difference could that make?
AC: That’s true. Justin Haley may be playing the long game here, looking to swoop in to Brad Keselowski’s #6 after he retires. There’s no question that Haley elevates the RWR program this season, though.
What would constitute a ‘successful’ season for Rick Ware Racing in 2024?
LM: To me, a successful season for them is to get both charters out of the bottom three in the owners standings. That feels very doable with Haley. Can the other car get it done? That remains to be seen. Year after year it feels like NASCAR allows them to keep their charter despite constantly being in the bottom three. If they can avoid that question in 2024 I think that’s a step in the right direction.
AC: That’s a good starting point, but I have higher hopes for RWR this season. Yes, they need to get out of the basement, but RFK showed some real strength last season - that’s got to count for something. Are the playoffs too high a hurdle for Haley this year?
LM: That’s way too high in my estimation. I would expect a year of growing pains and adjustments for Haley. He is always capable of sneaking up and winning a Superspeedway race and he impressed at the street course in Chicago last season, but I would think 25th or better in the final standings would be a tremendous success. It takes time to build chemistry and a program from the ground up.
AC: I tend to agree. Haley finished 26th in 2023 with an arguably better team in Kaulig Racing. It’ll be hard to top that, but hey - stranger things have happened! All we can hope for is closer competition from RWR in 2024, and I think they’re on the right path. Any final words?
LM: I agree. Any progress at all for a team like RWR is huge and I expect some this season. How much remains to be seen.
AC: That’s why we race the races! Stay tuned for our next team preview, where we discuss Harrison Burton and Wood Brothers Racing.