Sam Mayer will not be competing in the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on Saturday, November 1.
The news comes as Mayer was issued a one-race suspension from NASCAR following his post-race actions during last weekend’s event at Martinsville Speedway. After taking the checkered flag in seventh place, Mayer spun and sent sixth-place finisher Jeb Burton into the outside wall in Turn 1. The post-race incident damaged both vehicles and occurred after both Mayer and Burton had multiple run-ins earlier during the Martinsville event.
Per the NASCAR penalty report that was released on Tuesday, October 28, NASCAR deemed that Mayer violated Section 4.4.B of the NASCAR Member Code of Conduct from the NASCAR Rule Book. Amid the incident, Mayer was one of four competitors who fell short in qualifying for this year’s Championship 4 round, with Mayer missing the cutline by eight points.
Following the news of Mayer’s suspension, Haas Factory Team took to social media with the following statement:
“Although we are disappointed with the results, Haas Factory Team will not appeal the penalty NASCAR issued to Sam Mayer and the No. 41 team following last weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway. We remain focused on finishing the season out strong at Phoenix Raceway and look forward to contending for a race win with Ryan Sieg at the wheel.”
As mentioned in the statement above, Ryan Sieg will pilot Mayer’s No. 41 Audibel/Haas Factory Team Ford Mustang entry to cap off the 2025 Xfinity season. Sieg, who drives the No. 39 Ford Mustang entry for RSS Racing, is currently ranked in 15th place in the driver’s standings. With the upcoming Xfinity finale at Phoenix scheduled to mark his milestone 400th career start, he will also attempt to contend for his first series victory.
While there were no additional penalties issued towards any competitors and teams within the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series divisions, there was one team penalized within the Cup Series division. That team was the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse entry team piloted by Cody Ware.
During the Cup Series event at Martinsville that occurred this past Sunday, October 26, the right-rear wheel from Ware’s entry detached as the driver spun through Turns 3 and 4. The detached wheel violated Section 8.8.10.4.A&C of the NASCAR Rule Book that highlights the loss or separation of an improperly installed tire and wheel from a racing vehicle during an event. As a result, jackman De’Quan Hampton and rear-tire changer Marquill Osborne will not be participating in the next two NASCAR Cup Series events. Their suspensions will span through the 2026 Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium in early February.
In addition, per the penalty report, Shane Gray has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR activities due to violating Section 4.4.B of the NASCAR Rule Book that highlights the Member Code of Conduct.
The NASCAR Craftsman Truck, Xfinity and Cup Series teams and competitors will return to action this upcoming weekend at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Arizona, to cap off the 2025 season. The Truck Series’ Championship Race will occur on Friday, October 31, at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network and SiriusXM. The Xfinity Series’ Championship Race will follow suit on Saturday, November 1, at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW Network, MRN and SiriusXM.
The Cup Series’ Championship Race caps off the weekend on Sunday, November 2, at 3 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, SiriusXM and HBO MAX
