NASCAR: Driver lineup change ahead of Dover race
By Asher Fair
There is one driver lineup change to make note of ahead of this afternoon’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway, the Drydene 400.
On Friday, it was confirmed that one of the 37 drivers who was slated to compete in today’s Drydene 400 NASCAR Cup Series race at Dover International Speedway would not be able to do so.
Due to COVID-19 protocols, Justin Haley will not be able to pilot the #77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports in this afternoon’s 400-lap race around the four-turn, 1.0-mile (1.609-kilometer) high-banked “Monster Mile” oval in Dover, Delaware.
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As a result of the starting lineup formula which NASCAR has used in place of actual qualifying sessions for most races since last August, Haley was to have started Sunday’s race in 29th place. But Josh Berry is now set to take his place and drop to the rear of the field.
Berry, who competes part-time for the JR Motorsports Xfinity Series team, has never competed in a Cup Series race in his career.
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The 30-year-old Hendersonville, Tennessee native has competed in nine of the 10 races that have been contested so far in the 2021 Xfinity Series season.
He won the race at Martinsville Speedway last month to secure his first career victory, and he has finished in second place in each of the two most recent events, including last Saturday afternoon’s race at Darlington Raceway and yesterday afternoon’s race at Dover International Speedway.
He finished in second place behind Ty Gibbs at Dover International Speedway in Friday night’s ARCA Menards Series East race before leading 48 of the 200 laps in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race en route to another runner-up result behind Austin Cindric. That result was good enough to net him the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus check.
Haley was replaced by Zane Smith in the Xfinity Series race behind the #11 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing. Smith crashed out after 67 laps and was credited with a 36th place finish.
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Be sure to tune in to Fox Sports 1 at 2:00 p.m. ET this afternoon for the live broadcast of the Drydene 400 from Dover International Speedway.