Ty Majeski entered the Truck Series weekend at the Milwaukee Mile as one of the favorites to once again reach the NASCAR Truck Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway in November but a major penalty appears to be looming.
Majeski won the opening playoff race at Indianapolis Raceway Park on August 11 and is already locked into the second round but failed pre-qualifying inspection multiple times over two days this weekend. The inspection process was finally completed on Sunday morning with Thorsport Racing No. 98 crew chief Joe Shear Jr. being ejected from the facility.
The sanctioning body also confiscated a right rear from the truck and will transport it back to the R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina for further evaluation. The team will not be permitted to replace the tire for its race day allotment.
Additionally, Majeski will have to start Sunday’s from the rear and will also be forced to come down pit road for a pass-through penalty at the start of the race, which is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. ET. NASCAR says any additional penalties will be announced early this week.
It’s a long-held maxim in NASCAR racing that teams absolutely cannot work in three areas without major consequences — engines, fuel and tires.
If the team was tampering with tires in a way ThorSport cannot defend or successfully appeal, Majeski at a minimum will likely have to win his way into the championship race across either Bristol, Talladega or Homestead.
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That’s to say nothing of the monetary fine that NASCAR could be preparing to send ThorSport’s way.
Matt Weaver is a Motorsports Insider for Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter.