Preece penalized for spinning Gibbs at Texas

Ryan Preece has been fined and docked points for spinning Ty Gibbs during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR fined the RFK Racing driver $50,000 and docked him 25 championship points. The penalty drops Preece one spot in the championship standings from 12th to 13th.

The incident occurred on lap 101. Gibbs hit the wall in Turns 3 and 4, which was significant enough to end his race. He finished 36th.

Preece had previously expressed frustration with the Joe Gibbs Racing driver on his in-car radio. Monday night, Preece told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that “I’ve got a little bit of a short fuse with (Gibbs) and I, with how we’re racing. And that was just one of those situations that could I cut him a break? Probably could have, but I didn’t, and ultimately, I didn’t feel like I hit him. I felt like I stayed right on him, and he got loose, and from there on, unfortunately, he wrecked.”

NASCAR’s Mike Forde explained on the series' official podcast, Hauler Talk, that in reviewing the incident, it came down to actions and words.

“He said what he said, and then he did what he said,” Forde said of Preece. “So, in our view, it was intentionally wrecking another vehicle.”

Preece and RFK Racing can appeal the penalty.