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RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher will have all his #17 Ford pit crew members working on the car this weekend at Phoenix Raceway after NASCAR deferred the suspension levied on two of the members.
Buescher's race in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway came to an abrupt end when a loose wheel led to a wreck just 27 laps into the race. A lug nut on the front right wheel came loose, causing the #17 Ford to collide with the barriers and forcing Buescher to retire from the race.
Subsequently, NASCAR announced a two-race suspension for #17 pit crew members Jakob Prall - the front-tire changer, and Nicholas Patterson - the jackman. A loose wheel out on track is viewed as a serious safety violation, with the governing body usually dishing out a two-race suspension for the offense.
Ahead of the Shriners Children's 500 at Phoenix Raceway, RFK Racing appealed the two-race suspension for both crew members. Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass reported that NASCAR has overturned the penalties and both the crew members will be working on Buescher's #17 Ford for the weekend.
Pockrass wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"NASCAR has deferred the suspensions so Chris Buescher will have all his crew members this weekend at Phoenix."
Following the mishap in Las Vegas, Chris Buescher stands 23rd in the drivers standings three races into his 2024 Cup Series campaign. Buescher finished 18th in the season opener at Daytona and clinched a ninth-place finish the following weekend in Atlanta.
The #17 RFK Racing driver returns to Phoenix Raceway this weekend, a track where he won the second stage and took home a top-five finish in the season finale to cap off his breakout season in the Cup Series last year.
The Shriners Children's 500 is scheduled for this Sunday, March 10 at 3:30 pm ET.
Chris Buescher highlights the difference between five-lug nut wheels and the current design
The NASCAR Cup Series transitioned to a single-lug nut design with the introduction of the Next Gen car, ditching the iconic five-lug nut wheels a couple of years ago.
Chris Buescher elaborated on his crash in Las Vegas, claiming that the previous wheels used to vibrate and alert the drivers of the loose wheels. The #17 Ford driver added that the newer wheels don't give any such indication. He said post-Vegas race (via Bob Pockrass):
"No nothing, nothing that says that was coming. Kind of been the case with this car. Probably had three of these now through the last couple years and um, haven’t had a warning on any of them. So nothing like the old five lug stuff where you get a vibration or shimmy or have some kind of clue. It just happens all of a sudden, so very very unfortunate, they’re very tough."
Buescher was disappointed with how his weekend unfolded in Las Vegas as he headed home with a single point and a damaged car.
