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Justin Haley to miss Cup and Xfinity races at Dover because of COVID-19 protocols

Justin Haley won't be driving at Dover this weekend.

Kaulig Racing announced that Haley would miss Saturday's Xfinity Series race "in accordance with NASCAR's COVID-19 protocols." Haley will also ostensibly miss Sunday's Cup Series race. He's set to be in the No. 77 car for Spire Motorsports on Sunday.

Kaulig said Truck Series driver Zane Smith would fill in for Haley on Saturday while Spire Motorsports has Josh Berry listed as Haley's replacement for the Cup Series race. Berry is racing in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports and will be making his Cup Series debut.

Haley would be the first Cup Series driver to miss a race in 2021 due to COVID-19 protocols. Austin Dillon and Jimmie Johnson both missed a race in 2020 after they tested positive for COVID-19.

Haley has six top-10 finishes in nine Xfinity Series starts this season and is sixth in the points standings after he finished third a season ago. He’s raced in 10 of 12 Cup Series races in 2021 and got one of the flukiest wins in NASCAR history when he won the rain-delayed and rain-shortened July race at Daytona in 2019.

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