No. 16 Kaulig Racing Penalized for Unapproved Nashville Adjustment

The No. 16 Kaulig Racing team was handed a penalty at Nashville Superspeedway following an unapproved adjustment on its Chevrolet. NASCAR officials identified the issue with the car’s splitter after it had passed pre-qualifying inspection.

AJ Allmendinger, the team’s driver, was set to take part in Cup Series practice when officials required the car to return to the Cup garage and go through the Underbody Scanning Station again. After the necessary changes, Allmendinger’s entry passed inspection, but the team received a 10-minute hold during practice as a penalty.

This penalty was issued due to the unapproved splitter adjustment, an important aerodynamic component that can significantly affect car performance. Due to this unapproved adjustment, Allmendinger, who had posted the 17th-fastest qualifying lap, must start at the rear of the field for the race. In addition to dropping to the back, he will serve a stop-and-go penalty on pit road after taking the green flag.

The team also lost its pit-stall selection, further impacting their strategy for the Cracker Barrel 400. Jaron Antley, the No. 16 car chief, was ejected from the event for the remainder of the weekend, reflecting how NASCAR enforces rules strictly when violations are discovered.

This setback comes after Allmendinger’s strong showing in the Coca-Cola 600, where he secured his best finish of the 2025 season with fourth place. Entering Nashville, he was aiming to build momentum as the playoffs approach, but these penalties may make the task tougher as he needs a solid points finish to stay in contention.

The Nashville Superspeedway race is just past the season’s midpoint, and every result carries weight for teams fighting for a postseason spot.

Elsewhere in the Cup Series garage, the No. 66 Ford team of Chad Finchum also faced issues. Finchum’s entry failed inspection twice, resulting in the ejection of team engineer Austin Webb and a loss of pit-stall selection.

Such consistent enforcement by NASCAR underscores the importance of adhering to technical rules set out for Cup Series cars. In the current standings, Allmendinger sits on the edge of the playoff bubble at 18th in points. He and the Kaulig Racing team are targeting upcoming races—especially those on road courses in Mexico City, Chicago, and Sonoma—as opportunities to improve their position.

Winning a race or collecting more points in these events could boost their playoff hopes, especially with only eight different drivers taking victories so far this season.

Allmendinger has shown good pace at Nashville in the past, and his team believes they can recover despite the starting penalty. Moving from the back will be a challenge, but strong race performance and strategy can turn setbacks into progress through the field.

Fans will be watching to see how Allmendinger and his team respond at this critical point of the season.

As the Cup Series schedule heads into the summer months, stories like these remind fans and teams how quickly fortunes can change in NASCAR. Penalties, rule enforcement, and on-track action continue to be a big part of the excitement each weekend.

John Martinez

John Martinez delivers real-time NASCAR Cup Series and Truck Series news, from live race updates to pit-lane strategy analysis. A graduate of the University of Northwestern Ohio’s Motorsports Technology program, he breaks down rule changes, driver tactics, and championship points with crystal-clear reporting.