Ryan Preece and Noah Gragson will enter the third race of the NASCAR Cup Sequence season with none factors.
NASCAR introduced Tuesday that Preece and Gragson had each been penalized 35 factors for non-conforming air deflectors on the roofs of their automobiles. The components have been confiscated Friday earlier than the race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Preece had precisely 35 factors earlier than the penalty and was twenty fourth within the Cup Sequence factors standings. He now has 0 factors. Gragson, in the meantime, was two spots behind and had 29 factors. He now has -6 factors and it’s attainable that he might nonetheless be under zero with a poor end on Sunday at Las Vegas.
It’s the second time Stewart-Haas groups have been penalized for main infractions over the previous two seasons. Chase Briscoe was penalized 120 factors within the spring of 2023 due to a counterfeit half on his automobile. The penalty successfully ruined Briscoe’s season and he was thirtieth within the factors standings.
With 24 races to go earlier than the postseason begins, there’s loads of time for Preece and Gragson to get into the playoff combine. However it could additionally require some enchancment from their crew. Whereas now-retired Kevin Harvick made the playoffs in 2023, the three different SHR automobiles completed exterior the highest 20 within the factors standings.
Joey Logano fined $10,000
Joey Logano was issued a wonderful of $10,000 for sporting a webbed glove throughout qualifying at Atlanta on Saturday.
Logano certified second however was despatched to the again of the sector earlier than the race started after video footage revealed there was cloth in between the thumb and index finger on the glove Logano was sporting on his left hand.
The webbing was there as a result of Logano — and different drivers — have been placing their left fingers as much as deflect air from moving into their driver’s facet home windows and reduce drag. The additional cloth on Logano’s glove would have created an even bigger floor space for air deflection.
