NASCAR released its penalty list this Tuesday, with the most severe sanction landing on JR Motorsports driver Sammy Smith. After Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s driver found himself stripped of 50 points, descending from sixth to thirteenth in the drivers’ standings, and lighter by $25,000 due to a hefty fine.
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The penalty stemmed from a wreck on the final lap at Martinsville, where Smith, then in P2 place, collided with the rear bumper of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Taylor Gray, sparking a multi-car pileup on the front stretch of the track. Smith crossed the finish line in 10th place, while Gray fell to 29th.
Calls for stringent action against Smith have resonated within the NASCAR community, with veteran Denny Hamlin leading the charge. The incident drew comparisons to last year’s dramatic finale at Richmond, where Austin Dillon’s racing tactics on the last lap took out both Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano, securing his win.
While Dillon faced a postseason disqualification, some fans and veterans have suggested that Dale Jr. might consider benching Smith as a more decisive repercussion.
In response to the outcry over Smith’s recent on-track incident, Dale Jr. addressed the situation head-on during his podcast. He firmly dismissed the notion of sidelining Smith, stating,
“I see the comments, and there’s a lot of people out there that are like, ‘oh man, NASCAR’s got to park him. Dale Jr should park him, Dale Jr. should fire him. So, anybody who thinks I’m going to park Sammy like parking for a race – that’s out of the question. Never going to happen, I wouldn’t even suggest it again, it’s a waste of a tweet.”
Despite his definitive stance, Dale Jr. did express his dismay and frustration with the events at Martinsville. However, he emphasized a forward-looking approach, remarking that people can continue to be pissed at him and Sammy and think what they want, but he is focused on providing Sammy with the best and most honest advice to help him improve.
Dale Jr. outlined his commitment to supporting Smith through this challenging period, detailing his intent to help Smith clean up his act. “I got to figure out how Sammy can clean this up — it’s a mess — he’s made, and in the end, I got to support him and try to give him the tools and the knowledge to make the better decision next time,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Taylor Gray, whose bumper fell victim to Smith’s maneuver, found himself facing penalties along with Jeb Burton — got fined $5,000 for breaching the member code of conduct at the infield care center.
The heat of the moment saw Gray embroiled in a verbal exchange with Smith post-race, while Burton sought out Daniel Dye for a confrontation of his own.
In another paddock incident, Shane van Gisbergen’s crew faced repercussions as two pit members were handed a two-race suspension. It was due to a mishap where the #88 car lost a wheel shortly after a pit stop on Sunday.
The imposition of Sammy Smith’s penalty serves as a warning to the field, suggesting that drivers will now tread carefully when jostling for position. Nonetheless, the sting of the points deduction will hinge on Smith’s performance for the remainder of the regular season — if he fails to secure a win, the penalty could prove particularly detrimental.
