Chris Buescher’s No. 17 RFK Racing Ford failed both mandatory pre‑race inspections at WWT Raceway (Gateway), earning on‑track penalties that will cost the team a pit‑stall edge for the Sunday event.
Inspection Failures Spell Trouble for RFK Racing
The Ford was the slowest of the 16 active title contenders in the practice session and, with Buescher listed 11th in the Chase standings, the setback will impact his championship prospects. The no‑tolerance policy at Gateway resulted in a second violation, but the team cleared the required third inspection, avoiding a costly pass‑through penalty during the race.
Car Chiefs Ejected and Pit Stall Losses
Car chiefs Joshua Sisco of RFK and Dave Jones of Rick Ware Racing were expelled from the weekend and stripped of pit stall selection. Consequently, both Buescher and Cody Ware will occupy the final two pit road positions – the ones no one else desired – regardless of qualifying results.
Industry Compare: Ryan Blaney’s Shortened Penalties
Last weekend’s Southern 500 saw championship contender Ryan Blaney falter twice during pre‑race checks but ultimately claim fourth place. The comparison underlines the relative impact of the inspection failures that RFK and RWR faced, which were mitigated by passing on the third attempt and sustaining minimal competitive damage.
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