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Pit penalties break out among Cup playoff contenders in Chicago

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Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was penalized at Chicagoland for a commitment violation heading into pit road.

The first major miscues of the NASCAR Cup playoffs belong to Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Martin Truex Jr. and Austin Dillon.

The three drivers received pit penalties in the first 45 laps of the playoff opener at Chicagoland Speedway.

Stenhouse was penalized for a commitment line violation during an unscheduled pit stop on Lap 30.

The Roush Fenway Racing driver brought his No. 17 Ford to pit road after he got into the Turn 1 wall four laps earlier.

About 12 laps later the field began making green flag pit stops. Truex, the regular-season champion, and Austin Dillon were penalized for speeding on Lap 39 and Lap 40 respectively.

Truex was able to get back in the top 10 before the end of Stage 1, but Truex had to pit twice during the caution to properly secure lug nuts. He began Stage 2 in 13th and would go on to win the race.

Stenhouse finished 25th, four laps down.

Pole-sitter Kyle Busch joined them in being penalized early in Stage 2 on Lap 96. A few laps after the restart, Busch pitted to make sure lug nuts were properly secured on his No. 18 Toyota.

Busch was then penalized for his crew going over the wall too soon. After leading 85 laps, went two laps down. He would finish one lap down in 15th.

Kurt Busch was the fifth playoff driver to be penalized on pit road when he was caught speeding exiting pit road on Lap 201. He finished 19th, two laps down.