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Truex crew chief suspended for inspection violation

NASCAR has suspended the crew chief for driver Martin Truex Jr. for one Sprint Cup race and fined him $50,000 for a rules violation at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — NASCAR has suspended the crew chief for driver Martin Truex Jr. for one Sprint Cup race and fined him $50,000 for a rules violation at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Cole Pearn will sit out this weekend's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for a roof flap violation on the No. 78 found during pre-race technical inspection.

Truex also was penalized 15 driver points and team owner Barney Visser has been penalized 15 championship owner points.

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Furniture Row Racing says it will appeal the penalty because it was ''safety related and not competition related.''

Pearn had been on probation for a roof flap issue found at the Daytona 500.

NASCAR also fined JTG Daugherty crew chief Randall Burnett $15,000 and placed him on probation through Dec. 31; and Richard Childress Racing crew chiefs Slugger Labbe, Jusin Alexander and Luke Lambert also were each fined $15,000 and placed on probation through Dec. 31 for various infractions.