NASCAR America: What are realistic expectations for Martin Truex Jr., JGR this summer?

On Thursday’s NASCAR America, we discussed how Martin Truex Jr. and Furniture Row Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing enter the summer in a position to dominate the competition. But there are plenty of other teams who will be gunning for them.

NASCAR video: Martin Truex Jr., Sherry Pollex discuss what winning Coke 600 means

Martin Truex Jr. and Sherry Pollex look back on Martin’s dominating win in last Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 and explain what it means to them after being so close and overcoming so much recently.

Tony Stewart’s crew chief on probation for violation found in prerace

Mike Bugarewicz, the crew chief on the No. 14 of Tony Stewart, has been placed on probation by NASCAR through the end of 2016 following an illegal body modification found during the Coca-Cola 600. The violation is a P2 level penalty.

Stewart was forced to start at the rear of the field Sunday when his Chevrolet was found to have an illegal body design and surface conformance found in prerace inspection.

Bugarewicz is in his first season as crew chief on the No.14 and has been with Stewart for five races following his return from a fractured back. Bugarewicz took over the No. 14 team after serving as the race engineer on Kevin Harvick‘s car.

A P2 penalty could include a 10-point penalty, so Stewart’s team caught a mini-break the punishment wasn’t more severe. The three-time series champion is trying to climb into the top 30 in points before the end of the 26-race regular season so that he would be eligible for the playoffs with a win.

According to the NASCAR rulebook, a minimum P2 penalty must include one or more of the following:

–Loss of 10 Championship driver and owner points, regardless of whether the violation occurred during a Championship Race or not.

–$10,000 to $25,000 fine, depending on the specific infraction.

–Suspension for the crew chief, and/or any other team members, as determined by NASCAR, for one or more Races.

–Probation through the end of the calendar year for the crew chief, or for a 6-month period following the issuance of the Penalty Notice if that period spans across two consecutive seasons.

Greg Biffle’s crew chief suspended two races for failing postrace Coca-Cola 600 inspection

Greg Biffle will be missing crew chief Brian Pattie for two races after NASCAR levied punishment Wednesday for postrace violations found at its R&D Center.

Pattie was suspended for two races, fined $50,000 and placed on probation through Dec. 31 after Biffle’s No. 16 Ford received a P3 penalty for failing a postrace inspection from the Coca-Cola 600 at NASCAR’s R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina.

Pattie will miss the June 5 event at Pocono Raceway and the June 12 race at Michigan International Speedway.

Biffle and Roush Fenway Racing team owner Jack Roush each were docked 15 points, too.

There was no immediate word from the team on an appeal.

Biffle’s car was selected for additional inspection by NASCAR, which also examined the cars of winner Martin Truex Jr. and runner-up Kevin Havick after Sunday’s race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Crew chiefs for Kurt Busch, A.J. Allmendinger suspended for lug nut violations

Tony Gibson (Kurt Busch) and Randall Burnett (A.J. Allmendinger) were suspended from this weekend at Pocono Raceway after their teams failed lug nut inspections after Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600.

Gibson and Burnett each were fined $20,000 and placed on probation through Dec. 31. There was no immediate word from their teams Wednesday on whether they’d appeal.

Both teams were found in violation of Section 10.11.3.4.a (WHEELS & TIRES: All tires, wheels, and all five lug nuts must be installed in a safe and secure manner at all times during the event). But the lug nut violations for each team were slightly different.

Allmendinger’s team also was found in violation of rule 12.5.3.4.1 p, which is an identification of a missing lug nut. Busch’s team didn’t violate that rule, meaning its wheel had five lug nuts but was judged to be improperly secured.

The new lug nut rule was implemented before the May 1 race at Talladega.

Adam Stevens, crew chief for Kyle Busch, was suspended for one race, along with tire changer Josh Leslie for violating the revised lug nut policy after Busch won May 7 at Kansas Speedway. Unlike the teams of Kurt Busch and Allmendinger, Kyle Busch‘s team was deemed to have “parts that are designed to fail their intended use” as part of its violation, making it a stiffer punishment that apparently resulted in Leslie’s suspension.

Matt Kenseth’s team receives third written warning; Paul Menard to miss practice time

Among the warnings given to Sprint Cup teams last weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the team of Matt Kenseth received its third. The No. 20 failed pre-qualifying laser inspection twice.

If a team receives a fourth warning, it loses pit selection.

The No. 27 of Paul Menard received its second warning for failing pre-qualifying template inspection three times. Menard will lose 15 minutes of practice time at Pocono Raceway.

Aric Almirola, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson lost pit selection for the Coke 600 after they received their fourth warnings prior to the qualifying for the race.

Kyle Larson competing in USAC midget race tonight after winning Tuesday

Kyle Larson will go for his second consecutive USAC midget win tonight at Gas City I-69 Speedway in the second night of Indiana Midget Week.

Larson, whose background is in sprint and midget cars, took a break from his Chip Ganassi Racing duties to race Tuesday at the quarter-mile Montpelier Motor Speedway. He scored his first USAC National Midget win since 2013.

Larson held on in a three-lap shootout to earn his fourth career Indiana Midget Week win and his 13th career USAC National Midget Week victory, tying him with Rico Abreu, Steve Knepper, Don Meacham, Ryan Newman and Stevie Reeves for 49th on the all-time list.

Also competing Tuesday was NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Christopher Bell, who finished third. Abreu finished 14th in the 23-car feature.