NASCAR

Paying my respect to motorsport: maybe you should too

NASCAR, Speedway, Spultured

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One major racing incident occurs and suddenly every second person is an expert on racing.

Motorsport is something that is barely covered in the media, but once a surreal incident occurs, way too many keyboard warriors jump on board the blame wagon.

The incident that occurred Saturday night involving NASCAR driver Tony Stewart and 20-year-old Kevin Ward Jnr was an absolutely devastating situation, making news around the globe and within minutes of the catastrophic event happening. Police immediately investigated Stewart about the death of young sprint-car driver Ward Jnr, but have ruled out that the NASCAR regular will be charged with manslaughter. The incident is however still under investigation.

A completely heart-breaking situation, yet people are still quick to judge saying crude and disgusting comments involving the beauty of hindsight. And if you were one of those who quickly jumped to a conclusion and started to blame – shame, shame, shame. Just to let you know, your face wasn’t inside either of the drivers’ helmets.

This was an incomprehensible tragedy, but this has happened before. Motorsport is dangerous, and it needs to be treated with respect. People involved in the sport are fully aware of the dangers, and so should the audience in order to fully understand the big picture.

I’m also not attaching the incident to this article, just to pay my respects to both drivers in this shocking situation.

My prayers go out to Kevin Ward Jnr, Tony Stewart and their families during this difficult time. Rest In Peace Kevin Ward Jnr; another racer taken too soon.

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Australian Ambrose gets hit with 25k fine

Australian V8 Supercars, NASCAR, On The Record

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Photo: Sangjib Min

Sprint Cup NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose has been fined $25,000 for punching fellow driver, Casey Mears, after an on-track altercation in last Saturday’s Toyota Owners 400 at the Richmond International Raceway in Virginia.

Mears was fined $15,000 after pushing and intimidating the Australian, enticing Ambrose to punch him in the face , after a disagreement about the result of a large crash.

Mears talked to Fox Sports 1’s Race Hub and said he and Ambrose are okay.

“At the end of the day, none of that should ever happen,” Mears said.

“But in the heat of the moment, when you get out of your race car, and some stuff just happened that you didn’t like, we started going at each other, and before we knew it, it escalated very quickly.”

Ambrose finished the race in 18th, alongside Mears in 19th place.

Both drivers have been put on probation until May 28, with neither suffering suspension for the post-race incident.

Ambrose, a former V8 Supercar champion, is known for his fiery attitude at the racetrack after having a similar altercation with New Zealand driver Greg Murphy at the Bathurst 1000 in 2005.

In an exclusive interview in 2012, a NASCAR journalist asked Ambrose if he had any regrets.

“Anything I regret? Yeah. There was this guy in Australia – Bathurst 2005 – and he took me out of the race.

“We had a bit of a shouting match, and I regret I didn’t punch him.”

Murphy later watched the video of Ambrose in America punching Mears.

“I didn’t think he had it in him,” Murphy said.

“Maybe he saw a picture of my head on Casey Mears’ shoulders, who knows?

“He obviously got a big shove from Casey for whatever reason that moved him aside and that was enough to get him riled up.”

Ambrose and Mears will come head-to-head at the next Sprint Cup race held at Talladega this weekend.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbsE2weoQ4w (video courtesy of Fox Sports)

Aussie Ambrose Hit with 25k Fine

Australian V8 Supercars, NASCAR, Spultured

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Our Tassie Devil driver Marcos Ambrose, currently racing on circles in NASCAR, has been fined $25,000 for punching fellow driver Casey Mears after a massive stock-car style crash in Richmond, Virginia.

Not only was Mears suffering from a black eye, he was also hit with a 15k fine after pushing and riling-up the Aussie, enticing Ambrose to crack Mears in the face.

Mears said in an interview though that’s its all good with Ambrose, but that he’ll never forget being punched in the face.

Ambrose still managed to finish the race in 18th, alongside Mears in 19th place.

Both drivers have been put on probation until May 28, with neither drivers suffering suspension for the post-race incident.

Ambrose, a former V8 Supercar champion, is known for his fiery attitude at the racetrack after having a similar altercation with New Zealand driver Greg Murphy at the Bathurst 1000 in 2005.

In 2012 Ambrose was asked if he had any regrets in his career and said, “anything I regret? Yeah. There was this guy in Australia – and I regret I didn’t punch him.”

Greg Murphy was also fiery and when he saw the footage of his old rival smashing a guy in the face in America, Murphs didn’t think he had it in him.

“Maybe he saw a picture of my head on Casey Mears’ shoulders. Who knows?”

The Talladega event (Talladega nights? Yep, we all though it) is this weekend; let’s see if Ambrose and Mears can shake and bake it out.

Check out Ambrose getting a hook-in on Mears: