Joey Gase the driver of the No. 35 Joey Gase Motorsports team has been fined $5,000 for throwing his rear bumper during NASCAR’s Xfinity Series race at Richmond Raceway. The 31-year-old driver was involved in an altercation with Dawson Cram during Lap 173 of Saturday’s race, which resulted in Gase’s car bumping into the safety barrier.
In the heat of the moment, Gase tore off the entire rear bumper of the car which was already detached, and threw it at Cram’s No.4 Chevrolet. Both drivers came out of the incident unscathed. However, in response to his actions, the officials have now reprimanded Gase.
More penalties for Xfinity Series teams after the race at Richmond
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There has been a history of NASCAR drivers throwing away their helmets and gear at their rivals in a fit of anger. However, Gase’s actions certainly took everyone by surprise as he threw the entire rear bumper of his car on Cram’s No. 4 Chevy car.
Although, given the situation, his anger was somewhat justified, the manner in which he expressed it was rather dangerous. Not just for him but for the rest of the field who were making it to the pit road. NASCAR usually refrains from penalizing drivers, but in this case, Joey Gase clearly crossed the line.
Adding to the penalty list, three teams were found to have one lug not installed properly on their race car at the checkered flag. AJ Allmendinger’s No. 16 Kaulig Racing car, Taylor Gray’s No. 19 JGR car, and Corey Heim’s No. 26 Sam Hunts Racing car were the three cars found with a loose lug. The crew chiefs of all three teams, Alex Yontz, Seth Chavka, and Kristoffer Bowen, were fined $5,000 each.
NASCAR fined Joey Gase $5,000 for violating rule on a safety violation may be imposed for any action or omission by a competitor or vehicle that creates an unsafe environment or poses a threat to the safety of the Competitors, as determined by NASCAR.
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) April 3, 2024
After the incident, Chandler Smith, who had won the race that day, sided with Gase, stating that he found nothing wrong with his actions.
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Chandler Smith predicted an incoming fine for Gase
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The driver of the No. 81 JGR car was busy in his pursuit of the win during the race and had no clue about the dramatic scenes that erupted during the race. However, after watching the clip, Smith was puzzled as to why Gase’s actions were under the scanner. He even stated that NASCAR shouldn’t be imposing fines for such incidents.
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“I may get bashed for saying this, but I am all for drivers showing their emotions and letting them have at it. 10–15 years ago, them jokers were fighting on the pit road, and there wasn’t fines. I’ll probably get a fine for saying this right now. So, I like that, fans love it too,” Smith said after the race.
Well, Chanlder’s Smith statements were ignored by NASCAR as they imposed a $5,000 fine on Gase for his antics. As Gase’s actions could have proven costly, not just for him but for other drivers on the track.