Two NASCAR Cup Series crew chiefs are facing penalties after Sunday night’s (Sept. 6) Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Head wrenches Adam Stevens and Johnny Klausmeier were each suspended for Saturday night’s Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond Raceway, as well as being fined $20,000 for two loose lug nuts.
Stevens coached Kyle Busch to a sixth-place finish Sunday night in the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry. Klausmeier led the effort to a 10th-place performance for Clint Bowyer. Neither driver will lose points as a result of the suspensions and replacement crew chiefs have not yet been announced.
Busch sits in 10th in the playoff standings, seven points to the good with two races to go in the Round of 16. Bowyer is 13th.
Harvick passes tech and is confirmed the winner …. KyBusch and Bowyer crew chiefs face 1-race suspension for having two loose/missing lug nuts (Byron and Harvick cars had 1, a fine).
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 7, 2020
Additionally, the Nos. 24 and 4 teams of William Byron and winner Kevin Harvick each had one missing/loose lug nut, which is a $10,000 fine.
FULL SOUTHERN 500 RACE RECAP
About the author
Luken Glover arrived on the Frontstretch scene in 2020. He has been an avid NASCAR fan for the majority of his life, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who used to help former team owner Junie Donlavey in his garage. Glover covers news for the site and took over "The Underdog House" column in 2021. In addition to being a college junior, his hobbies include volunteering at church, playing basketball and tennis, racing go-karts, and helping at his high school alma mater.
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Pretty harsh penalties for a loose lug nut. Yet no penalty if you brakes don’t work. Go figure!
I agree with you. My alternative would be to have the offending team(s) make a stop-and-go penalty On pit road within the first five green-flag laps of the next race.
The bad part of a loose lug nut is the way they hand out the air guns. Teams can no longer use their own and draw for the guns. And believe me even the same makers not all guns are alike. Should go back to bringing their own and this would HARDLY happen.
What is “loose” ? Can turn it with your hand, or not fully torqued ?
It funny how pre-race loses 10pts and move to back of the pack. But other post race only get fines and member suspended. Make no sense to me.
Same cars same tires same guns everybody has mandated stuff. So let’s just see who can cheat the best. Just about done with nascar.
Noosecar trying to rig the races like it has been doing for years
NASCAR runs the show, drivers have no say they need nascar , nascar doesn’t need them. Nascar tv shows are nascar run , they don’t listen to the fans. Hendricks Gibbs Penske set the rules No practice good luck small teams big teams start up front and choice of pits. Do it right blind draw pit and start position. Your waisting tv time
I’ve been thinking there should be a time penalty like 5 seconds for each lug nut that is not fully tightened.
Timing keeps track of the finishing times and the order can be changed based on the new times.
Harvick would have lost the win, quite a price for a loose wheel nut, which is probably the only remedy.
Crazy penalties. Too harsh. Trump must have come up with that.
I saw Hillary in the pits. P
Don’t need your opinion on politics your low IQ tells me your a lefty joe biden supporter.
I think lug nut rule need to changed! Current lug nut rule is like a teenager getting a ticket and their parents license getting suspended! I was expecting Denny Hamlin to win infinity & cup races!