Nationwide inspection issue spurs NASCAR penalties
Thursday, Nov. 12, 2009
Kyle Busch celebrates in Victory Lane at Texas Motor Speedway on Nov. 7, 2009. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
MCT
Steve Wallace (66) and Michael Annett collided in the backstretch during the NASCAR Nationwide Series O'Reilly Challenge 300 race at Texas Motor, Saturday, November 7, 2009, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Ian McVea/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)
MCT
Justin Allgaier nursed the Alltel Dodge around the track after hitting the wall near the halfway point of the NASCAR Nationwide Series O'Reilly Challenge 300 race at Texas Motor, Saturday, November 7, 2009, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Kelley Chinn/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT)
Getty Images for NASCAR
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 07: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Z-Line Designs/WWE Smackdown Toyota, leads Michael McDowell, driver of the #96 my123backup.com Dodge, during the NASCAR Nationwide Series O'Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway on November 7, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Getty Images for NASCAR
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 07: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Z-Line Designs/WWE Smackdown Toyota, races during the NASCAR Nationwide Series O'Reilly Challenge at Texas Motor Speedway on November 7, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images for NASCAR)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – NASCAR has docked Kyle Busch 25 Nationwide points and fined crew chief Jason Ratcliff $5,000 after Busch's No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota failed inspection before last week's race at Texas.
NASCAR also placed Ratcliff on probation through the end of the year for actions detrimental to stock car racing, using improper equipment and use of an improperly attached weight.
The penalty means Busch now leads Carl Edwards by 247 points with two races remaining. The infraction was discovered last Thursday at Texas Motor Speedway. Busch won the Nationwide race at the 1.5-mile track on Saturday.
NASCAR also fined crew chief Brad Parrott $5,000 and placed him on probation until the end of the year for rules violations on the No. 09 Ford driven by John Wes Townley.
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