RFK Racing Penalized for Loose Tire as Richard Childress Racing Walk Away Scott-Free After Pit Lane Fiasco

At first glance, one might think we’re seeing a replay of last year’s drama with HMS and Kaulig Racing, except this time with RFK Racing and RCR in the spotlight. But taking a closer look would imply things aren’t quite the same. Last year, all the HMS drivers who got slapped with penalties for illegal parts ended up getting their points back, except for the folks at Kaulig Racing.

This year, Chris Buescher‘s crew found themselves in hot water, facing suspensions and penalties, but Kyle Busch‘s RCR pit crew didn’t get the same treatment when they messed up.

Why didn’t the main crew member responsible for Kyle Busch going one lap down face any penalty?

Chris Buescher’s day at the Pennzoil 400 came to a grinding halt when his wheel took a flyer, all thanks to his pit crew not getting it snug. This mishap not only knocked Buescher out of the race but also slapped RFK Racing with a penalty after the race. Buescher, who had just dodged a bullet in the chaotic crash in Atlanta and snagged a ninth-place finish, found his luck run out due to a slip-up by his crew. He had blasted into the lead on lap 15, riding high on a fresh set of tires from his latest pit stop.

However, by lap 27, things went south fast when Buescher smacked into the wall after his right front wheel decided to part ways on the first turn, calling it quits for his race day. FOX Sports shared that the team admitted to botching the pit stop and not securing the wheel properly, leading to a two-race suspension for two of the crew members. This added insult to injury for both Buescher and his team.

Bob Pockrass recently shared on Twitter that according to the rules, Chris Buescher’s pit crew members, Jakob Prall (the guy who changes the front tires) and Nicholas Patterson (the one with the jack), got benched for two races because a wheel came off in the middle of the Vegas race track.

On the flip side, Kyle Busch’s pit crew managed to dodge a bullet. During the home stretch of the race, Busch rolled into the pit for a quick fix, but after he was back on track, NASCAR slapped him with a pass-through penalty because his car was parked over the line in his pit box. Initially, one might point fingers at Busch for overshooting his mark, but his crew was big time in the mix.

All Busch needed was to scoot back a little so his team could get cracking on the #8 RCR car. But his crew missed the memo and started working before moving him back, which ended up costing Busch a lap. The mishap became the fourth major pit blunder for Busch in the season’s early days.

RCR’s Kyle Busch ended up a lap down because of a pit stop hiccup, but the folks who should’ve been on top of it—his crew chief and the pit crew—somehow avoided any heat. So, while the RFK Racing team got dinged for not securing a tire correctly, it looks like RCR’s crew got off scot-free for their part in the mix-up.

Despite the chaos at Las Vegas, Busch didn’t throw any shade at his crew, at least not out in the open, but praised his team for their support.

RCR star Kyle Busch said he is proud of his team

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After the dust settled on the race, Kyle Busch took to Twitter to share his thoughts about his RCR team. The driver of the #8 car posted, “We had a faster @BetMGM – @TeamChevy🎱 today than the results showed. Proud of this team for bringing fast cars every week. We’ll get after it next week.”

For Kyle, a guy who’s used to being in the thick of it, landing in 26th place had to be a tough pill to swallow, especially coming off a nail-biter finish in Atlanta, where he was right there in the mix. Kyle’s always been pumped to show what he’s got in Vegas, his own backyard, aiming to make a statement.

Read More: Kyle Busch Is Uncharacteristically Proud of His RCR Crew Despite Richard Childress’ Team Leaving Him Out to Dry at Vegas

Yet, the victory lane in Vegas remains elusive for him, with his last Cup race win there dating way back to 2009. Fingers crossed, Phoenix might just be the place where he turns his luck around.