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NASCAR: Driver change ahead of second Pocono race

By Asher Fair

LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 26: Justin Haley, driver of the #77 Diamond Creek Water Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Pocono Organics CBD 325 at Pocono Raceway on June 26, 2021 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
LONG POND, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 26: Justin Haley, driver of the #77 Diamond Creek Water Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Pocono Organics CBD 325 at Pocono Raceway on June 26, 2021 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /
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Justin Haley will not compete in today’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway after he was involved in a wreck in this afternoon’s Xfinity Series race.

Justin Haley was involved in a hard wreck during this afternoon’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway when his #11 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet spun coming out of turn one of the three-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) triangle in Long Pond, Pennsylvania.

He was medically cleared to compete in this afternoon’s 140-lap Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 at the Tricky Triangle, the second Cup Series race of the weekend doubleheader, but Spire Motorsports have taken the safer path and sidelined him for this event.

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Out of an abundance of caution, they have decided that Justin Allgaier, who competes for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series and finished today’s race in third place, is set to replace Haley behind the wheel of the #77 Chevrolet.

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Allgaier last competed in a Cup Series race last July at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he replaced Jimmie Johnson behind the wheel of the #48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports after Johnson tested positive for COVID-19.

This marks the second Cup Series race of the 2021 season in which Haley was slated to compete but will not do so due to health and safety reasons. He missed the race at Dover International Speedway last month due to COVID-19-related protocols and was replaced by JR Motorsports Xfinity Series driver Josh Berry.

Haley was supposed to start this afternoon’s race in 27th place — 25th after pre-race penalties issued to other drivers — after finishing in 27th in yesterday afternoon’s race. But because of the driver change, Allgaier will drop to the rear of the field before the green flag.

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The Explore the Pocono Mountains 350 is set to be broadcast live from Pocono Raceway on NBC Sports Network beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET this afternoon.

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