The best way to describe the penalty NASCAR issued to Ty Majeski and the ThorSport Racing No. 98 Truck Series team on Tuesday was that it was the best possible time to commit a significant rule book infraction.
Majeski and crew chief Joe Shear Jr. were placed under scrutiny Sunday morning when it was revealed that NASCAR confiscated their right rear tire and immediately ejected the veteran team manager from the Milwaukee Mile.
The penalty came down on Tuesday afternoon in the form of 75 championship points, five playoff points, a $25,000 fine and a Shear suspension for the next four weeks that would end by the season finale at Phoenix Raceway.
Grant Enfinger went on to win the race while Majeski finished seventh.
NASCAR penalized the team under Sections 14.16.A, 14.16.1.A and C of the Truck Series rule book that govern rules applying to wheel assembly.
It was fortuitous timing for Majeski because the 75 points mean nothing regarding the playoffs because he already automatically advanced into the second round by virtue of winning the opening playoff race at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Majeski had 21 playoff points by virtue of his win and regular season accolades so he will now stand at 16 entering the final race of the first round. Effectively, this is amounts to a five-point penalty come the start of the final three-race round that will determine which four drivers will race for a championship at Phoenix.
Related: Takeaways from the NASCAR Truck Playoff race at Milwaukee
If recent NASCAR precedence holds, the sanctioning body will make the part available to the garage for anyone who wants to look at it and will detail to the media the nature of the infraction.
A larger point of consideration when it comes to the playoffs is that Majeski seemed to especially find speed on the short tracks at Richmond and Indianapolis, and once again in practice at Milwaukee before struggling to pass inspection over the weekend, struggling to find the same pace during the race.
Fellow championship threat Carson Hocevar said the No. 98 ‘superpower’ was taken away.
“I mean, there’s certain tricks you can use to make yourself way faster and it’s not springs and shocks that make you nearly lap the field at Richmond and haul ass,” Hocevar told Frontstretch on Sunday. “He was the best truck all day in practice and then they took that away and he ran … I never saw him all day.
“We all push the envelope right?”
The championship race, at Phoenix, will be contested on a short track and there are two other short track stops on the way there at Bristol and Martinsville.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.