Buescher, Ware Teams Penalized After Gateway Inspection Failures
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 12, 2026
Inspection failures
Two NASCAR Cup Series teams took a hit Saturday at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway when Chris Buescher’s No. 17 RFK Racing Ford and Cody Ware’s No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Chevrolet failed pre-race inspection twice. The penalties came ahead of Sunday’s Enjoy Illinois 300, and both teams lost pit-stall selection for the race. RFK Racing car chief Joshua Sisco and Rick Ware Racing car chief Dave Jones were ejected for the rest of the weekend, a further setback for two teams already dealing with inspection trouble. Both cars eventually passed on the third attempt, which kept the punishment from getting worse. That third pass spared both teams from having to start at the rear and serve a pass-through penalty after the green flag. It also left both cars eligible to race in Sunday’s event, even after a tense inspection process at Gateway.
Buescher standings
For Chris Buescher, the inspection issues arrived with the No. 17 team carrying some solid history at Gateway. He entered the weekend 11th in the standings and 88 points behind series leader Denny Hamlin, so every run matters as the season moves forward. Gateway has been a steady track for Buescher. He finished 12th, 14th and ninth in his three previous starts there, and he picked up his first top-10 finish at the track last year. That record gave RFK Racing a practical reason to feel some confidence even after the inspection headaches. Buescher also comes into Sunday after a 20th-place finish at Darlington the previous week, so Gateway offered a chance to reset and build on his previous results there. The pit-stall penalty will make that job harder, but the No. 17 team still gets a shot to turn the weekend around in the Enjoy Illinois 300.
Ware standings
Cody Ware entered the weekend 35th in the standings, which put even more weight on simply getting through the event and collecting any improvement he can find. For Ware, the focus now shifts from inspection concerns to execution once the Enjoy Illinois 300 starts.
