Two NASCAR Ford teams were penalized following the 2025 Daytona 500 due to safety violations found in postrace inspection of their Ford Mustang Dark Horse race cars.
According to the postrace penalty report from NASCAR.com, the No. 34 NASCAR Ford Mustang of Todd Gilliland and the No. 01 Mustang of Cody Ware were found to be in violation of the NASCAR Rule Book after the season-opening Cup Series race on February 16th, 2025. Both race cars were discovered to have ballast outside of the designated ballast containers, which is not allowed.
As a result, both of the aforementioned NASCAR Ford teams were docked 10 driver points, while their respective teams – Front Row Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing – were dinged 10 owner points as well. That puts them at a disadvantage in the Cup Series championships moving forward. Neither team has indicated if they will appeal the penalties.
The NASCAR Ford teams weren’t the only Cup Series competitors to receive penalties. Chase Briscoe, who currently drives a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), was docked 100 driver points and 10 Playoff points after his race car was found to have an illegal spoiler. JGR was fined $100,000 and lost 100 owner points, while Briscoe’s crew chief was suspended for four races.
The 2025 Daytona 500 was eventful for the NASCAR Ford teams, to say the least. Austin Cindric, driver of the No. 2 Mustang, was racing for the lead on the final lap when a wreck took him out of contention. A similar fate felled the No. 12 Mustang of Ryan Blaney and the No. 22 Mustang of Joey Logano, both dominant race cars. The No. 24 Chevy of William Byron squeezed by that last lap wreck to win his second straight Daytona 500.
The most bizarre incident during the race – and perhaps in modern NASCAR – involved the No. 60 NASCAR Ford of Ryan Preece. During a multicar wreck, Preece’s car made contact with a competitor and reared back on its rear axle before blowing over in Turn 3. Preece was unhurt in the crash.
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