Two crew members of Martin Truex Jr.’s Joe Gibbs Racing team have been suspended for the next two NASCAR Cup Series races due to the wheel that came off the No. 19 Toyota at Auto Club Speedway.
Danny Olszowy (tire changer) and Kellen Mills (jackman) will not pit Truex’s car at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (March 5) or Phoenix Raceway (March 12). The left front wheel came off Truex’s car on Sunday afternoon during the lap 75 caution period.
Truex knew he had an issue leaving pit road when smoke came from under the left front. The wheel then became dislodged from the car on the backstretch.
Under its revamped penalty structure concerning the loss of wheels, NASCAR officials penalized Truex two laps during the Pala Casino 400. Truex rebounded for an 11th-place finish.
The two-race suspension is in addition to the in-race penalty. Last season, the penalty was an automatic four-race suspension for the crew members as well as the crew chief without a penalty during the race.
NASCAR announced changes to the penalty in January.
Teams who lose a wheel on pit road under caution will have their driver sent to the rear of the field. If a wheel comes off on pit road under green flag conditions, it is a pass-through penalty.
Truex’s wheel came off on the racetrack, which drew the other part of the penalty, which is being held for two laps during the race and a two-race suspension.
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