SPENCER SUSPENED FOR BRISTOL

[landergolfer]

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Jimmy Spencer was suspended Monday from all NASCAR-sanctioned competition until Aug. 26 for punching Kurt Busch in the garage at Michigan International Speedway.

 

Spencer was also fined $25,000 and placed on probation through the end of the year. Busch was put on probation until Dec. 31.

"This was a very unfortunate situation," NASCAR president Mike Helton said. "Emotions are a part of every sport, NASCAR Winston Cup racing included. However there is a fine line. In this instance, that fine line was crossed."

 

Spencer could still face criminal charges. Lenawee County (Mich.) Sheriff Larry Richardson said Monday that investigators wouldn't turn over their report to prosecutors until at least Tuesday.

 

Spencer will miss the Truck Series, Busch Series and Winston Cup race this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway -- the site of one of the first flare-ups in Spencer and Busch's long-running feud.

 

The latest fight came Sunday when the two made contact late in the GFS Marketplace 400 as Busch attempted to pass Spencer. After the event, Busch's car apparently came to a stop near Spencer's hauler in the garage area.

 

Witnesses said Spencer pulled in and hit Busch's car from behind. He then reportedly jumped from his car, approached Busch's window and punched the driver in the face.

 

Jack Roush, Busch's car owner, originally said his driver's nose was broken. But a team spokeswoman said Monday that Busch only chipped a tooth.

 

Spencer, a 15-year veteran, and Busch have had a strained relationship since Busch broke into Winston Cup in 2001.

 

They made contact at a race in Phoenix during Busch's rookie season that both drivers complained about, then ran into each other again last year at Bristol when Busch bumped Spencer out of his way to score his first career victory.

 

At Indianapolis last July, Spencer wrecked Busch early in the race and Busch responded with a series of gestures before walking off the track.

 

He later called Spencer a "decrepit old has-been."

 

NASCAR sat both drivers down after the Indianapolis race and the tension between the two had seemed to subside until Sunday.

 

Suspension is a rarity in NASCAR. It's not clear when the last driver was suspended, but Kevin Harvick was "parked" for one Winston Cup race in April 2002 for rough driving in a Truck Series event.

 

Ricky Rudd and his former engine builder were fined a combined $15,000 and put on probation for fighting in the garage area last year.

 

Crew chiefs have been suspended before for rules violations, and a Busch Series driver and Trucks Series driver were suspended indefinitely for drug-related problems.

 

 

Alittle old but I thought the following was interesting

AND II: When they pulled in the garage Spencer hit Busch's car in the rear and then got out and punched Busch in face. Busch's nose was not bloody and did not appear to be broken but he will see his personal physician today. He is expected to have two black eyes. That punch prompted car owner Jack Roush to bring local police to the post-race discussion in the NASCAR trailer, and deputy Jeff Patterson said that there was an assault investigation under way. Spencer made a quick getaway without comment after an hour-long meeting with President Mike Helton of NASCAR . NASCAR officials didn't say what penalties that Spencer might be assessed, but suspension was being discussed, according to Tommy Baldwin, Spencer's crew chief. Roush said that Spencer was already under NASCAR orders to behave, a sort of secret probation apparently related to last summer's incident at Indianapolis. NASCAR officials had virtually nothing to say about the Spencer-Busch incident, apparently waiting to see if charges would be filed against Spencer.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-18-2003)

AND III: A lot of questions remained unanswered about what happened between Kurt Busch and Jimmy Spencer after Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway. But the biggest question is what happens next. Potential punishment from NASCAR might not be Spencer's chief worry after he reportedly punched Busch in the nose following the race. Lenawee County sheriff's Deputy Jeff Paterson took statements for what he called "an investigation into the alleged assault" and said he would submit his findings to a prosecutor. Busch, the left side of his face puffy with swelling, emerged first. "Ask Jimmy," he said when asked what happened. Did Spencer hit him? "Ask Jimmy Spencer," Busch replied. He then got on a cart and was taken to the infield care center, then left the track after being treated there. The post-race incident apparently grew from contact between Busch and Spencer on Lap 150, when Busch passed Spencer into the lead after a restart following a yellow flag.(more at ThatsRacin.com)(8-18-2003)

Edited August 18, 2003 by landergolfer

[landergolfer]

DO YOU THINK THE PUNSHIMENT FITS THE CRIME??

 

Personally, I think the punshiment is to severe. A $50,000 fine and 25-50 points taken away would have been enough in my opinion! Spencer will miss 2 races instead of just one which I think is not fair. Busch was the one that orginally started the payback by hitting Spencer and then Spencer payed him back at the Brickyard last year. They have had a few run-ins this year with Busch going out of his way a few times this year. NASCAR had told Spencer to behave and was then was provoked one too many times and reacted. Robby Gordon offered to pay the fine and said Busch had it coming. I agree with Gordon on those lines. But that is just my opinion

I would like to know what you think on the following questions

 

Would NASCAR have suspended Spencer if the next race was somewhere else besides Bristol?

