Brad Keselowski, driver of the #6 King's Hawaiian Ford, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on November 03, 2024 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images)

NASCAR News: 3 teams to be investigated for Xfinity 500 finish (Update)

NASCAR penalized the Nos. 1, 3 and 23 Cup Series teams for Member Conduct violations during Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway.

After an investigation of the on-track data and team scanners from the final laps of Sunday’s Round of 8 elimination race, NASCAR determined the actions of those involved violated sections 4.4.B&D: NASCAR Member Conduct of the Rule Book, which include race manipulation and actions detrimental to stock car racing.

Drivers Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing), Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing), and Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) were each hit with a loss of 50 driver points and a $100,000 fine. In addition, NASCAR also fined the owners of each team $100,000 and deducted 50 owner points each.

Crew chiefs Phil Surgen, Justin Alexander and Bootie Barker, along with their respective spotters Brandon McReynolds, Brandon Benesch and Freddie Kraft, were all suspended for the 2024 season finale at Phoenix Raceway.

Additionally, team executives Tony Lunders, Keith Rodden and Dave Rogers were also suspended for the 2024 finale at Phoenix.

Richard Childress Racing, 23XI Racing and Trackhouse Racing all announced that they would appeal the ruling.

“We took and looked at the most recent penalty that we had written for an infraction, very similar, which was the 41 car a couple of years ago at the Roval,” NASCAR Senior VP of Competition Elton Sawyer said. “We felt like we wanted to ramp this one up and we did, we did that in a way that we included team leadership. And this one, something that we feel like that, you know, we want to get our point across that it’s a responsibility of all of us, the team owners, the team leadership as well as ourselves here at NASCAR to uphold the integrity of our sport.”

In the late stages of last weekend’s 500-lap race, William Byron’s No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet began to fade from the front of the field, which led to a series of on-track events that eventually resulted in Tuesday’s penalties.

Every spot lost dropped Byron closer to the elimination line, and he settled into sixth place on the track, just one point ahead of Christopher Bell in the provisional playoff standings and in position to advance to the Championship 4. Bell was running in 19th place at the time, the first car one lap down.

As Ryan Blaney pulled away for his Championship 4-clinching win, the Chevrolets of Chastain and Dillon effectively created a blockade behind Byron, both running side-by-side and not passing the No. 24 car over the final 10 laps. Completed passes by those cars may have dropped Byron out of the Championship 4.

Martinsville Penalty Report

NASCAR Cup Series

Date

Track

Team/Member

Level

Infraction

Penalty/Remarks

11/03/2024

(post-race)

Martinsville

No. 1

Behavioral

Sections 4.4.B&D: NASCAR Member Conduct

Team executive (Tony Lunders), crew chief (Philip Surgen), and spotter (Brandon McReynolds) have been suspended for the next NASCAR championship points event. Additionally, the team and driver have been fined $100,000 and assessed with the loss of 50 points.

11/03/2024

(post-race)

Martinsville

No. 3

Behavioral

Sections 4.4.B&D: NASCAR Member Conduct

Team executive (Keith Rodden), crew chief (Justin Alexander), and spotter (Brandon Benesch) have been suspended for the next NASCAR championship points event. Additionally, the team and driver have been fined $100,000 and assessed with the loss of 50 points.

11/03/2024

(post-race)

Martinsville

No. 23

Behavioral

Sections 4.4.B&D: NASCAR Member Conduct

Team executive (Dave Rogers), crew chief (Robert Barker), and spotter (Freddie Kraft) have been suspended for the next NASCAR championship points event. Additionally, the team and driver have been fined $100,000 and assessed with the loss of 50 points.

11/03/2024

(race)

Martinsville

No. 8

Safety

Sections 8.8.10.4.A & C: Tires and Wheels Note: Loss or separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from the vehicle during the event.

Crew members (Josh Sobecki and Michael Russell) have been suspended from the next two NASCAR Cup Series Championship points events, through and including, The Clash at Bowman Gray, February 2, 2025.

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Date

Track

Team/Member

Level

Infraction

Penalty/Remarks

11/02/2024

Martinsville

No. 81

Behavioral

Sections 4.4.D: NASCAR Member Conduct

Driver (Chandler Smith) has been fined $10,000.

NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series

Date

Track

Team/Member

Level

Infraction

Penalty/Remarks

11/05/2024

N/A

No. 98

Behavioral

Sections 4.4 A: NASCAR Member Conduct Note: Failure to complete media obligations

Driver (Ty Majeski) has been fined $12,500.

 


November 5, 2024 

NASCAR officials will look further into the on-track actions of multiple competitors Sunday night in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Xfinity 500 Round of 8 finale at Martinsville Speedway.

The No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet piloted by Ross Chastain, the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet driven by Austin Dillon and the No. 23 Toyota of 23XI Racing wheeled by Bubba Wallace all fall under scrutiny for how they raced in the closing laps of Sunday’s Xfinity 500.

NASCAR’s senior vice president of competition Elton Sawyer said Sunday the officials’ immediate focus in the moment centered around Christopher Bell’s wall ride in the final corner, but said he anticipated a deeper examination lied ahead once clear of Sunday’s event. NASCAR.com

There are allegations the teams used secret messages to work together to block certain drivers.

A general view of racing during the NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on November 03, 2024 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)