NASCAR issues rule clarification after Christopher Bell’s controversial Las Vegas pitstop

Christopher Bell’s controversial ‘double pitstop’ in Vegas proꦉmpts NASCAR to clarify its rules

Christopher Bell
Christopher Bell
© NASCAR Media

NASCAR has issued a clarification to i✅ts rulebook after Christoper Bell stopped in his teammate’s pit box during last weekend's Cup Series race at Las Vegas to tiꦬghten a wheel.

On lap 108 of 267, Bell headed to the pitlane at Las Vegas Speedway for a full service, but his crew chief Adam Stevens n🔯oticed that the front-left wheel on the #20 Toyota Camry was still loose.

Stevens immediately instructed Bell to peel into Chase Briscoe’s pit box, which was locatedও further down the pitlane.

Briscoe’s pit crew safely secured the wheel and sent Bell back out on track, although NASCAR penaliseꦛd him by sending him to the back of the field.

Now, the series has clarified how rules will apply in case there is a repeat of thꦐis situation.

If a car is serviced in another pit stall purelꦯy for safety reasons - as was the case with Bell - the driver in question will receive a flag status penalty. This means they will either have to restart at the tai🃏l of the field or receive a pass-through.

To avoid confusion, NASCAR explained that safety reasons can 📖include tightening loose wheel nuts or lug nuts and removing a fuel can, wedge wrench or jack from 𒅌under a vehicle.

However, the series added that if a car comple🦄tes a pitstop in another pit box for competition adjustment, the driver of that vehicle will lose one or more laps.

Several pit crews suspended after Vegas

NASCAR also announced that it has suspended two members from the pit crew o🎃f both the #8 Richard 𓃲Childress Racing and #19 Joe Gibbs Racing team.

It follows both Kyle Busch and Briscoe r༒olling loose wheels on the track at Las Vegas.

At Richard Childress Racing, Dylan Moser (jack) and Shiloh Windsor (rear-tyre) have been suspended from the next two races at Miami and Martinsville, while Caleb Dirks (jack) and Daniel Smith (rear-tyre) will be sidelined from JGR for the same two events🐻.

Further, Josiah Wright, who was listed as the rear tyre-changer for RFK Racing’s #6 Foꦬrd team, has been suspended indefinitely for violating NASCAR’s substance abuse policy.

Coleman Dollarhide was calleꦇd in by RFK as a replacement for Wright in Vegas.

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