NASCAR penalized Austin Cindric ... the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports team will be without jackman Brandon Johnson and front tire changer Blaine Anderson after they were suspended for two races ...

NASCAR took away 50 points from Austin Cindric and fined him $50K for intentionally spinning Ty Dillon in the Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas.

It comes just two days after Mayor Brandon Johnson was questioned about them ... as well as a signed Bulls jersey and a NASCAR driver's fire suit. The transparency comes after a critical report ...