NASCAR will discuss lug nuts and loose wheels

NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell said Monday that a recent rash of loose wheels would be a topic in the Sprint Cup Series' monthly competition meeting with teams. #78-Martin Truex Jr., #24-Chase Elliott and #48-Jimmie Johnson were among several who needed extra pit stops because of loose wheels during Sunday's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

There also were multiple loose wheels in the previous race at Texas Motor Speedway, prompting much debate last week over the risks and rewards of the practice of tightening fewer than five lug nuts during a pit stop. A loose wheel is a safety hazard for drivers, who can be left with little warning of losing control at a high rate of speed.

"We'll continue to look at it," O'Donnell said during his weekly appearance on "The Morning Drive" on SiriusXM's NASCAR channel.

"We've got our competition meeting monthly where we meet with the teams and certainly raise any issues that they see as something we've got to address, probably more so immediately." NASCAR once monitored and punished teams for hitting fewer than five lug nuts on a stop. But it hasn't been policed since an overhaul of pit road officiating before last season. NBC Sports