NASCAR Ejects Crew Members After Bristol Tech Failures

Larson, Chastain, Custer, McDowell, and Finchum teams face penalties ahead of Food City 500

Apr. 11, 2026 at 8:35pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fragmented NASCAR race scene, with cars and the track broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color and shape, conveying the disruption caused by the technical inspection failures.NASCAR's crackdown on technical violations disrupts the competitive landscape ahead of the Bristol night race.Garrett Today

NASCAR has ejected four car chiefs and one engineer from the teams of Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, Cole Custer, Michael McDowell, and Chad Finchum after their cars failed pre-race inspection twice ahead of this weekend's Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. The penalties will force the teams to compete without key personnel and lose their preferred pit stall selections.

Why it matters

Technical inspection failures are a serious issue in NASCAR, as they can provide an unfair advantage if a team is able to skirt the rules. The ejections of key crew members will significantly impact the ability of these teams to compete at their best this weekend, potentially shaking up the running order at one of the most exciting short-track races of the season.

The details

The No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of Kyle Larson, the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet of Ross Chastain, the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford of Chad Finchum, the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet of Cole Custer, and the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet of Michael McDowell all failed pre-race inspection twice. As a result, each team will lose their car chief, with McDowell's team also losing an engineer. This will force the teams to compete without key personnel overseeing their cars' setups and adjustments throughout the race weekend.

  • The inspection failures occurred during pre-race tech ahead of the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.
  • The ejections will be in effect for the entire race weekend, including the Food City 500 on Sunday, April 14, 2026.

The players

Kyle Larson

Driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Ross Chastain

Driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Cole Custer

Driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Michael McDowell

Driver of the No. 71 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Chad Finchum

Driver of the No. 66 Garage 66 Ford in the NASCAR Cup Series.

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What they’re saying

“We take these inspection failures very seriously and will not tolerate any attempts to skirt the rules. The penalties handed down will ensure a level playing field for all competitors this weekend.”

— Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer

What’s next

The teams will have to compete without their key personnel, which could significantly impact their performance and strategy during the Food City 500 on Sunday, April 14, 2026.

The takeaway

This incident highlights NASCAR's commitment to enforcing its technical regulations and maintaining the integrity of the sport. The penalties will force these teams to adapt on the fly and could shake up the running order at one of the most exciting short-track races of the season.