The controversy has started even before the season has officially begun. With the Daytona 500 on the horizon, drivers are gearing up for an entertaining but competitive season-opener ahead. However, it seems like a Cup Series racer is already finding himself in hot water, after being found guilty of an infringement by NASCAR that may go on to jeopardize his return to the racing series. His return to the highest level was already being marred by accusations of nepotism, and the ongoing circumstances aren’t helping the narrative.
Cody Ware is returning to full-time Cup Series action for the first time since 2022. The 29-year-old replaced Corey LaJoie in the No. 51 Ford for Rick Ware Racing before the new season began. However, it seems like his new campaign couldn’t have begun on a worse note as his car has appeared to fail NASCAR’s tech inspection, which means his race engineer has been ejected until the duels. According to rumors, Ware can also face penalties for the infringement even before ‘The Great American Race’ has begun.
An Instagram post by ‘nascarrumournotlagia’ read, “I hear you should expect penalties coming to the 51. Didn’t get caught with their pants down but lead in their pants.”
Despite failing the inspection, Cody Ware struggled for speed during qualifying at Daytona International Speedway. The racer clocked in a lap of 51.835 seconds, finishing rock-bottom in the standings and significantly slower than JJ Yeley from the NY Racing Team. Ware finished 2.617 seconds behind leader Chase Briscoe at the 2.5-mile oval and will have to desperately scramble to turn his circumstances around to salvage a result. Could the RWR driver face more penalties going into the season opener? Stay tuned to remain updated.
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