NASCAR team confirms Cup Series replacement after full-time driver suspended

Kaulig Racing has drafted in Cup Series driver AJ Allmendinger as a replacement for this weekend's Truck Series race at Darlington after NASCAR indefinitely suspended Daniel Dye from the sport.

Dye was supposed to be driving the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Ram in the Truck Series full-time this season, but was penalized under Section 4.3.C of the NASCAR rule book on Tuesday, which states: “NASCAR Members shall not make … a public statement or communication that criticizes, ridicules, or otherwise disparages another person based upon that person’s race, color, creed, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, or handicapping condition.”

Dye's suspension was confirmed after he made comments about meeting IndyCar driver David Malukas on a WhatNot stream on Tuesday, during which he adopted a faux 'camp' voice while impersonating Malukas, drawing immediate attention on social media and being criticized as homophobic.

Kaulig Racing was also quick to suspend Dye from their team, and it is currently unclear when he will be back in the truck.

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Kaulig Racing confirms Daniel Dye replacement

Dye has since apologized for his comments, but the above left Kaulig without a driver for their No. 10 this weekend at Darlington, but they have quickly drafted in a substitute from in-house.

The team announced on Wednesday afternoon that full-time Cup Series driver AJ Allmendinger would be driving the No. 10 Truck at Darlington this weekend, on top of his Cup Series duties in the No. 16 Chevrolet.

Allmendinger will now be the fourth Cup Series driver added to this weekend's Truck Series entry list for Darlington, with Ross Chastain, Christopher Bell and Carson Hocevar having already been scheduled to run in the event.

Allmendinger has only raced in the Truck Series on 14 occasions previously, with his last time in a NASCAR truck having been at Watkins Glen in 2021.

His record in the Truck Series reads 14 races, zero wins, two top fives and three top 10s.