Crewmembers Suspended From No. 3 NASCAR Chevy Team

Two crewmembers from the No. 3 NASCAR Chevy Camaro ZL1 team of Austin Dillon have been suspended. Dillon’s race car suffered a loose wheel incident on Lap 81 of 109 laps at the Charlotte Roval on October 13^th, 2024, and his team was subsequently penalized.

Dillon’s penalty was detailed in the latest penalty report from NASCAR.com. The left front tire separated from the No. 3 NASCAR Chevy race car, which ultimately resulted in the race’s fifth and final caution period. Dillon’s loose wheel violated Sections 8.8.10.4.A & C in the NASCAR Rule Book, which refers to the “loss or separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from the vehicle during the event.”

The two crewmembers that have been suspended from the No. 3 NASCAR Chevy team are front tire changer Joshua Thomas and jackman Nick Covey. They will not compete in the next two Cup Series races, which are at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 20^th and Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 27^th.

This is not the first time Dillon has been penalized in 2024. He was punished following the race at Richmond Raceway on August 11^th, 2024, when he appeared to intentionally wreck two of his competitors in the closing laps. While his win was not rescinded, his Playoff eligibility was revoked as a result of his unsportsmanlike actions.

In the Xfinity Series, several NASCAR Chevy teams were also found with loose lug nuts. A single unsecured lug nut was found on three Chevy Camaro race cars, including the No. 7 Camaro of Justin Allgaier, the No. 8 Camaro of Sammy Smith, and the No. 21 Camaro of Austin Hill. A fourth race car, the No. 81 Toyota TRD Supra of Chandler Smith, was also found with a loose lug nut.

The NASCAR Chevy drivers themselves were not penalized, but each crew chief was fined $5,000 for the safety violations. They are James Pohlman of Allgaier’s team, Phillip Bell of Sammy Smith’s team, and Andy Street of Hill’s crew.