Jesse Love will be forced to start from the back of the field in Saturday’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series event after Richard Childress Racing’s No. 2 Chevrolet failed a compliance check with its lug‑nut thickness.
Rule violation revealed
NASCAR determined the lug nuts on the No. 2 were narrower than the minimum specification, disallowing the car from qualifying.
Additional penalties and strategy challenges
The driver will incur a pass‑through penalty immediately after the green flag and lose the right to pick a pit stall for Sonoma Raceway.
Crew chief Danny Stockman must devise a new strategy to recover position, noting Love’s best road‑course finish was second place at Watkins Glen.
Championship context and other race notes
Love, a full‑time Cup contender for 2027 with the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford, sits second in the standings 250 points behind champion Justin Allgaier.
Meanwhile, Layne Riggs won a chaotic Truck Series race in San Diego, passing Tyler Reif in the final chicane during an overtime finish.
With the field shuffled and strategy intensified, the race promises to test Love’s resilience ahead of his planned Cup transition.
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