Two NASCAR Cup Series teams and one Xfinity Series team were penalized following the events at Richmond Raceway this past Saturday, Sept. 11.
Richmond winner Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 19 Toyota team crew chief James Small was fined $10,000 for an unsecured lug nut that was found in the post-race inspection.
The No. 77 Chevrolet driven by Justin Haley was also penalized for failing to secure two lug nuts. Crew chief Kevin Bellicourt was fined $20,000 and is suspended for this weekend’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. No points were stripped from the Spire Motorsports team after their 27th-place result on Saturday night.
In the Xfinity Series, the No. 20 Toyota of Harrison Burton was found with one unsecured lug nut. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff has been fined $5,000 as a result. Burton finished ninth in the event.
Federated Auto Parts 400 Penalty Report
Dalton Hopkins began writing for Frontstretch in April 2021. Currently, he is the lead writer for the weekly Thinkin' Out Loud column, co-host of the Frontstretch Happy Hour podcast, and one of our lead reporters. Beforehand, he wrote for IMSA shortly after graduating from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2019. Simultaneously, he also serves as a Captain in the US Army.
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So Marty won the event and cheated on a pit stop. It does pay to cheat.