NASCAR: Natalie Decker still out for Pocono despite postponement
By Asher Fair
Natalie Decker will still miss the NASCAR Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway despite the fact that it was postponed to this morning from yesterday afternoon.
Due to bile duct complications related to her gallbladder removal back in December, Niece Motorsports NASCAR Truck Series driver Natalie Decker was hospitalized this past week and thus sidelined for the race at Pocono Raceway.
That race, the Pocono Organics 150, was scheduled to have taken place yesterday afternoon, but due to rain, which has played spoiler in several races that have been contested so far in the 2020 season, it was pushed back to this morning.
The race is now set to be broadcast live from the three-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) Tricky Triangle in Long Pond, Pennsylvania on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 9:30 a.m. ET. Despite the postponement, however, Decker still will not compete.
She posted to her Instagram account on Saturday that she remains hospitalized and continues to recover from her procedure.
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The 23-year-old Eagle River, Wisconsin native, who broke the all-time Truck Series record for best finish by a female driver with her fifth place finish in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway back in mid-February, had been slated to make the fourth of her nine scheduled starts this season in this 60-lap race.
Instead, it is set to be Bayley Currey behind the wheel of the #44 Chevrolet. He has competed in two races for Niece Motorsports before, both last season. One of those races took place at Pocono Raceway. He finished in 23rd place at the Tricky Triangle before recording a career-high sixth place finish at Michigan International Speedway.
Currey has competed in two races so far this season driving for CMI Motorsports behind the wheel of the #49 Chevrolet. After failing to qualify for the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he finished in 28th place at Charlotte Motor Speedway and 32nd at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
He was slated to compete in the following race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but he disassociated himself from the team after team owner Ray Ciccarelli made several controversial comments.
Aside of her career-best fifth place finish, Decker has recorded finishes of 21st and 27th place this season at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, respectively. Her start in the latter is her only start since the Truck Series returned from its 95-day hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic last month.
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Decker’s next start is slated to come in the Buckle Up in Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 11 and be broadcast live on Fox Sports 1 beginning at 6:00 p.m. ET.