NASCAR ejected Trackhouse Racing crew chief Travis Mack for an inspection violation Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.
Trackhouse Racing was penalized because the team was found to have added ballast outside of the approved container.
NASCAR docked 10 points from Daniel Suarez and the team. Suarez also will start at the rear of the field. He was scheduled to have started 11th in the 37-car field.
Suarez is one of four drivers who will move to the rear. NASCAR stated that the cars of Corey LaJoie, Justin Haley and James Davison also will move to the rear for multiple inspection failures with each car. Haley was to have started 30th, LaJoie 34th and Davison 37th. Also going to the rear is Tyler Reddick because of unapproved adjustments to his car after getting through inspection. Reddick was to have started 13th.
Engineer Jose Blasco-Figueroa will serve as the crew chief for Suarez. He filled in for Mack last month at Atlanta when Mack was suspended one race for a lug nut violation from the Phoenix race.
When Blasco-Figueroa served as crew chief at Atlanta, it marked the first time that a Cup team’s driver/crew chief combination came from Mexico since 1959. Blasco-Figueroa is from Mexico City. Suarez is from Monterrey, Mexico.
Suarez finished a season-high fourth on the dirt at Bristol Motor Speedway two weeks ago, the most recent Cup event. Suarez was in position for a top-10 finish at Atlanta but was penalized for speeding late in the race and finished 17th.
Found an amazing family who are huge fans of @CampingWorld @marcuslemonis @Daniel_SuarezG @TeamTrackhouse Turning this “Negative into positive” @pitbull pic.twitter.com/SHob8t9cwA
— TMack (@Travis_Mack99) April 10, 2021