NASCAR to review Austin Dillon’s helmet throw for possible penalties
LONG POND, Pa. — NASCAR will review Austin Dillon’s helmet throw in Sunday’s race at Pocono Raceway for any possible penalties.
Dillon exited his car and threw his helmet at Tyler Reddick’s car after an on-track incident with him.
On lap 107, Dillon raced into turn one with Reddick to his left. As the turn approached, Dillon appeared to turn down on Reddick which sent Dillon hard into the outside wall.
The sanctioning body confirmed to TRE they will review the incident to see if they’ll penalize Dillon. Any penalties will be issued either Tuesday or Wednesday.
NASCAR rulebook section 8.3.5.A. specifies “at no time should a driver… approach any portion of the racing surface or apron… and/or another moving vehicle” after wrecking out of a race.
NASCAR instituted those rules after an incident involving Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. during a sprint car race in Canandaigua, N.Y., in 2014.
Under caution for an incident with Stewart, Ward exited his car and gestured to Stewart as he paced by. At the same time, Stewart reportedly accelerated, setting off a chain of events that led to Stewart’s car striking Ward.
Ward died of blunt force head trauma at a local hospital.
A grand jury declined to charge Stewart for the incident. Stewart and the Ward family reached a settlement agreement in April 2018.
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