Jimmy Spencer Suspended.

[Guest Choken One]

From the World Wide Leader in Sports

 

 

Monday, August 18

 

Line crossed in long-running feud

Associated Press

 

 

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, who suffered a bloodied nose and chipped tooth, 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.

 

Spencer was not immediately available for comment.

 

Busch, who had surgery last year to correct a deviated septum, was examined in North Carolina on Monday and said doctors told him the swelling to the left side of his face will take three months to heal.

 

Busch also said he suffered tissue damage and there is a slight chance he will need reconstructive surgery to correct the damage.

 

"I appreciate that NASCAR has recognized that Jimmy's assault went beyond the level of a `racing incident,"' Busch said. "Our racing Sunday was hard and clean.

 

"NASCAR's fine and suspension demonstrate and acknowledge for me their agreement that this was a unilateral assault which required serious punishment and for that I thank NASCAR."

 

Jack Roush, Busch's car owner, was furious his driver was placed on probation.

 

"It is incomprehensible to me that NASCAR used this incident to place Kurt Busch on probation," Roush said. "His only involvement in the 'altercation' was to be the recipient of a blow struck by an individual that is twice his size."

 

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 said his car ran out of gas 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.

 

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 for 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 seemed to subside until Sunday.

 

Suspensions are 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.

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For those who follow the sport, you all know how hated Spencer is by the Nascar Corporate Chambers and the drivers themselfs hate him. While Kurt Busch hasn't gathered many friends either, but fellow driver Robby Gordon whom ALSO isn't all that popular in the garage offered to pay whatever fine comes to spencer.

 

For those who don't know who Jimmy Spencer is, he is the last remanant of the good old days of Fat Guys smoking and drinking coffee and trying to stir shit up. He also insinuated conspiercy over Dale Jr's Victory at Daytona shortly after his father's tragic death....

[MrRant 0]

Glad to see an organization which actually fines/suspends someone with something that is worth a shit.

[Guest Choken One]

Spencer is worth a shit?

 

He hasn't done anything but run his mouth or stuff it with doughnuts.

 

Yeah but One race won't damage Spencer...not like he was a points contender...

 

I'd say fuck him and suspend him for the season...

 

Nascar hasn't blackballed someone in forever but Spencer will be the first guy if they can find *SOMETHING*.

[MrRant 0]

I meant the suspension is worth a shit.

 

Wrong wording sorry.

[Guest Choken One]

Yep.

 

And you can't say "Well, They wouldn't suspend a Big Name driver" because they benched Kevin Harvick...a big Merchandise seller (How much is off his name and not The history of the car is to be questioned)

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

This is all a part of NASCAR trying to keep its good clean family image up and trying to sever ties to the old NASCAR (pre 1995 or so) where fights were common in the pits.

[Guest Choken One]

Yeah...I know...I was there for a bunch of them...I was privy to see Morgan Shephard and Geoff Bodine REALLY go at it...

[Guest Choken One]

This is all a part of NASCAR trying to keep its good clean family image up and trying to sever ties to the old NASCAR (pre 1995 or so) where fights were common in the pits.

or as we call it

 

B.G

 

Before Gordon.

[the pinjockey 0]

I was beyond pissed that it took this long for the to do something to those two. I am a Harvick fan and I was able to accept his parking last year. But the shit these two have been pulling at Indy and Michigan (where they top 200 mph), while Harvick fucked around on short tracks (where you are 80-100 in the corners).

 

Can't blame Gordon for siding with Spencer, though. Remember at last year's Winston, Busch wrecked Gordon and in an interview mentioned he did it purposely to get a caution.

[Gert T 0]

"It is incomprehensible to me that NASCAR used this incident to place Kurt Busch on probation," Roush said. "His only involvement in the 'altercation' was to be the recipient of a blow struck by an individual that is twice his size."

 

I loved that quote, and is Jimmy even a has-been?

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

This is all a part of NASCAR trying to keep its good clean family image up and trying to sever ties to the old NASCAR (pre 1995 or so) where fights were common in the pits.

or as we call it

 

B.G

 

Before Gordon.

Jeff Gordon started in 1993. I've been watching since 1994. I remember there being fights when I first started watching.

 

And they don't call Jimmy Spencer Mr. Excitement for nothing. He's one of the few drivers left who drives in every series that he can get to. In a time where drivers are often scared to try and bump people out of the way if need be to gain spots, I think hes one of the few that still does.

[Vern Gagne 0]

From what I've read Kurt Busch isn't very popular with the other drivers.

 

With that said, Spencer deserved to be fined and suspened.However, I do think that NASCAR likes this or any sort of rivalry.

[SteakGrowsOnUecker 0]

Mike Helton and company makes up the rules as they go. Personally I don't give a shit about Spencer getting benched. He hasn't raced consistently well in a long LONG time. I'm glad NASCAR finally did suspend someone though. It was a travesty last week that they allowed Harvick to spin out Jeff Gordon without any punishment. They need to start pulling peoples scorecards when they blatantly wreck someone. Instead they pull the bullshit of calling someone to the "dreaded" big red trailer. All they say in there is to stop it or "else". My god!

 

NASCAR waits until things get to the breaking point until they finally act and do something against the teams and drivers. They just need to make a strict set of driving rules for the sport. These guys aren't just driving at your local quarter mile tracks. They drive at deathly dangerous speeds and taking violence on to the track is like threatening someone with a knife. People get badly hurt or killed. I've been following racing a long time and NASCAR always stands back and lets things happen and never do anything worthwhile to prevent it in the future. Probation is just a bunch of bs.

 

It took weeks of rough driving until they finally benched Harvick. Not to mention Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Rusty Wallace many a times wrecked someone intentionally on the last lap to gain a win. It doesn't matter if you're a legend in a sport rules still apply. Hopefully NASCAR is starting to realize what they need to do to put an end to this crap. Most likely they didn't though.

 

Anyways my boy Ryan Newman, who started his racing career 25 minutes from my home, won and that's all that matters.

[the pinjockey 0]

"It was a travesty last week that they allowed Harvick to spin out Jeff Gordon without any punishment."

 

Gordon ran out of gas and wouldn't get out of the way. What was he supposed to do, stop and let Gordon, Johnson, and a couple more who probably would have passed him beat him?