What happened
On Lap 27 at Talladega Superspeedway, Jesse Love’s No. 2 Richard Childress Racing team committed an improper-fueling violation that sent him to the rear for the restart. NASCAR also penalized Love for entering closed pit road on Lap 30. Both tail-end penalties were assessed on Lap 31.
What it cost
The fueling penalty forced Love to start Stage 2 at the rear, leaving him to regain track position in the draft. By Lap 35, he had climbed to 15th. By Lap 44, Love had reached the front of the outside lane. Love recovered to finish 3rd.
What could have been done differently
Richard Childress Racing should have completed its fuel service legally and protected Love’s restart position. Love should also have waited until pit road opened before entering on Lap 30, avoiding the separate closed-pit-road violation. NASCAR’s pit-road procedures used the entry light at the commitment line to tell drivers whether the lane was closed: a red light signaled that they must stay out.
The fueler’s assignment was to control the fuel can while fuel entered the car. NASCAR also barred the fueler from doing other service or repair work, keeping that job separate from the rest of the stop.
NASCAR also required crews to control the filler cans as they passed them across the pit wall. Richard Childress Racing needed to maintain control through that handoff as well as during the refueling itself.