Preece, Logano disqualified after Cup race at Talladega

LINCOLN, Ala. — Ryan Preece and Joey Logano have been disqualified from Sunday’s Jack Link’s 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Each of their cars failed post-race tech inspection due to issues with the spoiler, according to NASCAR. Preece’s team violated rulebook section “14.5.8.F Spoiler,” pertaining to the specifications of the face of the spoiler.

Logano’s team violated rulebook section “14.5.8.E Spoiler,” pertaining to the specifications of the spoiler base. NASCAR alleges the team violated rulebook section “14.1.P; Overall Assembled Vehicle Rules,” stating:

• “All fasteners must be securely fastened at all times during an Event.”

Team Penske stated they will not appeal Logano’s disqualification:

• “The No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang was disqualified following post-race inspection at Talladega today. One of the 18 bolts on the surface of the spoiler that connect to the base was found to be loose, and NASCAR penalized the team as a result. This was not intentional and happened throughout the course of the race event. Team Penske accepts the disqualification.”

The disqualifications drop Preece and Logano from second and fifth to 38th and 39th, respectively, in the final finishing order. It also scrubs Logano and Preece’s efforts in stage two when they finished second and sixth respectively.

That all has a massive impact on the playoffs as Preece will go from 28 points above the cutline to 14 points below. It puts A.J. Allmendinger in the final spot as they head to Texas Motor Speedway next weekend.

Logano is still in a playoff spot but is now 36 points above, rather than 73 above.

Justin Haley earned two additional points and AJ Allmendinger an additional point as they now finished 11th and 12th, respectively, in that stage. Kyle Larson, Austin Cindric and Carson Hocevar each also picked up an additional stage point while Tyler Reddick, Todd Gilliland, Zane Smith and Josh Berry picked up two more stage points.

Kyle Larson, William Byron and Christopher Bell, who initially finished third, fourth and 37th respectively, will each get an additional point for their race finish. Everyone from Noah Gragson, who initially finished sixth, back to Chris Buescher, who initially finished 36th, will also earn an additional point for their race finish.

Larson and Byron will be credited with second and third. Everyone else behind Logano will be credited with a finish two positions higher than how they crossed the line.

NASCAR is also bringing the cars Kyle Larson, Ty Dillon, Josh Berry and Bubba Wallace back to the R&D Center. Berry and Larson’s cars will be inspected, according to NASCAR.