After an improperly secured wheel came loose from the No. 54 Toyota Camry TRD, driven by Ty Gibbs, in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series event at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the sanctioning body has penalized a pair of pit crew members.
Braxton Brannon (jackman) and Jackson Gibbs (front changer) have each been suspended for the next two points-paying NASCAR Cup Series events at Homestead-Miami Speedway and Martinsville Speedway.
Gibbs, a rookie in the NASCAR Cup Series, ran into significant issues with about 60 laps remaining, when his No. 54 Toyota Camry shot into the outside wall, due to an improperly secured right front wheel, which was later discarded as Gibbs returned to the pits.
As is the typical procedure for an improperly secured wheel being discarded on the track, Gibbs was assessed an in-race of two laps, which assisted in relegating the 21-year-old driver to a finish outside the top-30.
Per NASCAR’s Team Roster Portal, Nate McBride will serve as the interim jackman on the No. 54 Toyota Camry TRD for Homestead and Martinsville, while Thomas Hatcher will take over as front changer of the entry.
Both McBride and Hatcher are usually weekly members of the pit crew for the No. 43 Chevrolet for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, driven by Erik Jones – which utilizes pit crews from Joe Gibbs Racing.
Austin Maloney (front changer) and David O’Dell (jackman) will take over the positions in that McBride and Hatcher have vacated for the next two events, in order to pit the No. 54 entry for Joe Gibbs Racing.
