Playoff Driver Daniel Suarez to Serve Pass-Through After Unapproved Adjustment
Less than two hours before the scheduled start of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, playoff-eligible driver Daniel Suarez and his Trackhouse Racing team have been assessed a penalty. NASCAR confirmed the infraction just before 12:30 PM ET on Sunday.
According to the sanctioning body's penalty report, the Trackhouse Racing team made an unapproved adjustment to the roof area of the No. 99 Tootsie's Orchid Lounge Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 following the completion of the inspection process after qualifying on Saturday, forcing NASCAR to take action.
As a result, NASCAR has determined Suarez will drop to the rear of the 40-car field during the pace laps, before coming down pit road to serve a pass-through penalty on the opening lap of Sunday's 188-lap contest from Talladega Superspeedway.
The Monterrey, Mexico native was scheduled to roll from the 31st position in the second race of the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, in which the two-time NASCAR Cup Series winner is one of the 12 drivers still eligible.
Furthermore, the car chief of the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro, listed this weekend as Eddie D'Hondt, Jr. according to NASCAR's Roster Portal, has been ejected from the premises of Talladega Superspeedway.
With the pass-through penalty, the Trackhouse Racing driver will more than likely exit pit road without a trace of the lead draft, which could be detrimental to the driver should there not be a yellow flag in the opening stage of the event.
In its penalty briefing, NASCAR says that no further penalties will come from this infraction.
Suarez enters Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, the second race in the 'Round of 12', sitting 10th-place in post-season standings, having to make up a 14-point deficit on eighth-place Chase Elliott over the next two events.
