From race-threatening peanuts, the color green, cars numbered 13, and racing charms, NASCAR teams have always been a superstitious bunch. But for a team, instead of a Sunday, Thursday has often been a day that drivers and teams feel is most demanding. Why, you ask?

Well, as far back as the mid-week penalties in 2013, when an issue revealed during post-race tear-downs affected race weekend results, Thursday announcements have come to represent major violations found at NASCAR’s center in Concord. The news became very fast-paced yesterday after a well-known motorsports reporter tweeted what sounded like bad news. Queues are expected to learn about a big penalty soon. Only minutes later, rumors and speculation began in the NASCAR world.

The situation is urgent, as teams are getting ready for this weekend’s race at North Wilkesboro and the important Coca-Cola 600 next month at Charlotte. After the Kansas race, teams usually finish inspections on the following Tuesday. However, this year, a prolonged R&D Center look suggested that problems could be developing much sooner. A number of sources said the inspection reviewed the front ends of several vehicles, especially paying close attention to the reinforcements that teams have tried to push to the limit this season.

As Peter Stratta wrote on X, “RFK Racing and Chris Buescher’s No. 17 team has been assessed an L1 penalty from Kansas. They violated Rulebook Sections 14.1.C, Overall Assembled Vehicle Rules and 14.5.4.G with the front bumper cover. Team has been fined $75,000, lost 60 driver and owner points, and crew chief Scott Graves has been suspended from the next two races (All-Star and 600). 

And while it’s the lowest level of penalties, with Buescher getting affected, it’s getting difficult for RFK. Buescher has been one of their silent heroes this time. With an average finish of 15.5, he was battling to be in the playoffs on points, with six top 10s in 12 races, and just one DNF in the season.

The extended inspection conducted at the NASCAR R&D Center raised red flags for many NASCAR fans. The NASCAR managing director had issued an alert to the teams after similar problems were found during earlier races this season, yet no penalties were enforced. It seems that the grace period stopped at Kansas because the speed required on the track really stresses the front end, giving drivers an edge from any illegal changes.

Thursday Penalties Spark Social Media Storm

Right before the penalty was announced, fans on Reddit were ready for it, and expected them at any moment. “You know you f—-ed up if you get a penalty on a Thursday,” one fan commented, reflecting the community’s understanding of NASCAR’s historical pattern of announcing major infractions toward the end of the work week. The most consequential penalties in recent NASCAR history—including Denny Hamlin’s 2023 Richmond violation and Chase Elliott’s 2022 playoff-altering penalty—were all announced in mid-week, giving teams limited practice time to adjust before the following race weekend.

Speculation quickly centered on RFK Racing after Chris Buescher’s Ford delivered an uncharacteristically strong performance at Kansas despite not winning any stage points. “If it is Buescher, imagine getting a huge penalty for a rules infraction but you only managed to finish 8th with 0 stage points. How slow would they have been otherwise?” questioned another fan. This comment highlights the puzzling nature of potential violations—teams rarely risk significant penalties for minimal performance gains. Buescher entered Kansas 12th in points, precariously positioned above the playoff cut line, making any points penalty potentially devastating to his championship hopes. This infraction has dropped him 12 spots!

“RFK what did you do?!?!” exclaimed one concerned fan, reflecting the surprise many felt at the Ford-backed team potentially being implicated. RFK Racing, co-owned by NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski, has maintained a relatively clean record since its rebranding in 2022. According to NASCAR managing director Brad Moran, teams are permitted limited reinforcement behind the front bumper foam—specifically a maximum of 2 inches—to prevent damage during races. Exceeding this specification would constitute a direct violation of Sections 14.1.C and 14.5.4.G of the NASCAR Rule Book, which govern overall vehicle assembly rules and front bumper cover specifications.

One fan humorously observed, “Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher… does NASCAR hate people with the initials C.B.?” This seemingly light-hearted comment actually touches on an interesting pattern of recent penalties affecting drivers with similar names. While purely coincidental, both Briscoe and Buescher have faced post-race inspection issues in 2025. The implications of any significant penalty would extend beyond just driver standings—it would reshape the playoff picture entirely. Before any potential penalty, Buescher sat 33 points above the cut line, but a substantial points deduction would dramatically alter the championship landscape with just 12 races remaining before the playoff field is set.

As teams and fans anxiously await official word from NASCAR headquarters, this latest controversy adds another chapter to the sport’s ongoing technical cat-and-mouse game between inspectors and crew chiefs—a battle that has defined NASCAR since its earliest days at Daytona’s sandy beaches and continues now on the high-tech inspection platforms of the R&D Center in Concord.