NASCAR has opted not to hand down any penalties following the tripleheader race weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Drivers and teams in the Craftsman Truck Series, O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, and Cup Series can rest easy this week as no fines or suspension were given.
The news of no penalties was first reported by FOX motorsports Bob Pockrass, who wrote via X:
“No penalties from Charlotte weekend.”
Michael McDowell, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Incident Raised Eyebrows
On the cool-down lap following Sunday’s Bank of America 400, Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. voiced their frustrations with each other using their race cars. Stenhouse door-slammed his No. 47 Chevrolet into McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet.
McDowell retaliated by spinning Stenhouse Jr. out.
Once the two made it back to pit road, they exchanged words. Pockrass was on the scene and said tensions between the two drivers did not escalate and it was ultimately settled after the conversation.
“Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. talked after the race. It didn’t seem too heated. I checked in with Stenhouse (off-camera) and he said he hit McDowell so McDowell hit him back and not a big deal,” Pockrass wrote via X.
The incident sparked attention from Denny Hamlin, who believed NASCAR might take issue with the incident and subsequently hand down a penalty. The driver of the No. 11 commented on the matter on a recent episode of his “Actions Detrimental” podcast.
“NASCAR’s just not going to love these guys beating and banging after the checkered. I think the rubbing on each other is probably fine but when McDowell kept trying to spin him (Stenhouse) and eventually did, they’ll probably draw an issue with that,” Hamlin said.
Although the incident was eyebrow raising, neither McDowell or Stenhouse Jr. was penalized for the post-race scuffle after the checkered flag.
Chase Briscoe Won Sunday’s Bank of America 400 at Charlotte
In the closest finish of the 2026 Cup Series season, Chase Briscoe outlasted Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell to claim the win in the Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
The win was Briscoe’s third of the season, eighth career win overall, and his second straight win in 2026 after winning at Las Vegas the week prior.
As the laps wound down, Bell continued to take chunks out of Briscoe’s sizable lead. When the two leaders got down to the final lap, Bell was within a half-second of his teammate.
Entering turn 3 on the final lap, Bell steered his No. 20 Toyota down to the bottom of the racetrack underneath Briscoe’s No. 19 Toyota. The two made contact off of turn 4 and were side-by-side when the checkered flag flew.
Kyle Larson finished sixth and extended his points lead by nine over Denny Hamlin, who finished fifth. With four Chase races to go, Larson holds a 49-point lead over Hamlin. Bell ranks third in the standings, 51 points back, while Briscoe trails by 65 points in fourth position.
Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville, and Homestead are the final four races of the 2026 Cup Series season. In the reintroduced Chase format, whoever has the most points at season’s end will be crowned the champion.
Did NASCAR Hand Down Any Penalties After Charlotte?