Over the off season NASCAR changed the rules concerning lost wheels on Cup Series cars.  There are no longer four race suspensions for the crew chief and crew members.

Loose tires were the bane of Martin Truex Jr last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway.  First during a pit stop one of Truex’s tires got away from a crew member and rolled into a neighbouring pit stall.  As a result, Truex had to restart the race from the back of the field.

During a later caution flag, one of the tires on Truex’s car came loose but since Truex was at the end of pit road he chose to continue out on the track where the wheel came off.  Under the new rules, Truex was penalized two laps and tire changer Danny Olszowy and jackman Kellen Mills have been suspended for the next two races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.

The loose wheel rule is under Section 8.8.10..C of the NASCAR rule book.

Had Truex remained on pit road when the tire came loose, he would only have to had served a pass through penalty once the race returned to green flag conditions or simply restart the race from the back of the field under the caution flag.