Rick Ware Racing penalized for detached wheel
NASCAR revealed the penalty report following this past weekend’s racing events between the Xfinity and Cup Series divisions at Sonoma Raceway between July 12-13.
In the Cup Series, the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing (RWR) Ford Mustang Dark Horse team has been penalized for a loose right-rear wheel that rolled off the entry. This violates Sections 8.8.10.4.A & C of the NASCAR Rule Book (separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from an entry during an event).
The incident occurred as Cody Ware, driving the No. 51 RWR entry, was slowly navigating through Turns 3 and 3a. The wheel rolled off the entry through the turns with 15 laps remaining. It then bounced off the course and back on the course. It was nearly hit by John Hunter Nemechek before coming to rest near the backstretch chicane’s entrance in Turn 4a.
As a result, Marquill Osborne and De’Quan Hampton from Ware’s No. 51 team have been suspended for the next two Cup Series events. This includes the upcoming weekend at Dover Motor Speedway through next weekend’s event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Ware finished in 34th place of the 37-car field at Sonoma after being assessed a two-lap penalty for the wheel incident. He is currently in 36th place in the 2025 driver standings. Through 20 scheduled events, Ware’s highest on-track result is a 13th-place result that occurred at Atlanta Motor Speedway in late June.
Three Xfinity teams fined for lug nut infractions
Meanwhile, three Xfinity Series teams have been penalized and issued a $5,000 fine for violating Sections 8.8.10.4a of the NASCAR Rule Book at Sonoma. This section pertains to having a lug nut that was not properly installed following Saturday’s event.
The teams penalized include the following:
- Richard Childress Racing’s (RCR) No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro team.
- Sam Hunt Racing’s (SHR) No. 26 Toyota Supra team.
- Alpha Prime Racing’s No. 44 Chevrolet Camaro team.
The No. 21 RCR Chevrolet entry driven by Austin Hill, finished in 12th place. Rookie Dean Thompson steered the No. 26 SHR Toyota entry to an 18th-place result. Brennan Poole piloted the No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet entry to a 22nd-place result. After Sonoma, drivers Hill, Thompson and Poole are third, 15th and 18th, respectively, in the 2025 Xfinity Series driver standings.
The NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series teams and competitors will return to action next weekend at Dover Motor Speedway in Dover, Delaware. The Xfinity Series race will occur on Saturday, July 19, at 4:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network. The Cup Series will cap off the weekend Sunday, July 20, at 2 p.m. ET on TNT.
