Last weekend at the Phoenix Raceway, disaster struck for poor old Corey LaJoie. The #7 Spire Motorsports driver crashed out and his right front wheel ripped off and rolled away on the track. NASCAR clearly did not appreciate the fact that the wheel broke off, and bore down on him hard.

As a result, LaJoie will have to part with three crew members, including his crew chief. The worst part is that crew chief Ryan Sparks, and crewmen Blaine Anderson and Allen Hollman will be benched for four races. The latest that they can return to the race track, is at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt event on April 17.

What next for Corey LaJoie and Spire Motorsports?

According to Sections 10.5.2.6, any violation results in an automatic four-race suspension. This particular rule refers to the loss or separation of an improperly installed tire/wheel from a vehicle. The good news is that the Spire Motorsports team can appeal the decision, but no one knows if they will do it.

Of course, they are far from the only team to face the chopping block due to this reason. Following previous races, The Money Racing Team, Kaulig Racing, and Front Row Motorsports were also hauled up for similar offenses. On a different note, a couple of other teams also faced some punishment for infractions.

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In the Xfinity Series, Joe Gibbs Racing’s Jason Ratcliff and Jeff Meendering were handed $5000 fines. This was because the lug nuts of Trevor Bayne’s #18 team and Brandon Jones’ #19 cars were not secure. Fortunately for them, those were minor offenses, but this should teach NASCAR teams to be more vigilant. In the case of LaJoie, it is understandable that the switch from five lug nuts to a single one is a big change. However, they will have to quickly adapt, or things will only get worse, with NASCAR being more strict with penalties.

VIDEO: Corey LaJoie Retires After Losing a Wheel at the Phoenix Raceway