NASCAR has dropped the hammer on the crew that jumped, attacked, and beat two-time Cup Series winner Corey Heim in front of a Martinsville hot dog shack last weekend.
The series issued several major penalties and suspensions to both Chad Bryant and Steve Civatarese, suspending both indefinitely from NASCAR events — as well as the 2027 event at Martinsville. Both are also on probation for a year.
Bryant, the team owner at the center of last Saturday’s confrontation, was fined $2,000 and must attend anger management through a NASCAR-approved program. Civatarese was fined $1,000. Five others were also fined and put on probation.
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A couple things right off the bat …
- I believe this is one of the biggest, if not the biggest penalty handed down by NASCAR for a late model race. Remember, this wasn’t an ARCA, Truck, O’Reilly or Cup race. This was a late model race. The sanctioning body rarely gets involved with those races.
- The fines are fairly tiny, if we’re being honest. Five other crew members were also fined $500 each. Not sure NASCAR is really setting a precedent there. I could afford that, and I ain’t exactly getting paid the big bucks over here.
- Chad Bryant having to attend anger management is probably fair given the video. I wonder if he reduces his suspension/probation time when he’s done?
- Again, this is abnormal for NASCAR to get involved in a race at this level, which shows you A) how bad it was, but B) they listen to drivers/fans/social media more than any other sport.
Speaking of drivers …
Denny Hamlin, who is the unofficial spokesperson for the entire Cup garage, went on his “Actions Detrimental” podcast on Monday, absolutely ripped everyone involved, and then sent a fairly strong warning to NASCAR.
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“Complete Classlessness. Yeah. From Chad Bryant, the owner and his team to wait on Corey … Listen to what they did. Those cowards waited on Corey Heim to leave his car and leave his team and then jump him while he was on the way to his hauler,” Hamlin said. “I don’t know who’s in charge of NASCAR regional, but there’s absolutely no way that though any of those guys should be in a pit lane for the next year at least.
“I want them to say publicly what they do to them. And if it’s nothing, I will have a major problem. But none of those cowards should be in a pit lane in the foreseeable future.”
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Hamlin went on to say that NASCAR had to “get control” of Martinsville, adding that it was “spiraling out of control.”
Not sure these penalties and suspensions did quite that, but I suppose they do send a message. I reckon we’ll see down the road if anyone received it.
“I got no respect for those guys,” Hamlin added.
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