NASCAR Driver Face Pre-Race Penalties Before Naval Base Coronado Showdown

Jesse Love, the defending NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, will start at the rear after NASCAR penalized his No. 2 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet for lug nuts that did not meet minimum size specifications in pre-race inspection. The ruling forces a pass-through penalty after the green flag and costs him pit stall selection for the next race, intensifying the challenge on the 3.4-mile Qualcomm Circuit at Naval Base Coronado. The 37-car field also saw Brad Perez take the pole with a 36.000-second lap, while Navy celebrations accompany the weekend, including Drew Brees as grand marshal for a historic event on an active U.S. military base.

Racing on the new street course winds through hangars and base roads as all three national NASCAR series compete together for the first time on a military installation amid the Navy’s 250th anniversary celebrations.