Rick Ware Racing was issued a safety penalty on Tuesday afternoon for the ballast that came off Cody Ware’s No. 51 Chevrolet at Watkins Glen.
The ballast flew off Ware’s car during Saturday practice. Some of it landed on the racetrack, and other pieces went through the fence near a group of photographers. NASCAR immediately parked the team and did not allow Ware to post a qualifying lap.
Three of Ware’s team members are now suspended for the next four NASCAR Cup Series races. Billy Plourde (crew chief), Jamie Edwards (car chief) and Steven Gray (engineer) will miss the events at Daytona International Speedway (Aug. 27), Darlington Raceway (Sept. 4), Kansas Speedway (Sept. 11), and Bristol Motor Speedway (Sept. 17).
NASCAR has been consistent in handing down penalties whenever ballast (otherwise known as tungsten) comes off a race car. Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing team was penalized for the same infraction follow ing the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in 2020. Hamlin had ballast fall out of his car during the pace laps before the race even started.
It’s stated in the rulebook a team will receive a four-race suspension for the “loss or separation” of ballast from the vehicle.