NASCAR 'potentially' set for rule change after CONTROVERSIAL moment

A controversial incident during a recent NASCAR Cup Series race could lead to a rule change in the 'future', according to managing director of racing communications Mike Forde.

Christopher Bell was penalised during the Pennzoil 400 race for pitting in the wrong pit stall, after his team noticed that a wheel remained loose after his original pit stop.

While the penalty of going to the back of the field at the restart hampered his chances of claiming a fourth consecutive Cup Series victory, the penalty for a loose wheel coming unhinged while on the race track would have resulted in suspensions to the tire changer and the jackman for the next two weeks.

Therefore, the Joe Gibbs Racing team made the call to have Bell stop at another team's pit stall, a controversial incident that has been a hot talking point since the race.

Will NASCAR change rules after Bell mishap?

Bell eventually finished the Vegas race down in 12th, while Josh Berry claimed a stunning victory.

Now, Forde has been talking about whether or not the penalty given to Bell was enough considering the seriousness of the incident.

He has stated that although it's unlikely it will lead to a rule change immediately for Cup Series races, it could be a point of discussion and something that they look at changing in the future.

"The concern is the unintended consequences," Forde told the Hauler Talk podcast. "I don’t think it’s as much a loose tire and tightening that up. We’re always going to be okay with that.

"More so it comes down to the 20 leaves the box, the wheels are all fine, but the gas man didn’t pack it full of fuel. Is (the 20) going to be allowed to stop in the 19 pit box and top off?

"That is a little bit different in our opinion. That’s the discussion we’re having now, do we need to look a little bit deeper to say, ‘Okay, this is not really in the spirit of the rule.’

"Safety is one thing, a competitive advantage is another. So that’s really the conversation we’ll continue to have, but going into Homestead, no changes to the rule. But somewhere in the future, potentially."

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