Mason Mingus explains what led up to the fight with Steve Wallace

Mason Mingus comments after the pit area altercation at the Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville

Yesterday, Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville brought in the North/South Super Late Model Challenge to their 5/8-mile short track. Following on-track contact, it also brought a brawl to the pit area.

Mason Mingus and Steve Wallace were involved in a fight that quickly brought in the crews as well as security. A video surfaced that showed that back half of their altercation.

(The video is in the link at the bottom of this page.)

But what happened before that?

“Steve Wallace got into me 4 or 5 times trying to pass me early in the race and once he got around me I got him loose to warn him and I drove back past him,” Mason Mingus told RacingNews.co.

“Getting into the next corner he blatantly wrecked me. He has a reputation of repeatedly wrecking people at every race he is at and it is getting ridiculous and something needed to be done.”

Following the on-track incident Steve Wallace was black flagged for rough driving by series officials. That sent Wallace to the pit area along with Mingus.

“I applaud the race directors for for doing the right thing and parking him but at some point their needs to be further punishment. I waited until he was exiting the tunnel heading to his hauler before I jumped on his golf cart and did what I hope will make him think twice about continuing to wreck people.”

“I normally hold myself to a higher standard than to run around starting pit fights but sooner or later someone is going to get hurt due to his reckless driving. I haven’t taken a hit in a race car that hard in a long time and if Richie Wauters didn’t build such quality race cars and put so much emphasis on safety, I could have been injured.”

“I haven’t received anything but “thank you’s” and praise for what I did because everyone has been a victim to Steven Wallace at some point,” Mason Mingus concludes.

Steve Wallace was credited with 31st in the race in Nashville, Tennessee. Mason Mingus finished 32nd after being forced to exit the race due to damage sustained following the incident.

Both drivers have experience in NASCAR. Steve Wallace ran NASCAR from 2005-2013. Mingus ran the NXS and NCWTS from 2013-2015. Wallace is now 30-years-old. Mason Mingus is 23 years old.

Mason Mingus drives for Wauters Motorsports. Richie Wauters is the owner of the super late model team. In previous seasons, Steve Wallace also drove for Richie. In 2004, Wallace and Wauters won the prestigious Snowball Derby.

Steve Wallace was contacted but was not immediately available for comment.

Video of the pit area fight can be seen in the link below.

More

Related: Steve Wallace vs Mason Mingus (Fight Video)

Related: The City of Nashville turns down Bristol’s bid to operate the speedway for 30 years

Related: Bristol Motor Speedway offers bid to operate Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville (August 2017)

Links

Mason Mingus | Wauters Motorsports | Steve Wallace | Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville | Southern Super Series

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