NASCAR clarifies rule on pitting in another team’s stall

NASCAR sent a clarification to Cup, Xfinity and Craftsman Truck teams Thursday on pitting in another team’s pit stall.

NASCAR’s note comes after Christopher Bell stopped in teammate Chase Briscoe’s pit stall to have a loose left wheel tightened in last week’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

James Small knew what was happening when he saw Christopher Bell slow on pit road at Las Vegas

Joe Gibbs Racing had talked for years about what to do if a team car needed to have a wheel tightened after leaving its pit stall.

• Dustin Long,

• Dustin Long,

Had the wheel come off after Bell exited pit road, he would have been penalized two laps and had two pit crew members suspended for the next two races. By stopping in Briscoe’s stall for service, Bell was subject only to pitting outside the box and only had to restart at the back of the field.

NASCAR sent the following to teams about pitting in another’s stall:

• If a vehicle receives service in another team’s pit stall to correct a safety issue, the vehicle will receive a flag status penalty (restart tail of the field or pass-through) for the vehicle pitting outside of the assigned pit box
  
  • Some examples of a safety issue:
    
    • Tighten loose wheel nuts or lug nuts
    • Remove a fuel can
    • Remove a wedge wrench
    • Remove the jack from under the vehicle
      
• If a vehicle receives service in another team’s pit stall for competition adjustments, the vehicle may receive a lap(s) penalty