Elliott Sadler’s Crew Chief Suspended For Season Finale at Homestead

Loose lugnuts will cost Sadler his crew chief at Homestead

Elliott's Sadler will have to try and win his first-career NASCAR Xfinity Series title next weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway without crew chief Kevin Meendering calling the shots on the pit box.

Meendering was officially suspended for next weekend's event after NASCAR officials found two loose lugnuts on the right-rear of Sadler's No. 1 Chervolet following his 13th-place finish in Saturday night's Ticket Galaxy 200 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Sadler finished first among the four drivers who advance to the Championship 4 at Hometead, along with Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones and Sadler's teammate Justin Allgaier.

Sadler had a previous lugnut infraction following last weekend's race at Texas, and as per the rulebook, the team's second offense on Saturday means Meendering is out.

The team made no announcement as whether or not they will appeal NASCAR's ruling, nor who would fill in for Meendering in next weekend's race.