Key keywords: Ross Chastain, Pocono NASCAR race, Josh Berry, Trackhouse Racing, NASCAR Cup Series, Pocono Raceway, No. 1 Chevrolet, driver substitution NASCAR fans and industry insiders received official confirmation on Wednesday from Trackhouse Racing that veteran Xfinity Series standout Josh Berry will step in as Ross Chastain’s replacement for the upcoming Pocono NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway this weekend. The substitution comes after Chastain sustained three non-displaced rib fractures during a high-speed collision in last weekend’s practice session at Road America, where his No. 1 Chevrolet made hard contact with the outer retaining wall exiting Turn 11. Following the crash, Chastain was evaluated on-site by NASCAR’s medical team before undergoing additional scans at a local Milwaukee hospital, where the rib fractures were diagnosed. NASCAR’s chief medical officer confirmed in a subsequent statement that Chastain failed to meet the league’s physical clearance requirements for high-impact oval racing, noting that the extreme G-forces generated during Pocono’s frequent restarts and high-speed turns could worsen his injuries and put him at risk of long-term damage if he competed. Trackhouse Racing co-owner Justin Marks emphasized that the team’s priority was protecting Chastain’s long-term health and playoff prospects in a press briefing announcing the substitution. “Ross is currently sixth in the Cup Series points standings, with a 72-point buffer over the cutoff for the 16-driver playoff field,” Marks explained. “All points earned by Josh this weekend will be applied directly to Ross’s season total per NASCAR’s substitute driver rules, so we have full confidence we won’t jeopardize our playoff spot with this change. Josh is one of the most talented intermediate-track drivers in the sport, he’s scored three top-5 finishes at Pocono in Xfinity Series competition, and he’s already spent hours syncing with our engineering team to get up to speed on the No. 1 car’s setups.” Chastain shared a statement on his social media channels Wednesday afternoon, expressing disappointment at missing one of his favorite races on the calendar but endorsing Berry as his replacement. “I finished second at Pocono last year, I’ve been looking forward to this race all season, but I know sitting this one out is the right call,” Chastain wrote. “Josh is going to do an incredible job for the team, and I’ll be in the pit box all weekend working with the crew on strategy, ready to get back behind the wheel at Richmond next week.” NASCAR officials have already approved the driver substitution, and Berry will participate in all practice and qualifying sessions for the Pocono 400 on Friday and Saturday before the main race on Sunday. The team has confirmed no adjustments will be made to the No. 1 car’s livery or race strategy for the weekend, with Berry set to follow the same playbook the team developed for Chastain in the weeks leading up to the event.