NACAR driver Kyle Busch wrestled fellow driver Joey Logano to the ground then punched him on the speedway at the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Kobalt 400 in Las Vegas on March 12, reports USA Today.
Video footage of the incident shows Logano’s crew coming to his defense, and NASCAR officials tackling Busch to the ground. It also shows Busch with a bloodied gash on his forehead.
The altercation came about as the duo was racing for third place in the final lap, according to the Charlotte Observer. Logano’s car bumped into Busch, causing Busch’s car to spin. Busch finished in 22nd place, while Logano took fourth place, reports Nascar.com.
Following the race, Busch “walked with purpose toward Logano after exiting his car on pit road, then lunged at [him],” reports to Nascar.com.
“I got dumped. [Logano] flat out just drove straight in the corner and wrecked me,” Busch said. “That’s how Joey races, so he’s going to get it.”
Logano said he didn’t know what happened.
“We were just racing hard there at the end. I was underneath him on the backstretch and he tried to crash me into the corner…There wasn’t much talking, there was a lot of swinging…It obviously wasn’t anything intentional, but obviously he thinks that, so, I don’t know, we’ll get by.”
In an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio’s “Morning Drive” program on March 13, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer Steve O’Donnell said officials were reviewing the video footage, but would probably be inclined “not to react.”
“We have to take everything, make sure we look at all the video, but just from our in assessment [Sunday] night, as far as on-track I don’t think we saw anything that was intentional by any means. We have to have discussions with both drivers.”
He also said he didn’t think the crew members who came to Logano’s defense would be punished.
“A crew is taught, which I think is right, that if someone comes up in your pit box and attacks your guy, you have the right to try and break that up or bring it to a stop.”
[Feature Photo: YouTube Screenshot]
