During the Daytona 500 weekend, NASCAR officials uncovered significant infractions involving the No. 34 and No. 51 teams, leading to substantial penalties.

Unsecured Ballast Violations:

Both the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports team, driven by Todd Gilliland, and the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing team, driven by Cody Ware, were found in violation of Section 14.11.2.1.A of the NASCAR Cup Series Rule Book, which mandates that all ballast added to the vehicle must be secured inside a ballast container. The infractions involved unsecured ballast, posing safety risks.

Penalties Imposed:

As a result of these violations, both teams received the following penalties:

• Crew Chief Suspensions: Both crew chiefs were ejected from the Daytona 500 weekend, prohibiting them from overseeing any part of the event, including practice, qualifying, and race day.
• Driver and Owner Points Deduction: Each team was docked 10 driver points and 10 owner points.

Team Responses:

In response to the penalties, both teams have taken steps to address the infractions:

Show and Tell Day in the NASCAR hauler. This was the unsecured weight from the 34 and 51 teams at Daytona. The ol’ lead in the water bottle trick, except the lead in this case was in the bag surrounding the drink bottle. NASCAR says the 34 team sewed it into the lining while the… pic.twitter.com/zY99DOxOhG

— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 28, 2025

• Crew Chief Replacements: The No. 34 team appointed engineer Kevyn Rebolledo as the interim crew chief, while the No. 51 team enlisted veteran crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr. to fill the role.

These penalties underscore NASCAR’s commitment to maintaining safety and fairness within the sport.

Teams are expected to adhere strictly to the regulations to ensure the integrity of the competition and the safety of all participants.