Bubba Wallace‘s crew chief Robert “Bootie” Barker, jackman Caleb Dirks and rear-tire changer Adam Riley have all been suspended for four races after NASCAR issued the 23XI Racing team a loose wheel penalty on March 29.
The infraction marks the fifth loose wheel penalty implemented in 2022.
The No. 23 Toyota lost its left-rear wheel on lap 45 of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas, which resulted in the team’s retirement from the event and a 38th-place finish.
That's not good … š https://t.co/OG7Poz8TgM pic.twitter.com/Q01oVfEVVJ
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 27, 2022
Dave Rogers, the team’s performance director, will serve as the acting crew chief for the four events. 23XI has said it will not appeal the decision.
No monetary fines or points deductions were implemented on the team.
Wallace currently sits 20th in the standings, 28 points behind the playoff cut line.
No other penalties for all three series were handed out.
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 theĀ Frontstretch Happy Hour podcast,Ā 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.
Follow Dalton on Twitter @PitLaneCPT