NASCAR Issues Big Penalties Over Brake-Checking at Martinsville

CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR issued big penalties to two drivers over brake-checking incidents in Sunday's Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway.

NASCAR docked 25 driver points from Carson Hocevar and Josh Berry. They also issued fines to them, taking $100,000 from Hocevar and $50,000 from Berry.

Hocevar and Berry each hit the brakes on drivers during the race, causing damage that ended drivers' days – all in the second stage. 

Hocevar brake-checked drivers behind him multiple times, including Austin Cindric who had nowhere to go but to run into the back of his No. 77 Chevrolet. The damage ended his day 278 laps shy of the checkered flag. 

Berry made a similar move on Ryan Blaney later in the second stage on lap 253. Blaney bumped Berry exiting turn four, getting Berry loose. Then, Berry hit the brakes, destroying the front end of Blaney's car. Blaney went into the next corner and slide sideways and spun.

Blaney reentered the race and completed 441 laps. However, he finished 34th and is out of mathematical contention for the championship.

The incidents happened as a result of NASCAR softening the front bumpers of the NextGen car to discourage drivers from ramming into each other on corner entry. NASCAR made this change over this summer and Sunday saw the change have an unintended consequence. 

This is the second time Hocevar received a penalty Tuesday. Before NASCAR issued its weekly penalty report, outlining the punishments, Spire Motorsports suspended Hocevar from competing in this Sunday's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway over his conduct at Martinsville.

Hocevar will be replaced by Justin Haley, who has competed for Spire Motorsports before. Haley will race Hocevar's No. 77 Chevrolet this Sunday at Homestead-Miami. 

NASCAR also suspended two crew members on Ryan Preece's team over an incident during the race. On lap 226, one of Preece's rear wheels came loose, causing it to brake and causing him to spin out. 

Preece lost two laps, finishing 23rd. He had one of the best cars in the field after starting sixth. He led 41 laps in the first stage, which he finished third in as the best driver on the strategy of staying out instead of pitting.

With Hocevar and Berry getting penalties, they will drop to 14th and 23rd in the NASCAR Cup Series points standings. Hocevar could finish last in the Chase since he will not be in the season finale race.