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Jeff Gordon fined $100k, docked 25 points for crashing Boyer [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Government/Legal, Videos, Celebrities, Racing

NASCAR officials handed out a stack of fines and penalties following Sunday's race in Phoenix. Jeff Gordon suffered the brunt of that wrath with a $100,000 fine and the loss of 25 points in the Sprint Cup Championship for his involvement in a crash that doused Clint Bowyer's chances of taking a points lead. Gordon was also put on probation through the end of the year.

Following the crash, Bowyer's pit crew ran to Gordon's area of the garage where the driver was climbing from his car. One of the crew members grabbed Gordon from behind, and a brawl ensued as Gordon's pit team jumped in to defend their driver. Gordon was then escorted to his trailer.

Not wanting to be left out, Bowyer ran to the Dupont truck only to be held back by NASCAR officials. Bowyer's crew chief, Brian Pattie, was penalized $25,000, while points leader Brad Keselowski saw himself fined for $25,000 and put on probation through December 31 for having a cell phone in the vehicle with him. TV cameras spotted the phone while Keselowski sat waiting for a red flag to lift. Check the video below for another look at the brawl and the crash.

Continue reading Jeff Gordon fined $100k, docked 25 points for crashing Boyer [w/video]

Jeff Gordon fined $100k, docked 25 points for crashing Boyer [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Watch NASCAR racers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon make like it's WWE in Phoenix

Jeffrey N. Ross — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:43:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Racing

The NASCAR Sprint Cup always gets a little more exciting this time of year as it prepares to name its champion at the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but racers Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer made sure there was a little extra action at the penultimate race over the weekend in Phoenix. Looking like a mix of a demolition derby and a World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) brawl, Gordon and Bowyer traded paint a few times during the race before members of their pits crews traded blows.

Following a few frustrating run-ins with Bowyer during the year (including one earlier in the race that sent him back to 20th place), Gordon appeared to get even with Bowyer by slowing down and purposefully clipping his rear fender as he passed, sending both cars up into the wall. After Gordon got out of his car, a ruckus ensued between pit crews of both teams. Gordon was quickly removed from the fight and can be seen at the bottom of the image below being ushered away. ESPN said it's too early to speculate on punishments for either driver or anyone from their respective teams, but the report did point out that Kyle Busch was suspended for intentionally causing an accident last year.

At the time, Bowyer was in third place in the Chase for the Championship, just 28 points behind leader Brad Keselowski with just two laps and one race to go, but the crash with Gordon all but knocked him out of the championship race, dropping him to fourth place, 52 points behind the lead. The crash happened right in front Keselowski, who managed to squeeze through the melee, but Joey Logano and Aric Almirola were not as fortunate.

Scroll down to watch ESPN video footage of the ensuing chaos both on- and off the track.

Continue reading Watch NASCAR racers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon make like it's WWE in Phoenix

Watch NASCAR racers Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon make like it's WWE in Phoenix originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Nov 2012 12:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Wrath of Carl: Edwards intentionally wrecks Keselowski at Atlanta [w/video]

John Neff — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:26:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Videos

Carl Edwards intentionally wrecks Brad Keselowski at Atlanta - Click above to watch video after the jump

NASCAR had said it wanted a return this season to the bad boy days of oval racing where drivers settled disputes on the track rather than saying "Aw, shucks" in front of the camera afterward. On Sunday, America's favorite motorsport got what it asked for when Carl Edwards used his No. 99 Roush Fenway Ford to intentionally wreck Brad Keselowski and his No. 12 Dodge on Lap 323 of the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The two were traveling around 190 miles per hour at the time when a tap from side by Edwards sent Keselowski's car airborne and crashing into the outside wall. On-air commentators quickly noticed in replays that the white gloves worn by Edwards made a quick, sharp turn of the wheel towards Keselowski's car right before the crash. At the time of the wreck, Keselowski was headed for his first top-10 finish of the season.

The incident has sparked questions about whether retaliation on the track has gone too far in NASCAR. And while Edwards has been painted by many in the press as the bad boy in this situation, Keselowski has a reputation as a wrecker himself. Earlier in Sunday's race on Lap 40, he clipped Edwards car on Turn 2. Long before that, Keselowski had spun Edwards last April at Talladega on the final lap to secure a victory, a wreck that caused some injuries in the grandstand as well. Keselowski's other feuds with Denny Hamlin and Juan Pablo Montoya are also well known.

Edwards reportedly admitted to officials after the race that the wreck was intentional, though he did not expect Keselowski's car to go airborne. The affable Aflac spokesman may be suspended for a race, though NASCAR officials have said they would take their time to investigate the incident before making a decision. Follow the jump to see the crash in question as it happened and make your mind for yourself: Did Edwards go too far, or did Keselowski have it coming?

[Source: FOX News, NASCAR]

Continue reading The Wrath of Carl: Edwards intentionally wrecks Keselowski at Atlanta [w/video]

The Wrath of Carl: Edwards intentionally wrecks Keselowski at Atlanta [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 08 Mar 2010 09:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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