This season NASCAR has been cracking down on drivers they deem as purposely causing on track incidents.  In Tuesday’s penalty report, NASCAR has charged Xfinity Series driver Sheldon Creed with wrecking a fellow driver on purpose during the Tennessee Lottery 250 on Saturday afternoon. 

Drivers began crashing on the very first lap and brought out multiple caution flags before settling down to making an extended green flag run.

One of those caution flags was on lap 169 when Sheldon Creed made contact with Sammy Smith, causing a crash that knocked Smith out of the race. As a result of the crash, Sheldon Creed was docked 25 driver points and fined $25,000 for violating the Member Conduct Code in the NASCAR rule book which includes – “Attempting to manipulate the outcome of the Race or championship.” and “Wrecking or spinning another vehicle, whether or not that vehicle is removed from Competition as a result.”

The penalty drops Creed from seventh to eighth in the point standings.

NASCAR issued a statement on the penalty saying, “following Saturday’s race at Nashville Superspeedway, NASCAR reviewed radio communications from the number two team. In NASCAR’s determination, that communication clearly resulted in the number two car wrecking the number 18 car on Lap 69, causing the seventh caution of the race.”


In the Craftsman Truck Series, the number 15 Tricon Garage truck driven by Tanner Gray was charged with having a single lug nut improperly secured during post race inspection.  Crew chief Jerame Donley has been fined $2,500 as a result.


During the Ally 400 on Sunday night, Tyler Reddick lost a wheel; but under the new rules regarding lost wheels, NASCAR determined that the wheel came off on pit road and not the racing surface.  Under the new rules, there were no suspensions or penalties given other than Reddick having to return to the track at the back of the field under caution flag conditions.