Two members of Furniture Row Racing’s No. 78 pit crew have been suspended by Joe Gibbs Racing, which supplies FFR’s pit crew and why JGR issued the suspensions and not FRR.
Joe Gibbs Racing suspends 2 of Martin Truex Jr.’s pit crew members after altercation with Kyle Busch’s crew chief at Indianapolis
Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
Crew members Lee Cunningham (rear tire changer) and Chris Taylor (front tire changer) were suspended for three races Thursday after a confrontation with Kyle Busch’s crew chief, Adam Stevens, following an accident between Busch and FRR’s Martin Truex during the Brickyard 400 Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Truex and Busch were first and second, respectively, on a restart when Truex and Busch got together entering Turn 1 with both spinning and crashing hard into the outside wall. The crash ended the race for both drivers, who had the dominant cars before the collision.
Afterward, as Stevens was walking toward the garage area, Cunningham began sarcastically clapping at the crew chief, who then walked over to the crew member, and as he did, Taylor heatedly confronted Stevens.
Complicating matters is that FRR is an affiliate of JGR. That partnership includes JGR providing FRR with cars, equipment, technical data and a pit crew, making Cunningham and Taylor employees of the Joe Gibbs-owned team.
John Royer and Kip Wolfmeier will fill in for Cunningham and Taylor during their suspensions.
“Our No. 78 pit crew is hired, trained and managed by Joe Gibbs Racing,” FRR team owner Barney Visser said. “They are one of the best pit crews on the circuit and have kept us up front all season. We admire the talent and dedication of our pit crew and support all of the decisions and actions taken by Joe Gibbs Racing.”
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