DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For the first time in three races, NASCAR handed out no major penalties, but two national series teams were still fined for safety violations on Wednesday following the Auto Club Speedway race weekend.
Both Kyle Busch’s No. 18 Toyota team in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and Ryan Preece’s No. 18 Toyota team in the NASCAR Xfinity Series had one lug nut that was not safe and secure following their respective races at the two-mile California oval.
Adam Stevens and Eric Phillips were fined $10,000 and $5,000, respectively, as a result of the issues.
Busch took Joe Gibbs Racing to a third-place finish in Sunday’s Auto Club 400 in Fontana, leading 62 of 200 laps but fading late and never being able to muster a serious challenge against race winner and defending Cup champion Martin Truex Jr.
Meanwhile, Preece had a solid day during his first drive of the season in JGR’s Xfinity Series all-star car, coming home ninth in the Roseanne 300 for his fifth-straight top-10 finish as a member of the Gibbs team.
Both teams were penalized per section 10.9.10.4 of the NASCAR Rule Book.
The Xfinity Series is now off until April 7 at Texas Motor Speedway, while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series return to action this coming weekend at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia.
