NASCAR has sent Ty Dillon, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Cole Custer to the rear of the field before the YellaWood 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The three drivers face penalties after making unapproved adjustments during the pre-race inspection process, according to FOX Sports reporter Bob Pockrass.
Dillon also faces a drive-through penalty after the race begins. The penalties affect three teams ahead of a 188-lap race at one of NASCAR’s biggest tracks.
Talladega is known for close pack racing, where drivers rely on drafting and teamwork to move through the field. Starting at the rear creates an early challenge for Dillon, Stenhouse and Custer, while Dillon’s added penalty will make his recovery even harder.
NASCAR Sends Ty Dillon, Stenhouse and Custer to the Rear
Pockrass posted the penalties on X shortly before the scheduled 2 p.m. ET start.
“TDillon to the rear and will have a drive through after green for an adjustment after inspection. Stenhouse and Custer to the rear for general unapproved adjustment (unapproved in the sense if you do it, you go to the rear),” Pockrass wrote.
Ty Dillon, driving the No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, had qualified 30th. He must now start the NASCAR Cup Series race from the rear and serve a drive-through penalty after the green flag.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who qualified 24th in the No. 47 car, also must move to the back. Cole Custer, driving the No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford, faces the same starting penalty after qualifying 20th.
The penalties mean all three drivers will lose their original starting positions before the 500-mile race begins.
NASCAR Inspection Rules Lead to Pre-Race Penalties
NASCAR uses its inspection process to check cars before races and ensure teams follow the rules. Teams can correct issues found during inspection, but unapproved adjustments can lead to penalties.
According to Pockrass, Stenhouse and Custer were sent to the rear for making unapproved adjustments, a rule violation that costs drivers their starting positions.
Dillon faces a more serious setback because NASCAR also ordered him to serve a drive-through penalty once the race goes green. He will have to enter pit road and drive through it under the penalty rules, costing him time and track position.
The penalties come before a key race in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series Chase for the Championship. The YellaWood 500 is the eighth race in the 10-race postseason.
NASCAR Drivers Face a Tough Challenge at Talladega
Talladega Superspeedway is 2.66 miles long and is known for close pack racing, drafting, and multi-car crashes often called the “Big One.” Drivers often work together in groups to gain positions, so starting at the rear does not automatically end a driver’s chances.
However, Dillon, Stenhouse, and Custer will need to work their way through a large field. Dillon faces an added challenge because his drive-through penalty will cost him more ground after the race starts.
Chase Briscoe earned the pole with a lap of 186.065 mph. Austin Hill secured the second starting spot, followed by Connor Zilisch in third, Shane van Gisbergen in fourth and Chris Buescher in fifth. Playoff drivers Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell qualified ninth, 10th and sixth, respectively.
The YellaWood 500 is scheduled for 188 laps, with stage breaks at laps 98 and 143. NBC will carry the television coverage starting at 2 p.m. ET, while MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide radio coverage.
The three penalties add a storyline before the green flag, with Dillon, Stenhouse, and Custer all needing to recover from the back of the field at Talladega.
NASCAR Cup Series Drivers Hit With Pre-Race Penalties Ahead of Talladega Showdown