Getty Daniel Hemric was able to post a qualifying lap at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR Cup Series teams went through pre-race inspection on September 30. Three entries failed multiple times and received penalties ahead of the Round of 12 playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway.
NASCAR issued its inspection report on September 30 and announced that the No. 16 Chevrolet Camaro of Kaulig Racing, the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro of Hendrick Motorsports, and the No. 31 Chevrolet Camaro of Kaulig Racing all failed inspection two times. They all lost pit stall selection for the race weekend, as well as a crew member.
NASCAR ejected car chief Garett Peterson from the No. 16 team, car chief Jaron Antley from the No. 31 team, and car chief Tyler Jones from the No. 24 team. All three entries passed inspection on the third attempt, so the respective drivers were able to post qualifying laps. William Byron secured the best starting position at ninth overall after he made it to the second round.
The Cup Series drivers will now prepare for the pivotal playoff race, which will take place at 2 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 2. NBC will provide coverage as they attempt to gain as many points as possible over the course of 188 laps.
Byron’s Week of Penalties Continues
GettyWilliam Byron posted a top-10 qualifying lap at Talladega Superspeedway.
Byron is the only playoff driver that saw his stock car fail inspection multiple times. He avoided the pass-through that comes with three failed inspections, but the loss of the car chief continued a week of penalties for the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team.
NASCAR announced on September 27 that Byron had received a penalty that included a $50,000 fine and the loss of 25 driver points and 25 owner points. This was the result of him spinning Denny Hamlin under caution at Texas Motor Speedway, and it dropped him below the cutline heading to Talladega Superspeedway.
Hendrick Motorsports announced prior to the trip to Alabama that it will appeal the penalties issued to the No. 24 team. This will not take place until the week of the Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which will put even more emphasis on stacking points during the race at Talladega Superspeedway.
2 Other Drivers Will Start From the Rear
GettyTy Gibbs will have to start from the rear of the field at Talladega Superspeedway.
Byron, Justin Haley, and Daniel Hemric were all able to post qualifying laps, and they all have starting spots inside the top 25. Two other drivers, however, will have to drop to the rear of the field due to some mechanical issues.
Ty Gibbs secured his spot in the final round of qualifying on October 1. However, he was not able to post a second lap due to smoke and fluid coming out of the No. 23 Toyota Camry. The team had to repair an oil leak, which falls under the category of unapproved adjustments. This will drop him to the rear of the field for the start of the 500-mile race.
Fellow 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace had his own mechanical issue after qualifying came to an end. The No. 45 team had to change the engine due to an overheating issue that surfaced. He will also have to drop to the rear of the field as he prepares to defend his Talladega Superspeedway win from the 2021 season.