NASCAR has suspended Josiah Wright, a crew member from Brad Keselowski’s RFK Racing team, due to substance abuse violations.
As a result, Keselowski will not have Wright as his rear tire changer for the No. 6 Ford during the upcoming Straight Talk Wireless 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Keselowski, a seasoned NASCAR driver, achieved his best finish of the season so far by placing 11th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last weekend.
A former Cup Series champion in 2012, Keselowski has claimed 36 victories in his impressive NASCAR career.
Reports indicate that Wright is one of two crew members suspended due to substance abuse violations.
Additionally, NASCAR has issued more suspensions for the upcoming weekend, including a jackman from Mike Harmon Racing in the Xfinity Series and a tire carrier from the Craftsman Truck Series. However, the reasons behind their suspensions remain unclear.
Veteran NASCAR analyst Kevin Harvick expressed doubts about Keselowski winning another Cup Series title but acknowledged his valuable contributions to RFK Racing.
Speaking on his podcast Happy Hour, Harvick stated via Yardbarker that he does not foresee Keselowski winning another championship.
Harvick questioned whether Keselowski could return to his peak performance from his time at Penske but praised his leadership and influence in structuring RFK Racing.
While RFK has shown glimpses of strong performances, Harvick pointed out that Chris Buescher has consistently outperformed Keselowski in recent years, and the team is undergoing changes with a new crew chief and an additional car.
Two more teams will also be without crew members at Homestead-Miami due to penalties from the Cup Series race in Las Vegas.
Kyle Busch’s team lost two crew members—tire changer Shiloh Windsor and jackman Joseph Moser—who have been suspended for two races after Busch’s right rear wheel detached, causing him to crash into the outside wall. NASCAR also penalized Busch with a two-lap penalty.
Chase Briscoe’s team faces similar consequences, with tire changer Daniel Smith and jackman Caleb Dirks suspended for two races due to a wheel-related incident.
