NASCAR Cup Series teams will not be as severely punished this season if a wheel comes off while in competition.

Instead of an automatic four-race suspension for two pit crew members and the crew chief, the penalty will be instead be based on whether the wheel came off the car while on pit road, on the racetrack, and whether the race is under a green flag or yellow flag.

The new procedure is as follows:

* If the wheel comes off while a car is on pit road under the yellow flag, the driver will restart the race at the tail end of the field.

* If the wheel comes off while a car is on pit road under green flag conditions, the driver must serve a pass-through penalty.

* If the wheel comes off while beyond pit road, it will be a two-lap penalty for the team and a two-race suspension for two crew members.

NASCAR did not specify which crew members would be subject to the suspension. However, it’s expected it would be the two crew members most responsible for the wheel coming off the car, such as the tire changer and jackman.

Last season, regardless of when or where a wheel came off the car, the guilty team was given an automatic four-race suspension. Not only were the two crew members sidelined, but the crew chief was also suspended.

NASCAR implemented a harsher penalty system for wheels becoming detached from a Cup Series car with the rollout of the Next Gen vehicle and the single lug nut.

Last year, there were 14 penalties issued for wheels coming off a car during a race. Kaulig Racing was the only repeat offender, as the No. 31 team was penalized after the Daytona 500 and the spring Kansas Speedway race.