NASCAR and Hendrick’s Rudy Fugle Speak Out After Daytona Ejection
The NASCAR Cup Series regular season came to a dramatic close at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night. While William Byron managed to secure a lead-lap, 19th-place finish to wrap up his regular-season championship campaign, much of the spotlight was on his No. 24 team and the absence of crew chief Rudy Fugle.
Fugle was ejected from the race weekend after NASCAR inspection officials flagged the Hendrick Motorsports team for an infraction on Friday. The situation not only left Byron without his trusted crew chief but also cost the team its pit stall selection and forced Byron to serve a stop-and-go penalty before the green flag even waved.
NASCAR’s Explanation
Following the incident, NASCAR released an official statement clarifying why the ejection took place. According to the sanctioning body, the No. 24 car initially cleared the inspection process but was then observed undergoing an unapproved adjustment to the splitter during a secondary run through.
“On their second attempt through inspections after passing all stations, they were observed making an unapproved adjustment to the splitter,” NASCAR’s statement read. “The struts were reinstalled, and the car was rerun over the OSS (Optical Scanning Station) and failed due to the adjustment.”
Brad Moran, NASCAR Cup Series Managing Director, provided further details during his weekly SiriusXM Radio appearance. Moran explained that one of the inspection officials noticed an irregularity as the car transitioned from the OSS to the shock station.
“It’s not the first time something like this has happened in inspection,” Moran noted. “The 24 car was going through for its second time and it had cleared the OSS. But when one of our officials spotted something we didn’t like, we reinstalled the struts and ran it through again. Sure enough, the car failed. At that point, it’s considered messing with a car that’s already been impounded, and we don’t take kindly to that.”
Moran emphasized the importance of maintaining fairness and parity in the garage. “We have our rules in place to keep the cars equal as we start the event. After what we saw, the only option was to eject Rudy Fugle from the race.”
Fugle Responds
On Monday morning, Rudy Fugle broke his silence during a media appearance. While he didn’t dive into specifics, he admitted the team had pushed too far during the inspection process.
“We went down there just trying to get a win and some playoff points,” Fugle said. “We had some issues in inspection, pushing too hard on Friday, and it was well-documented. I was ejected, and that’s unfortunate. I hated not being down there with my brothers and sisters fighting for the win. It’s one of those things that happens, and I regret it, but we move on.”
With Fugle sidelined, Hendrick’s lead engineer Brandon McSwain took over race-calling duties from the pit box. According to Fugle, McSwain and the rest of the team executed the plan effectively, allowing them to hit their most important target of the weekend ensuring the No. 48 team secured its playoff berth.
Back to North Carolina
The logistical aftermath of the ejection added another wrinkle. Hendrick Motorsports typically transports its teams on chartered flights, but they weren’t going to send a plane just for Fugle. Instead, the veteran crew chief made the long drive home on Friday night.
From there, Fugle set up shop at Hendrick’s war room in Concord, North Carolina, where he could collaborate remotely with the team at Daytona. “I drove home Friday night and worked from the war room at Hendrick on Saturday,” Fugle explained. “We were able to communicate well and accomplish the number one goal of the weekend, which was getting the 48 into the playoffs.”
Looking Ahead
Despite the frustration of being sidelined for the regular season finale, both NASCAR and Hendrick appear ready to move forward. For Byron and the No. 24 team, the focus now shifts entirely to the playoffs, where consistency and execution will be key.
As for Fugle, his comments made clear that he regrets the inspection issue but remains committed to helping Byron make a championship run. Whether the Daytona incident serves as a cautionary tale or simply a bump in the road, Hendrick Motorsports knows they will need all hands on deck as the postseason begins.