![]() ![]() In order to discourage teams from tightening only a few lug nuts or drivers racing with loose wheels, NASCAR also introduced a rule in 2015 that it would automatically suspend the crew chief, the tire changer and the tire carrier for four races if a wheel came off for improper installation. ![]() Occasionally, NASCAR would call a driver back down pit road to tighten a lug nut, and even there were times where the official was wrong. In the past, if a wheel were so loose that driver couldn't maintain speed, the driver would pit. Instead of 43 officials standing on pit road, NASCAR now has 10 officials roaming behind pit wall. NASCAR transitioned to a video officiating system that relies heavily on cameras and computer software to catch violations that are then reviewed by eight officials watching the pit stops on video. Some background: NASCAR had stopped policing whether the lug nuts were tight starting in 2015 in a move to streamline the number of officials and keep all officials off a busy and hectic pit road. It has created less-worried drivers and more stressed crew chiefs. But in doing so, it has created as many questions as it has answers. Now NASCAR has put an end to that practice. ![]() NASCAR issued the revised lug nut rule Monday in response to driver complaints that teams took big risks by tightening only three of the five lug nuts, especially late in the race, in order for quicker pit stops. NASCAR also has the long-standing option of ruling that a winning driver could not use a win to get into the Chase if a rules violation is found postrace. And he shudders at the thought of a one-race suspension for not having five "safe and secure" lug nuts on a wheel after a race, part of a new rule issued Monday. Kurt Busch crew chief Tony Gibson is an old-school crew chief. It's the description of the potential penalty if his car has 19 instead of 20 tight lug nuts on a car that comes into victory lane. That's not the description of a crew chief in the garage of what would happen if a wheel is loose. ![]()
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