Petty GMS Racing won a race last year at Darlington. Erik Jones’ victory in the prestigious Southern 500 wasn’t the first trip to victory lane for Petty, it was the first for GMS Racing on the Cup level. 9 weeks later, it was announced that Jimmie Johnson was coming onboard as a partner. Talk about some major momentum for this organization.

Petty and Maury Gallagher have made mention that they’re not the youngest owners in the garage and know that in order for them to see success, it needs to be fast tracked. While being a new team together, they didn’t have 5-10 years to build this thing if they both wanted to reap the benefits of winning.

It had to happen quickly.

Johnson only sped this process up.

To have a race winner in Jones and now Noah Gragson for the 2023 season as drivers, this team expected more. However, after a rough week, as the team heads west to Sonoma Raceway, they need to do some soul searching.

On Wednesday, Jones’ No. 43 Legacy Motor Club team was hit with an L1-level infraction following the Cup Series race last Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis.

The car was found to have a modified greenhouse in post-race inspection, according to a NASCAR spokesperson.

It’s a similar instance to what the pair of HMS cars of Alex Bowman and William Byron were found to have had in Richmond.

Jones and his team were penalized 60 points and five playoff points. NASCAR also suspended crew chief Dave Elenz for the next two races and fined him $75,000. That takes Jones from 68 points behind the cutline to 128 now.

The section referenced in the NASCAR Rule Book was 14.1. Overall Assembled Vehicle Rules and 14.1.2.B Engineering Change Log.

The greenhouse is the top portion of the Cup Series car, including the roof, plus the front and rear glass — everything from the top of the doors upward. Modifications to this area would be made by teams in an attempt to gain an aerodynamic edge.

A day later, it was announced that Gragson will miss Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN) after being diagnosed with a concussion from a crash in that very same race.

Last Sunday at World Wide Technology Raceway, Gragson was involved in a crash on Lap 197 and was evaluated and released from the infield care center. Upon return home to North Carolina, he began to experience concussion-like symptoms mid-week and is seeking treatment.  

“Noah’s health is the highest of priorities and we commend him for making the decision to sit out this weekend,” said team co-owners Maury Gallagher and Jimmie Johnson.

Grant Enfinger will sub for Gragson this weekend. The Alabama native is the 2015 ARCA Menards Series champion and this will be the 38-year-old’s first career start in the NASCAR Cup Series. He is a nine-time winner in the NASCAR Truck Series and has won twice already this season, most recently winning last weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway. 

“We are appreciative that Grant was available and willing to step in since the Truck Series is off this weekend,” said Johnson and Gallagher.”

Enfinger enters knowing that he’s in a difficult situation.

“My thoughts are with Noah, I know how much he loves this team and the guys on it,” said Enfinger. “I’m happy to help out LEGACY MOTOR CLUB and the No. 42 team.”

Gragson is the third driver that will miss time due to a head injury in the last two seasons. Kurt Busch crashed last July in Pocono and unfortunately, hasn’t recovered enough to get back into a car. Last Fall, Alex Bowman crashed in Texas and would miss five weeks as a result of a concussion himself.

Bowman missed time this year but that was for an injury suffered in a sprint car crash. Chase Elliott also missed time this season but for a snowboarding crash on the Friday before the Las Vegas race weekend.

Gragson sits 32nd in points already and after this week, will likely drop to last among the full-time participants.

Jones and Gragson are both now in the same boat as Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe and Chase Elliott as now facing must wins due to penalties and/or injuries.

For a team with one win in 51 starts together, including Gragson being a rookie, the aspirations of both, or even one, of their cars making the postseason turn slim.