NASCAR driver suspended for parking on track to protest call

NASCAR penalty report from Atlanta Motor Speedway; Five NASCAR members suspended

Over the weekend, NASCAR hosted events via Atlanta Motor Speedway. Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event saw a unique situation as a driver protested a call made against him.

In the opening stage of the Xfinity race, Josh Williams, driver of the No. 92 was involved in a multi-car incident. He went to pit lane for quick repairs as he was missing most of his right front fender.

The team elected to place tape over the fender, in an attempt to cover the massive hole. However, it was a very cold day, which doesn’t help the tape stick to the fender.

As Williams exited the pit lane, the tape came off. This forced NASCAR to deploy safety vehicles to pick up the litter from the track. It also extended the caution period.

At this point, the Xfinity race was already filled with caution. The tower was likely frustrated with how the race was playing out. Josh Williams was hit with an iron fist.

NASCAR told Williams to pull his car to the garage. He was handed a DQ for extending the caution and NASCAR had to add caution laps to pick up the debris.

Josh Williams stopped on track at Atlanta Motor Speedway

Williams was not a fan of the call. And he let it be known as instead of pulling to the garage, he pulled his car to the frontstretch and parked it right on the start/finish line.

Williams climbed out and pointed at the tower. He then casually walked across the infield grass.

When he climbed over the pit wall, he was met with the AMR safety team as well as NASCAR officials. They wanted him to visit the infield care center, per the rules for any driver unable to drive his car to the pit lane.

Williams reacted noting that he wasn’t ready to go to the care center just yet. He was attempting to give a TV interview before heading to the care center.

“I’ll meet you over there. So, just hangout over there somewhere,” Williams told a member of the AMR safety team who was likely telling him to go to the infield care center.

Williams added, “I don’t care. What’s he going to do? Fine me? I can’t afford to pay it.”

In fact, NASCAR has penalized Josh Williams. The driver was included in Tuesday’s penalty report from Atlanta Motor Speedway…

NASCAR driver parks on Atlanta frontstretch in protest (Video)

NASCAR comments

“The competitors don’t always agree with the calls,” Elton Sawyer stated via Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

“You can get called out on a strike three in the bottom of the 9th and you may not agree with the call. That’s totally fine. There’s a way to handle that.”

“Come to the trailer, after the race, talk to the Series Director, voice your displeasure. That’s totally fine.”

“There’s also a way, not to handle it. We’ll continue to have dialog internally on the next steps. But, those actions will put us in a position that we will have to react.”

Sawyer added, “You put the league in a spot where they would have to react.”

Josh Williams comments after stopping on NASCAR track in protest

Denny Hamlin on Josh Williams

Denny Hamlin - Daytona 500 - Daytona International Speedway - NASCAR Cup Series
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA – FEBRUARY 15: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx 50 Toyota, poses on the track during qualifying for the Busch Light Pole at Daytona International Speedway on February 15, 2023 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

“I love the Taylor Swift heart, into the camera,” Denny Hamlin stated via his Actions Detrimental podcast.

“He is a blue-collar, scraping and clawing to keep this thing going type of guy.”

“I think this is just NASCAR frustrated that the race kept going, caution, caution. The cautions were so long and so often. The beginning of the Xfinity race was a complete sh–show.”

“I think NASCAR really got frustrated with that. I think they blew through their [TV] time window by the end of the second stage.”

“Josh is one of the more unfortunate people to be in NASCAR’s path of anger.”

“Tape comes off and it causes another caution. The tower loses it’s sh–, I guess and tells Josh to park it. He took exception to that.”

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Hamlin offers to pay the fine for Josh Williams

As the moment went viral on social media, Denny Hamlin offered to pay the fine for Josh Williams. And, he’s stuck to that…

“I have some sympathy for someone like Josh who is trying to make it in this sport. I’m hearing more and more about his story, about how good of a race car driver he actually is, in late models and what-not.”

“I want to help when I can. Just thought this was an interesting situation.”

“I heard him say, ‘I can’t afford to pay it.’ Well, I’d love to see you at the next race buddy.”

“I’ve had direct messages with him. I just said, ‘Pending any outcomes, I meant what I said. I’ll take care of it.’ “

Denny Hamlin offers to pay NASCAR fine for Josh Williams

Atlanta Motor Speedway
Penalty Report
NASCAR Xfinity Series

Driver/Team: Josh Williams (No. 92)

Infraction Date: March 18, 2023

Penalty Level: Behavioral

Infraction: Sections 4.3.A; 4.4.B & D; 8.7.6: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct and In-race Violations for disobeying a NASCAR request

Penalty: Josh Williams suspended for one race.

NASCAR issues $550,000 in fines after Phoenix Raceway

Atlanta Motor Speedway
Penalty Report
NASCAR Truck Series

Driver/Team: Mason Massey (No. 33)

Infraction Date: March 18, 2023

Penalty Level: Behavioral

Infraction: (Sections 14.3.4 B; 14.17.2.1 D; 10.5.2.6.F) Separation of ballast from vehicle.

Penalty: Crew chief Gregory Rayl and crew members Matthew Crossman and Travis Armstrong have been suspended for the next three points events in the series

Other Penalties

NASCAR Member: Deandre Smith

Infraction Date: ?

Penalty Level: ?

Infraction: (Sections 4.1 & 10.1.A)

Penalty: Deandre Smith has been indefinitely suspended by NASCAR.

NASCAR driver parks on Atlanta frontstretch in protest (Video)

Links

Josh Williams | Atlanta Motor Speedway | NASCAR

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