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Saturday, June 14, 2025 — Two NASCAR Cup Series teams suffered major setbacks before the Iowa Speedway race when their cars failed pre-race inspection twice, resulting in the ejection of their car chiefs for the remainder of the weekend. Ryan Preece’s No. 60 RFK Racing Ford and Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford both incurred the same penalty, losing not only their car chiefs but also their pit stall selection.
The inspection process at Iowa caught both teams off guard. According to NASCAR’s rulebook, a second failure triggers automatic ejection of the car chief and loss of pit stall priority. Both cars passed on the third attempt, avoiding a drive-through penalty that would have been applied on a fourth failure. For Preece, who entered the weekend 38 points outside the top 16 in driver standings and 13 points below the cut in owner standings, the penalty adds another layer of difficulty to his playoff push.
Preece’s day only got worse. The No. 60 car struggled in practice, ranking near the bottom of the speed charts, and qualified 35th. This is a far cry from his fifth-place finish at Iowa one year ago. He remains without a top-five finish in the 2025 season, and the loss of his car chief, Jerry Cook, means the team will have to rely on backup crew members for race-day adjustments. RFK Racing has not commented on whether Cook will face additional fines or suspensions.
Gilliland, meanwhile, had a more positive start to the weekend. He qualified 17th and carries momentum from winning the $1 million In-Season Challenge prize at Indianapolis last month. However, the ejection of car chief Joe Marra could disrupt the team’s strategy, especially during pit stops. Front Row Motorsports has been a surprise contender this season, and every point matters as they fight for a playoff spot.
The twin inspection failures highlight the strict enforcement of NASCAR’s technical rules. Any team that fails pre-race inspection twice automatically loses the car chief for the weekend, a penalty designed to deter teams from pushing the boundaries of the rulebook. In recent years, NASCAR has increased penalties for repeat offenders, including team suspensions and points deductions. The fact that both cars passed on the third try suggests the issues were minor — possibly related to ride height, body measurements, or wheel alignment — but the consequences are still significant.
For Preece, the timing couldn’t be worse. With only four races left in the regular season, he needs to close the gap to Austin Cindric, who is currently 16th in points and looked fast in practice. Cindric’s Team Penske Ford was among the top five in practice speeds, while Preece languished at the bottom. The difference in performance could be a result of the inspection distractions, but RFK Racing will need a miracle to overcome the 38-point deficit.
Gilliland’s situation is less dire. He sits 22nd in driver points, but Front Row Motorsports is 14th in owner standings, well within striking distance of the playoffs. The $1 million check from winning the In-Season Challenge has already boosted the team’s morale and budget, but the inspection penalty could cost them valuable track position. Losing pit stall selection means Gilliland will have to start from a less favorable stall on pit road, which can add seconds during stops.
NASCAR’s inspection process has been a hot topic among drivers and crew chiefs. Some argue that the rules are too