Do you think that Busch's punshiment was fair?

and the main one, does the punshiment fit the crime

[smokeyvol1]

Is Roush Busch's daddy? If he started it then he better be ready to back it up. If you ask me he is nothing more than a wet nosed punk! To call JS old is a slap in the face to every person over 40! He needs to shut up and learn how to drive! JS used to have problems with his temper, but for the last 5 years he has done a good job of keeping it under control! If Busch was old enough he could remember that and leave him alone!

[Time2Play]

First of all I do not like Kurt Busch. I think he is a cry baby who can dish it out and can't take it, but he can drive.I doubt that the contact was on purpose Sunday, that type of contact could take both drivers out. I thought Spencer was only suspended for Bristol...... 2 races?????? In my personal opinion I think Nascar made the right choice. Over the years I have seen drivers get mad and express their anger over getting bumped or wrecked, but I cant recall a sucker punch while someone was trying to get out of their car. Drivers get wrecked every week and get angry, but their is an adult way to handle it and a childs way. Spencer chose the childs way...... I do wish Jack R would shut up though. He is always complainining about somebody cheating or having an unfare advantage. He never has said anything though when he has been caught cheating....

[landergolfer]

There is now a tape of Busch talking to his crew under the next caution telling him that he is not good at being bad that he tried to flatten Spencer's fender, but got his instead. Here is the transcript:

Busch: "See, I'm not very good at being bad. I was trying to flatten the seven car fender and I got mine. I needed to be further forward on his car."

Response from Pit: " They just showed that on TV. You just missed by about an inch or two Ah, not far enough forward."

Busch: "Inches only count unless you're playing Horseshoes and hand grenades. Ah, I don't wanna play either with that clown."

Response from Pit: "I hear ya, man."

 

 

Busch asked for it and got what he deserved in my opinion. Spencer was suppose to run all 3 races at Bristol and he now has a chance of just paying a fine since there is a n appeal at 8:30 this morning.

[babybearmom]

If this stuff about Busch's radio conversation is for real, maybe he should be facing some suspension time. It sort of makes it seem that Spencer was right about Kurt being out to get him.

[Time2Play]

Well Nascar needs to suspend Busch as well Landergolfer, I heard about the tape that was released this morning on the radio, but still Spencer needs to grow up, its not like he has never hit someone on purpose. And besides if a man drives you to a point where you have to fight, you dont sucker punch him while he is still setting in his car. The one thing I dont agree with is suspending him from the truck race and the busch race, the punch took place during a Winston (well just after) race and I think that is all he should be suspended for.

Edited August 21, 2003 by Time2Play

[WesVLT]

Is fighting between NASCAR drivers a growing trend? I admittedly do not follow stock car racing as closely as I could/should, but I have noticed a recent influx of brawls/conflicts between drivers. Will these events continue to occur, and if so, is this good or bad for the sport? It certainly adds drama...

[Time2Play]

No it is not a growing trend. The drivers have had fights, arguments or whatever all along. The first nationally aired race at Daytona ended with Cale Yarbourough getting his tail kicked by one of the Allison boys, in fact I think it was two Allisons. The big problem I had with the whole thing was Spencer taking a sucker punch while Busch was still setting in his car.

[landergolfer]

Busch should have been suspended for the Bristol race but now should be suspended for Darlington after a tape was released to two pool reporters and two incidents where Busch got into Marlin and Mears (he hit Mears twice). Here is a article of the video and see what you think. This is the EDITED VERSION WITH CLEANER LANGUAGE AND I WILL POST THE LINK FOR THE UNEDITED!!!!

 

The view from the in-car camera was out over the hood of Busch's car and showed the car moving through the garage area until coming to a stop next to Spencer's team's hauler. It appears from the tape that Busch shut off the engine of his car.The entire episode with Spencer, which is caught in audio form only, lasted 48 seconds from the time Busch's car came to a stop to the time Busch exits his car and is seen walking through the garage area.It begins with Spencer heard yelling, "Get out of that car" repeatedly and is followed by more words from Spencer that are not audible.Busch then begins to speak.

"You better, you better, you better. What ya got? You have the run of your life and you think you got something. One day out of the year, that's 365," Busch said. "Do something. Just (expletive) do something. You'll (expletive) die."

Some inaudible words follow before a sound is heard, apparently coming from Spencer's punch. Seconds later, Busch is seen out the front window of his car walking through the garage.

 

Now do you think Busch should have been suspended or fined? Roush and Busch made themselves look foolish by saying Kurt ran out of gas and that Spencer attacked him and that Busch did nothing wrong. One quote from Roush which he may regret later was that "Kurt is a model citizen and has never done nothing to provoke another competitor." Spencer was done wrong and Busch was not punshied enough. I can now say that I am a Spencer fan (after Harvick of course)and still do not pull for Busch. I was at the Bristol race and he got the biggest boos in my memory of going there which has been 9 years. NASCAR should have freed Mongo and took Busch out of the 97 for a race!

 

The Link for the unedited verison. http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/6608820.htm

 

Also, the trend for fighting in NASCAR has not really increased. There have only been 3 or 4 fist fights since Allison and Yarborugh went at it in Daytona.

Edited August 25, 2003 by landergolfer