Coming off of Sunday’s Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400, NASCAR has handed down a number of penalties, including a few for improper protective clothing and equipment. Three Cup Series teams were penalized.
The individuals penalized were the No. 17 RFK Racing tire carrier Zach Yager (gloves), the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing tire carrier Jake Holmes (helmet strap) and the No. 33 Richard Childress Racing jackman Doug Warrick (helmet).
Each will serve a one-race suspension, grounding them for the race at Talladega this weekend.
Those were not the only penalties handed out by NASCAR following the latest Cup Series competition.
NASCAR also suspended a member of Austin Dillon‘s pit crew indefinitely, tagging Nicholas Covey with an indefinite suspension due to a violation of NASCAR’s substance abuse policy. The organization did not provide further details about the nature of the violation.
Covey was a jackman for the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet as recently as the April 7 race at Martinsville Speedway. He was a linebacker at Nebraska from 2005 to 2009.
In addition, Kyle Larson‘s crew was hit with a two-game suspension for two members after he lost a wheel during a Stage 2 caution on Sunday.
Kyle Larson No. 5 team penalized for losing wheel
NASCAR penalized Kyle Larson’s pit crew following the team losing a wheel on the track during a Stage 2 caution at the Texas Motor Speedway during the latest Cup Series race.
Larson’s team now shows two new crew members, according to Bob Pockrass of FOX. Larson’s team now shows new jackman Eric Ludwig and new rear changer Mike Moss, both coming from the Hendrick Motorsports crew that pits Corey LaJoie.
NASCAR issued a two-race suspension for Brandon Johnson (jack) and Calvin Teague (rear changer) for a wheel coming off during the race.
The suspension for Larson’s crew members will carry through Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Speedway, as well as the race the following week at Dover Motor Speedway.
Larson was in good shape early in the race before running into trouble that would end his day.
He led early but ended up held on pit road for two laps, a penalty for losing a wheel on the track during a caution. Larson reportedly felt like he had a flat, then his right rear wheel came off during a Stage 2 caution.
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