NASCAR CUP SERIES: AMERICA 250 FLORIDA DUEL 2 AT DAYTONA

February 12, 2026

Brad Moran

Press Conference

An Interview with:

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by the NASCAR Cup Series managing director, Brad Moran. The 62's finish has been disallowed, so we're bringing Brad to explain the process inspection, give a little detail on what we found, then open it up to some questions.

Brad...

BRAD MORAN: First of all, unfortunate to be here. Any small open team we don't like to have these problems, but we do have to do our job, make sure there's parity amongst the field and also parity amongst people trying to make the 500.

During inspection, we noticed this hose, which is a transmission cooling transaxle cooling hose. Comes off of the right side quarter window, and it's supposed to go into the transaxle cooler. It needs to be airtight, needs to be fastened. We have many rules, as you all know, that no parts can fall off the car for obvious reasons.

We don't say what the intent is, but these parts have to be fastened properly. Unfortunately this one piece wasn't on the right side. There was also another hose disconnected for driving cooling, which affects airflow. Superspeedway, we all know the importance of that.

It's unfortunate. It was during the qualifying race, which we consider qualifying per our rule book. It was similar to the 4's time being disallowed. In this case here, with it being a qualifying race, he was put to the back of the field, which would take him out of the 500.

THE MODERATOR: If you have any questions for Brad...

Q. You said you don't do intent, but could you tell whether -- I guess do you know whether it was fastened properly before the event began? Do you have any idea why it was not fastened properly when you inspected it after the race?

BRAD MORAN: Sure, I can give you from our point of view how we look at it.

First of all, every car is inspected. We do safety inspections, check the insides of the cars, the outside. We check the windows, the tightness, the flaps. This certainly wasn't sitting on the passenger floor when the car went through inspection.

As far as do we know how it come off? No. We do know that after the 500-mile race, like every other 500-mile race or, for that matter, any race, any car that goes through our inspection, all hoses are checked. Brake hoses are checked, transaxle hoses are checked, driving cooler hoses are checked. If anything is found like this during the season, it would be a DQ in the race.

We've been consistent with that. We always will because there are some reasons why something like this could come loose or fall off.

Q. When you do the pre-race inspection, do you actually look for the clamps there and make sure they're on that particular hose?

BRAD MORAN: Yeah, no, they could be fastened many ways. They're not instructed how they fasten them. If people want them to stay on, which obviously most teams do if they go through our inspection stations post race, usually they're riveted and as well they're taped. There's many ways of taping 'em. Obviously different qualities of tape and so on.

Unfortunately this one was only taped. The tape didn't hold at all.

Q. It could have just then been accidental as opposed to intentional?

BRAD MORAN: Yeah, absolutely. We don't say the intent. Again, the rule is it needs to stay connected. We're not saying it was intentional, it was unintentional.

Like I say, there was this one plus another hose that was off the car. It was still connected. We left the car intact. This piece was totally separated. That's why I brought it today.

Q. If this was a race and it was a DQ, it would be appealable. Is this appealable in any way because it's theoretically qualifying?

BRAD MORAN: It's not because it's qualifying. It would be like an in-race penalty. It would be similar to unfortunately the 4 the other day during qualifying. It would take away the time. It's all of our qualifying races are considered qualifying per our rule book.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Brad. We'll let you know when inspection is fully clear. Have a great night.

BRAD MORAN: Thank you.