The season may have officially ended on Sunday in Phoenix, but the teams are still paying for it on Tuesday. 10 total teams across all three National divisions were penalized including fines totaling a whopping $85k — all for lug nut violations. Ironically, this was the last race where they’d use this style of lug nuts as the Next Gen moves to a single lug system.
The most hefty was for Kyle Busch’s team. The No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and their crew chief Ben Beshore has been fined $20,000 and suspended from the next NASCAR Cup Series event (the Clash) as they had two lug nuts not safe and secure in a post-race check.
Five other Cup crew chiefs were fined $10,000 for having one lug nut not safe and secure in a post-race check, including three of the four Championship 4 crew chiefs one of which being Kyle Larson’s.
—No. 2 Team Penske crew chief Jeremy Bullins (for driver Brad Keselowski)
—No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Cliff Daniels (for driver Larson)
—No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Chris Gabehart (for driver Denny Hamlin)
—No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief James Small (for driver Martin Truex Jr.)
—No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing crew chief Jonathan Hassler (for driver Matt DiBenedetto)
In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, two crew chiefs were fined $5,000 for having one lug nut not safe and secure in a post-race check.They were:
—No. 11 Kaulig Racing crew chief Alex Yontz (for driver Justin Haley)
—No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing crew chief Chris Gayle (for driver John Hunter Nemechek)
In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, two crew chiefs were fined $2,500 for having one lug nut not safe and secure in a post-race check. They were:
—No. 16 Hattori Racing Enterprises crew chief Scott Zipadelli (for driver Austin Hill)
—No. 26 GMS Racing crew chief Charles Denike (for driver Tyler Ankrum)