In the wake of Chase Elliott’s first career Cup win Sunday at Watkins Glen, a question was raised over why the Hendrick Motorsports driver wasn’t penalized during his final pit stop for removing equipment from his pit box.
On Lap 55, the field came to pit road during the final caution of the race. As Elliott left his pit box, front tire changer Nick O’Dell was crossing in front of the car, with his pit gun in hand. The car knocked the tire changer to the ground in the pit box directly in front of Elliott’s.
SAFE!
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 5, 2018
Glad to see this crew member is in good spirits after being clipped by @ChaseElliott coming off pit road. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/G2LyGX7ktA
Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR’s chief racing development officer, took to Twitter after the race to answer a fan asking why it didn’t qualify as a penalty.
A NASCAR spokesperson added further clarification, saying Elliott’s car wasn’t removing the equipment and that crew members are allowed to move through the adjacent box after completing service to the car.
In the NASCAR rulebook, section 10.9.10.a dictates rules for servicing equipment, but does not say anything about how NASCAR officiates in allowing crew members to go out of the box with equipment.