This is what happens when unsecured ballast hits a car

Have you ever wondered why teams are hit with relatively stiff penalties when lead falls from a car on the race track?

Here's why.

The ballast from the car, apparently Ross Chastain's, ended up hitting Jamie Dick, the driver of the No. 55, in the helmet during Xfinity Series practice at Iowa Speedway on Saturday.

All the spacers and lead started coming out," Dick said via the Des Moines Register. "I dodged the spacers, but I didn't dodge the lead."

Dick said he thankfully didn't feel an ill-effects from the hit because of the helmet. It's a rude welcome back to the Xfinity Series, where he's missed two months of competition after being diagnosed with diabetes. And boy, could that accident have been a lot worse.

While Dick didn't identify the car that started dropping weight, Chastain posted an apology to Twitter after the practice. Cars are attached with weight to ensure that they meet the minimum weight specifications. Chastain's team will likely face a penalty on Tuesday. The Xfinity Series race is Sunday afternoon.

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Nick Bromberg is the editor of From The Marbles on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at nickbromberg@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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