AJ Allmendinger is no stranger to penalties—he’s been down this road more times than he’d probably like to admit. Back in 2019 at Watkins Glen, his second-place finish in the Xfinity Series was stripped away after NASCAR found his No. 10 Chevy sitting too low in post-race inspection. A heartbreaker that left him with just one point and a 37th-place finish instead.
Allmendinger took to social media, explaining how early race contact bent the track bar mount and caused the issue, but it didn’t change the outcome. Fast forward to 2025, and Allmendinger’s team is in hot water again, this time at Nashville Superspeedway. NASCAR slapped Kaulig Racing with a hefty set of punishments after spotting an unapproved adjustment on pit road. The No. 16 Chevy was held out of practice for 10 minutes during Saturday’s 25-minute session, a frustrating setback for the team.
The team tried to pull off a check move in adjusting the splitter on the car after passing inspection, but were caught red-handed by the officials. Not only did the driver start the Nashville race in the rear, but he also lost his pit selection, crew chief, Jaron Antely, and a stop-and-go penalty. NASCAR has had enough of teams pushing the limits to gain that advantage, and with this ruling, they have made a clear statement.
NASCAR isn’t messing around, and they made that crystal clear during the Nashville weekend, as Amanda Ellis, Senior Director of Racing Communications, laid out on Hauler Talks. She explained the situation in detail, “This started to trickle out, right? As practice and qualifying were getting underway, we got some hints that some things were maybe in play. A lot of times when those situations are happening at the track, everyone’s moving so quickly that it takes a few minutes to kind of confirm exactly the details. And this one sounded like, I believe, someone did witness, just witness them on pit road making some adjustments to their car after inspection.”
What got Kaulig Racing in trouble was a sneaky tweak to their No. 16 Chevy’s splitter—a critical aerodynamic piece—spotted by someone on pit road after the car had already passed its initial inspection. NASCAR officials confirmed the adjustment, sent the car back to the garage to be fixed, and made it pass through the Underbody Scanning Station before it could rejoin the field.
For those wondering why the splitter’s such a big deal, it’s all about track performance: lowering it closer to the ground boosts downforce, giving the car better front grip and faster cornering speeds, which is a huge advantage in turns. Raising it cuts down on drag for more speed on straightaways, but it can also help maintain balance in corners. Kaulig thought the risk was worth it, but NASCAR wasn’t about to let it slide.
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – JULY 29: AJ Allmendinger 16 Kaulig Racing Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet prepares to qualify for the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard on July 29, 2022, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course in Indianapolis, Indiana. Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire AUTO: JUL 29 NASCAR Xfinity Series Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard Icon116220729002150
She further went on explaining, “They’re willing to push the envelope, so to speak, and take their chance. And so after keeping this penalty consistent the last few times, I think obviously Brad Moran wanted to make a little bit stronger of a statement that we will continue to adjust that penalty if needed. Specifically, this penalty has held what is considered a pass-through penalty. This particular one was a stop-and-go. The car chief was ejected. We took his hard card. There are various things that went in with it, but ultimately it was because it continues to happen and we felt like the prior penalties maybe were showing they weren’t strict enough.”
While the usual penalties like stop and go and ejection of the crew chief were routine, the #16 team losing their hard card was rather unusual. Now, a hard card is a credential through which the teams can navigate themselves around the racing facility, along with access to restricted areas. But without that, Allmendinger and his team probably had to wait in line to get the clearance, which they normally would have during race weekends.
NASCAR’s message here is loud and clear: they’re done with teams testing the limits, and they’re ready to tighten the screws if this keeps happening. The fact that prior penalties weren’t enough to stop these kinds of infractions has NASCAR upping the ante. It’s a subtle but firm warning to every team out there—play by the rules, or get ready to pay a steeper price. With the season rolling on and the playoffs getting closer, this crackdown could change how teams approach every race, and everyone’s watching to see who might be next in NASCAR’s crosshairs.
Allmendinger’s playoff hopes take a hit
This penalty couldn’t have come at a worse time for AJ Allmendinger and Kaulig Racing, especially with the playoffs on the horizon. Right now, the No. 16 Chevy sits 19th in the points standings, just outside the top 16 needed to make the postseason. A hit like this is the last thing they needed—it’s not a season-ender by any means, but it sure doesn’t help their cause. After a strong P4 finish at the Coca-Cola 600, Allemendinger had to settle for a 20th-place finish in the Musci City.
There’s still hope, though, with road course races coming up. Tracks like Mexico City, the Chicago Street Course, and Sonoma are on the horizon, offering a chance for Allmendinger to rack up points and maybe even snag a win to lock in a playoff spot. But it’s not a sure thing—earlier this year at COTA, Allmendinger struggled to even get near the front, so he might be a road course ringer, but that doesn’t guarantee him a win.
With only eight winners so far halfway through the regular season, pointing into the playoffs is still a real possibility for drivers like him, but it’s a risky path no team wants to rely on. Allmendinger’s going to have to dig deep, and they sure cannot afford another engine mishap or points penalty. They are already on NASCAR’s scanner, so playing the book would be their safest bet right now.
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