By Aaron Bearden, Motorsports Editor
Kyle Busch is already running with an interim crew chief – Ben Beshore – with regular signal caller Adam Stevens serving a four-race suspension for earlier penalties.
Leaving Sonoma Raceway, it appears the Nevadan may need a back-up for his back-up.
Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing team appears poised for a penalty after his No. 18 Toyota was observed with two unsecured lug nuts following Sunday’s Toyota / Save Mart 350.
Per the 2017 NASCAR Rule Book, the suggested penalty for such an infraction is a $20,000 fine and a one-race suspension to the crew chief.
Should that penalty be handed down, Busch’s team will face a unique dilemma entering the July 1 race at Daytona International Speedway.
Busch will be without Stevens for at least one more week. Stevens served the third of a four-race suspension for an errant wheel at Dover International Speedway on Sunday. He won’t be eligible to return until the following week at Kentucky Speedway.
Beshore has delivered Busch to three-straight top 10s in Stevens’ absence, including a fifth-place run on the 1.990-mile Sonoma, California road course. But the missing lug nuts mean Beshore will likely be suspended next weekend at Daytona, barring an appeal.
Given the news, Busch offered up a sarcastic take on who he expects app the box in Daytona.
I bet @SamanthaBusch will b called to the box for @DISupdates this weekend. Stupid rules🙄 https://t.co/vuloDXFI1t
— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) June 25, 2017
Any penalties will likely be announced by NASCAR on Tuesday or Wednesday.