Xfinity Series regular Joey Gase picked up the bumper of his No. 35 NASCAR Chevy Camaro SS and chucked it at a rival he felt had wronged him during the Xfinity race at Richmond Raceway on March 30th, 2024. Now, according to NASCAR’s most recent penalty report, the sanctioning body has elected to penalize Gase for his actions on track.
Gase was fined $5,000 for a safety violation after marching down the hot track to throw the rear bumper cover of his race car at the No. 4 Camaro of Dawson Cram. Gase’s actions were found to be in violation of Sections 8.8.8K of the NASCAR Rule Book, which specifically states, “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.”
Joey Gase throws a strike. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/bxSj7djrUT
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) March 30, 2024
As a reminder, on Lap 171 of the Xfinity Series race, Gase’s No. 35 Camaro SS was racing for the “Lucky Dog” position (to be the first car one lap down with a guarantee to be placed back on the lead lap on the next caution) when he made contact with the No. 4 Camaro of Cram. Gase spun out and backed the No. 35 NASCAR Chevy into the wall. The wreck resulted in terminal damage to Gase’s machine, forcing him to retire from the race early. Gase finished 34th, while Cram finished 25th.
Additionally, penalties were dealt to three other Xfinity Series teams due to unsecured lug nuts discovered after the checkered flag. This includes the No. 16 NASCAR Chevy driven by AJ Allmendinger, the No. 19 Toyota TRD Supra driven by Taylor Gray and the No. 26 Supra driven by Corey Heim. The teams’ respective crew chiefs, Alex Yontz, Seth Chavka and Kristoffer Bowen, were each fined $5,000 for violating Sections 8.8.10.4a in the NASCAR Rule Book.
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Comments
$50,000 and he might not do it again. $5,000 is pocket change to these guys.
Maybe for a top Cup team. Not for a backmarker Xfinity team
ONLY IN NAS-TARD! FIRE HIM!
should be a fine and a week of no racing. Paying money will do nothing to get him to think about his actions. A fine is like a time out period for a kid who was bad. It does nothing. A good crack on the arse they will remember.
Need customers of the sponsors to speak out….then things will change.
The sport is expensive and frustration runs high when you get taken out. He shouldn’t be on the track with cars driving by, but if NASCAR is going to use this to promote excitement in the sport (they’ve already tweeted it – and I’m sure it will make some TV clips), then there shouldn’t be a fine. IMO passion makes the sport exciting.
Respectfully, Travis…expense and frustration run high in all forms of motorsport. It’s not an excuse for standing in traffic and chucking pieces of your wrecked car at other drivers. Passion should go together with professionalism in the sport. Not schoolyard behavior. Just my two cents, sir.
I’m glad that he was fined, although this was a small fine IMHO. I agree with Oldmechanic, a steeper fine would discourage him and other drivers from repeating this A-hole behavior in the future. We simply don’t see this in other types of racing, like F1, IndyCar, WEC, etc. Sometimes, it seems that NASCAR is the lowest common denominator of racing.
Never condoned when young fans are present. Control your frustrations behind the scene.