Dale Earnhardt Jr’s fairytale return in his No. 8 Budweiser Chevy isn’t working out as planned. Expectations were high at Florence Motor Speedway, as an iconic driver/sponsor pairing was making a sensational return at the South Carolina 400. However, the race was marred by controversy, after Conner Jones and Mason Diaz were seen throwing punches at each other after an on-track incident. The two drivers were separated by onlookers before things got truly out of hand, while chaos ensued on the racetrack.

While Conner Jones managed to resume his race after the scuffle, Mason Diaz wasn’t so lucky, as his No. 45 car sustained significant damage. On a day when the excitement was at an all-time high, the incident affected the overall mood on the racetrack and took away the spotlight from Dale Jr.

On-track scuffle overshadows Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s return

The incident occurred on Lap 86 and made Florence Motor Speedway look like a parking lot, with multiple cars strewn across the track. It all began when Mason Diaz moved Conner Jones, but let the No. 44 car pass as an acknowledgment of his error. However, the 18-year-old was furious and door-slammed Diaz under caution, which prompted a multi-car wreck. The accident took place just behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. who was closing in on the top-ten before the red flag was waved.

Speaking after the fight, Mason Diaz said, “Conner just hooked me down the straightaway after we were all slowing down and that’s what put me in the wreck. Earlier in the race, me and Conner had a little scuffle. I moved him, it was me, but I let him get back up, I didn’t pass him. I didn’t mean to do it.” The racing driver went on to say, “The next caution came out, and he came up under caution, three cars behind, and drove into my right front, broke the fender.”

With Conner Jones competing on the racetrack, fans had to rely on Mason Diaz’s narrative about what led to a fight between the two drivers. FloRacing’s live stream was in the middle of a commercial break when the massive pile-up occurred, forcing fans to scramble on social media to get an accurate understanding of what occurred. It isn’t the first time Conner Jones has been involved in a controversial situation, and the 18-year-old is developing somewhat of a reputation for his brash behavior on the racetrack.

At Homestead-Miami in the Truck Series, Jones was found guilty of intentionally wrecking Matt Mills, which hospitalized the 28-year-old and resulted in a one-race suspension for the ThorSport Racing driver. After the race, the 18-year-old released a statement that said, “I underestimated the impact my actions would have on Matt, and I deeply regret the consequences that followed.” On a day when the focus was primarily on Dale Earnhardt Jr. the incident between Jones and Diaz left a bitter taste in fans’ mouths, as the Virginia native repeated mistakes from the past.

Conner Jones subjected to scathing criticism from Mason Diaz

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Tempers were flaring at the South Carolina 400. Even though the race ended with Dale Earnhardt Jr. suffering a heartbreaking outcome at Florence Motor Speedway, the headlines were dominated by the on-track scuffle between Conner Jones and Mason Diaz. As expected, the incident didn’t go down well with the former Ferrier-McClure Racing driver, who spoke to Matt Weaver after the race and didn’t hold back in criticizing his 18-year-old rival.

Visibly upset at being forced to retire early, Diaz recounted the incident by saying, “I was on the way of getting out, took my helmet off and everything. Looked up and he’s screaming cuss words at me. I’m not going to start saying it on camera. He got out of his car, kept running his mouth, he had his helmet on still. Tells how scared he is.”

Diaz went on to say, “I don’t know what more the kid needs. Suspended from NASCAR. The list goes on and on. Every single person is probably happy he got in a fight with someone because everybody wants to do it to him.”

Ultimately, Conner Jones ended the race in 30th place when the checkered flag was waved at Florence Motor Speedway. The youngster ended up six spots ahead of Mason Diaz, who couldn’t complete the South Carolina 400. Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was forced to settle for a 28th-place result, after experiencing engine problems with his No. 8 Budweiser Chevy. The 50-year-old was heard saying on the team radio, “The motor won’t keep running” with just 31 laps to go. It was a disappointing outcome for the veteran driver, who was driving a car featuring arguably the most iconic livery in NASCAR history.