NASCAR issues four-race suspensions for RFK Racing crew members after Nashville
NASCAR officials issued four-week suspensions Tuesday to three crew members for the No. 17 RFK Racing team for a detached wheel during Sunday’s Cup Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.
Shortly after a final-stage pit stop, the right-rear wheel came off Chris Buescher’s No. 17 Ford with 46 laps left in Sunday’s Ally 400. That incident prompted the 11th of 12 caution periods in the 300-lap race, and Buescher limped back to the pits on the way to a 30th-place finish, three laps down.
RELATED: Cup Series standings | Official Nashville results
The lost wheel falls under the heading of Section 10.5.2.6 in the NASCAR Rule Book. That safety violation has resulted in a four-race ban for crew chief Scott Graves and crew members Seth Gajdorus (rear tire changer) and Matthew Wilps (jack).
Competition officials also handed down $5,000 fines to the crew chiefs for four teams in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for lug-nut violations after Saturday’s Tennessee Lottery 250 at the Nashville oval. The following teams were penalized for each having one lug nut unsecured in a post-race check:
• No. 6 JD Motorsports Chevrolet (crew chief Alex Bird; driver Ryan Vargas)
• No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet (crew chief Jason Trinchere; driver Landon Cassill)
• No. 31 Jordan Anderson Racing Chevrolet (crew chief Shane Whitbeck; driver Myatt Snider)
• No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet (crew chief Michael Brandt; driver Ryan Ellis)
NASCAR officials also issued an indefinite suspension to Tony Waters for violations of the sanctioning body’s Substance Abuse Policy. Waters was listed as the hauler driver for the No. 4 Kyle Busch Motorsports team for the Camping World Truck Series’ event last month at Texas Motor Speedway.
