Rules is rules, but dang if Bubba Wallace couldn't feel hard done by after a NASCAR penalty at Phoenix this weekend.
The 23XI Racing star continued his great start to the season with sixth place at the first 'standard' oval of the year, but he could've finished even better if not for a cruel penalty.
Last year's Brickyard 400 winner was just 0.08mph over the limit on pit road (h/t the ever-reliable Bob Pockrass) – but as the legendary John Goodman character Walter Sobchak said in The Big Lebowski, he was over the line. 'This is not 'Nam, this is bowling NASCAR, there are rules'.
Wallace was at least in good company, with that minor infraction being one of eight times a driver was pinged for speeding on pit road, with two-time Cup Series champs Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson both getting picked up for the same issue.
None of those three had the weirdest reason for a penalty on the day though, thanks to Ty Dillon's penalty for 'removing equipment from assigned pit area'. Technically that's true, but it doesn't quite capture the visual spectacle of the No. 10 car doing a full lap of the one mile oval with his fuel can still attached to the car. Honestly, we're just grateful that nothing incredibly dangerous happened.
NASCAR RESULTS TODAY: Blaney survives Phoenix chaos to save the day for Penske
| Lap | Driver (Car No.) | Infraction | Penalty | NASCAR Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Race | Brad Keselowski (6) | Pre-Race to the Rear | Tail End | Backup Car |
| Pre-Race | Carson Hocevar (77) | Pre-Race to the Rear | Tail End | Unapproved Adjustments |
| Pre-Race | Zane Smith (38) | Pre-Race to the Rear | Tail End | Unapproved Adjustments |
| 1 | Zane Smith (38) | Pre-Race to the Rear | Pass Thru | Unapproved Adjustments |
| 65 | Kyle Larson (5) | Speeding on pit road | Tail End | N/A |
| 94 | Kyle Busch (8) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 94 | Kyle Busch (8) | Speeding on pit road | Tail End | N/A |
| 95 | Shane van Gisbergen (97) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 97 | Bubba Wallace (23) | Speeding on pit road | Tail End | N/A |
| 100 | Bubba Wallace (23) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 104 | Chase Elliott (9) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 104 | Daniel Suarez (7) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 105 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Crewmember(s) over the wall too soon | Tail End | N/A |
| 106 | Daniel Suarez (7) | Crewmember(s) over the wall too soon | Tail End | N/A |
| 106 | Chase Elliott (9) | Speeding on pit road | Tail End | N/A |
| 107 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 132 | Chase Briscoe (19) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | Garage |
| 134 | Ryan Blaney (12) | Car/Truck pitting out of the assigned pit box | Tail End | N/A |
| 157 | Noah Gragson (4) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | Garage |
| 159 | William Byron (24) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 159 | William Byron (24) | Too many crewmember(s) in contact with pit service area | Tail End | N/A |
| 159 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 159 | Riley Herbst (35) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 160 | Michael McDowell (71) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 161 | Cole Custer (41) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | Garage |
| 187 | Kyle Busch (8) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 191 | Ty Dillon (10) | Removing equipment from assigned pit area | Tail End | N/A |
| 212 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Speeding on pit road | Tail End | N/A |
| 215 | Kyle Busch (8) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 217 | Ross Chastain (1) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | Garage |
| 217 | Alex Bowman (48) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | Garage |
| 248 | Chris Buescher (17) | Speeding on pit road | Tail End | N/A |
| 255 | Daniel Suarez (7) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | Garage |
| 287 | Connor Zilisch (88) | Speeding on pit road | Pass Thru | Garage |
| 289 | Austin Dillon (3) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 294 | Ty Dillon (10) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 294 | John Hunter Nemechek (42) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | N/A |
| 294 | Zane Smith (38) | Pitting before pit road is open | Tail End | Garage |
| 294 | Zane Smith (38) | Speeding on pit road | Tail End | Garage |
| 296 | Ty Dillon (10) | Crewmember(s) over the wall too soon | Tail End | N/A |
READ MORE: NASCAR Cup Series team hit with triple penalty at Phoenix
