NASCAR suspends three from Austin Cindric's team for loose wheel
Austin Cindric is the latest NASCAR Cup Series driver to lose his crew chief and a pair of crew members for a loose wheel in a race.
Matthew T. Thacker / NKP / Motorsport Images
On Wednesday, NASCAR suspended Cindric’s crew chief, Jeremy Bullins, and crew members Curtis Thompson (front tire changer) and Patrick Gray (jackman) for the next four races, beginning with Sunday’s race at Pocono Raceway.
Cindric’s No. 2 Ford had a left-front wheel come loose during a pit stop at the completion of Stage 2 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The rule violated is as follows: “Sections 8.8.10.4; 10.5.2.6: Loss or separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from the vehicle.”
NASCAR had recently amended its loose wheel rule to allow for the series director’s discretion as to whether the penalty should be issued if the wheel remained on pit road.
The wheel did remain on pit road in Cindric’s case but rolled through several other teams’ pit boxes.
So far this season, NASCAR has issued suspensions 12 times to 11 different teams for having wheels come loose during Cup Series races.
NASCAR switched to a center-locking wheels with a single lug nut for the 2022 season with its Next Gen car.
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