NASCAR Cup Series star facing race suspension impact after Kyle Larson precedent

One NASCAR Cup Series driver is facing the impact of multiple suspensions to his team following an incident at Sonoma Raceway on Sunday.

Shane van Gisbergen went on to win the 110-lap event in California, but on lap 96, disaster struck for Cody Ware, with the No. 51 losing one of its wheels shortly after a pit stop.

NASCAR HEADLINES: Officials slam 23XI as Cup Series team facing multiple suspensions

Fortunately, the tire and the rest of the cars on track avoided any contact, although there was an extremely close call between the marauding rubber and the No. 42 of John Hunter Nemechek.

Following the incident, Ware returned to pit road, for which he was given a tail-end penalty for doing so whilst it was closed, and lost two laps under NASCAR's rules.

A caution that could change everything! @shanevg97's lead is wiped away late because of this wheel from the No. 51! pic.twitter.com/wLF3MVqgVy

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 13, 2025

READ MORE: Kyle Busch gets NASCAR playoff boost as Hendrick Motorsports star suffers demotion setback

Kyle Larson punishment means further penalties likely

Unfortunately for Ware and his No. 51 team, that is not likely to be the only punishment they receive for losing their wheel mid-race.

Earlier this season, an incident with Kyle Larson at the Circuit of the Americas set a precedent for how NASCAR officials would deal with such a matter this campaign, with the No. 5 having lost a tire during that race, just as Ware did on Sunday.

On top of his in-race punishment, however, NASCAR hit Larson and his team with a further penalty, with the series deeming it a safety violation under Sections 8.8.10.4.A&C: Tires and Wheels of the NASCAR Rule Book, and therefore suspending two of Larson's pit crew for two races.

The same thing happened to Shane van Gisbergen and the No. 88 team following the Cup Series race at Martinsville, too, with multiple members of his crew also suspended after losing a tire during the race.

All eyes will now be on NASCAR's official mid-week penalty report to see if Ware and his team receive the same punishment, with a suspension for multiple crew members looking likely based on the aforementioned previous judgments.

READ MORE: Denny Hamlin hit with NASCAR penalty as four Cup Series drivers guilty of same offence

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