NASCAR suspends, fines team owner Chip Ganassi for coronavirus protocol violation

NASCAR has suspended team owner Chip Ganassi for one race and issued him a $30,000 fine for violating the sport’s coronavirus protocols.

Ganassi brought a guest into the pit area at Daytona International Speedway last weekend. NASCAR’s coronavirus guidelines prevent any non-essential personnel inside the restricted competition area. NASCAR began allowing owners into that restricted area at the Daytona 500 two weeks ago — last season, however, car owners weren’t allowed in the pit area.

While Ganassi can’t attend Sunday’s race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the suspension and fine doesn’t stop Kurt Busch or Ross Chastain — Ganassi’s two drivers — from participating in the race.

NASCAR also announced that two crew chiefs were fined $10,000 after their cars were found to have an unsecured lug nut in a post-race check. A lug nut was found loose on Christopher Bell’s car, who won the race. And there was another on fifth-place finishing Brad Keselowski’s car.