NASCAR: Stevens suspended for missing lug nut

Wednesday, 11 May 2016 Matt Weaver / Image by LAT
NASCAR has suspended Kyle Busch's crew chief Adam Stevens for one week and fined him $20,000 for failing to secure all five lug nuts on the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at the end of Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway.
Josh Leslie, the team's right tire changer, also has been suspended, and both Stevens and Leslie are on probation through the end of the calendar year. They will not be allowed at this weekend's event at Dover International Speedway.
Busch won the Go Bowling 400, but photographs quickly circulated on social media that showed only four lug nuts on the right-front tire in Victory Lane. NASCAR cleared all teams from initial post-race inspection, but series officials took a second look at additional video following the event's conclusion and announced the penalty on Wednesday.
Busch will be allowed to keep the three bonus points his victory earned him toward the first round of the Chase for the Championship.
Joe Gibbs Racing released a statement Wednesday saying it would not appeal.
"The 18 team utilized unaltered stock lug nuts during Saturday night’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway and each wheel had all five lug nuts attached to the wheel at the conclusion of the race," the statement said. "The team does acknowledge that not all lug nuts were tightened to the wheel."
NASCAR recently altered its enforcement of the lug nut rule after Tony Stewart accused them of skimping out on safety by allowing teams to secure as few as three bolts during a race.
NASCAR swiftly fined the owner/driver $35,000 but also altered its rule book. Under the new policy, which says all lug nuts must be "installed in a safe and secure manner," a violation found after the race will result in a minimum $20,000 fine and one-race suspension and probation for the crew chief. Multiple offenses will result in escalated penalties.