“NASCAR needs to step up”

Cliff Daniels, acting crew chief for Kyle Larson at Hendrick Motorsports, believes the recent incidents involving stray wheels are just not the teams’ fault.

The introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022 has led to a flurry of changes in modern NASCAR. Newer cars have proven themselves on track but need safety issues such as wheels coming off to be sorted out.

During Cliff Daniel’s appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio this week, the crew chief went onto point the finger at the association for the recurring problem. He thinks NASCAR has provided the teams with inadequate equipment and is serving out unwarranted penalties.

Daniels, who aided Kyle Larson to his sole victory in 2022 so far, also did not mince words when he spoke further on the topic, saying:

“A few things that I’m going to say are inadequate with the safety mechanisms that are supposed to keep the wheel nut from falling off that I don’t believe you can blame the teams, and the tire changers, the pit performers every single time for what we’ve seen this year. I would say that NASCAR needs to step up, and NASCAR needs to improve the pit guns. NASCAR needs to improve the stuff that we’re using.”

Several teams have been hit with penalties after drivers like Bubba Wallace Jr. and Corey LaJoie lost their wheels on the track. This also adds to the frustrating and volatile nature of the situation, thinks Daniels.

Kyle Larson recieves penalty for speeding in pit lane

Kyle Larson’s outing at the Martinsville Speedway was not the smoothest as the Hendrick Motorsports driver finished the Blue-Emu Maximum Pain Relief 400 in P19.

The race was full of ups and downs for the defending Cup Series champion as he battled a loose car on entry, which hampered his progress.

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Larson was up to P7 when he pitted under the green flag and sped into the pit lane, which earned him a drive-through penalty. Larson ultimately managed to finish in nineteenth place at the Virginia track.