NASCAR has handed down a series of suspensions and fines following last weekend’s events at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Josh Berry took the checkered flag in the Cup Series race. The penalties stem from a mix of on-track incidents and policy violations, highlighting the sport’s strict enforcement of safety and conduct rules.
Four crew members from Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing were suspended for two weeks after tires came loose during the race. Joseph Moser, the jackman, and Shiloh Windsor, the rear tire changer for Kyle Busch’s No. 8 team, will miss the next two races and can return after the Martinsville Speedway event on March 30, 2025. Similarly, Caleb Dirks, the jackman, and Daniel Smith, the rear tire changer for Chase Briscoe’s No. 19 team, will also sit out for two weeks.
The incidents that led to these suspensions were dramatic. Briscoe’s No. 19 Toyota lost its left rear wheel during the opening stage of the race after a green-flag pit stop, bringing out a caution when the wheel detached. Meanwhile, Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet lost a wheel during a Lap 115 restart, causing him to hit the wall. Replays showed the wheel had been sheared in half, underscoring the seriousness of the issue.
In addition to the on-track penalties, NASCAR announced indefinite suspensions for Josiah Wright and Corbin Sklener for violations of the substance abuse policy. Wright, a rear tire changer for Brad Keselowski’s No. 6 team at RFK Racing, was replaced by Coleman Dollarhide at Las Vegas. Sklener had worked with GK Racing in the Truck Series and Mike Harmon Racing in the Xfinity Series at Daytona.
The weekly penalty report also included fines for several Xfinity Series teams and one Craftsman Truck Series team. Josh Williams (Kaulig Racing), Aric Almirola (Joe Gibbs Racing), Dean Thompson (Sam Hunt Racing), and Connor Zilisch (JR Motorsports) were each fined $5,000, while Justin Haley’s team (Spire Motorsports) received a $2,500 fine for having a loose lug nut at the end of their respective races.
These penalties serve as a reminder of NASCAR’s commitment to maintaining safety and integrity in the sport, even as teams and drivers push the limits on the track.
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