Sheldon Creed crossed the finish line at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, capturing his second career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series and moving to within seven points of Justin Allgaier in the championship standings.
NASCAR’s post‑race inspection uncovered safety violations that triggered penalties for four teams, including Creed’s No. 00 Chevrolet, Brent Crews, Austin Hill and Jesse Love.
Although the race result remained unchanged, with Creed first, Corey Day second, Brent Crews third, Austin Hill fifth and Sammy Smith fourth, the penalties did not affect the finishing order or playoff points but will influence strategy for the upcoming event.
Pit Selection Consequences
The sanctions impose a loss of pit selection for the next race at Gateway Raceway, forcing the affected teams to accept whatever stalls remain and adding a strategic variable as the Chase approaches.
Under the 2026 regulations, any team cited for unsecured lug nuts or inspection breaches must forfeit the ability to choose its pit box in the following event, a rule that heightens scrutiny on crew performance and could shape the outcome at Gateway.