NASCAR hit a pair of drivers with significant punishments on Tuesday for their roles in separate incidents during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
William Byron was docked 25 points in the driver and team owner standings and fined $50,000 for knocking Denny Hamlin out of position during a caution period in Sunday’s AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 500.
The loss of points moves Byron below the cutline in the playoff chase after he had been in third place.
Ty Gibbs was fined $75,000 for veering into Ty Dillon on pit road. The 19-year-old Gibbs, who has made 10 Cup Series starts for 23XI Racing in place of Kurt Busch, was also penalized for unsafe driving on pit road earlier this year.
The reaction to the punishments from NASCAR fans has been mixed.
Neither driver was penalized during Sunday’s race.
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs continue this Sunday with the YellaWood 500 at Talladega.