NASCAR driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has avoided suspension over his shocking skirmish with Kyle Busch, which saw him sucker punch his rival at the weekend after a collision in Sunday’s All-Star race at North Wilkesboro Speedway.
The bust-up took place during the post-race fireworks after Busch wrecked Stenhouse during the second lap of the $1million race in North Carolina and saw the latter throw a right hook at his competitor.
It ignited a mass brawl with crew members from both sides and even Stenhouse’s dad piling on.
However, despite sparking the explosive melee, Stenhouse is set to race this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte, where he vowed to wreck Busch on Sunday, after he dodged a suspension from NASCAR.
Stenhouse has, however, faced some punishment with the racing series handing down a $75,000 fine for violating its Member Code of Conduct.
NASCAR’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. avoided suspension over his shocking skirmish with Kyle Busch
His father was not so lucky as NASCAR issued an indefinite suspension to Ricky Stenhouse Sr., while two crew members have been hit with multi-race suspensions.
No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing’s team mechanic Clint Myrick was suspended for the next eight Cup Series races for his role, and the team’s tuner Keith Matthews was suspended for the next four Cup Series events.
Busch will not face any penalties.
The fracas was trigger by Stenhouse’s apparent fury at with Busch over their second-lap run-in, which resulted in the former crashing into the wall after having the rear of his car bumped by the latter’s.
An upset Stenhouse pulled his wrecked car down pit lane and parked in Busch’s pit stall, got out and climbed a ladder to yell at Busch’s crew, but things were only getting started.
In addition to Stenhouse’s sudden right hook to Busch’s left cheek, the elder Stenhouse also got into the action by grappling with his son’s bitter rival.
Stenhouse Jr. (left) waited for Busch (right) following Sunday’s race and unleashed a right hook
Stenhouse unleashes a hook on Busch, which appeared to connect with the driver’s face
Ricky Stenhouse Sr. (in grey) is pictured attacking Kyle Busch (far left) after the crash
Stenhouse Jr.’s No 47 car was wrecked after a collision with Busch’s car during the first lap
Stenhouse said that he was tired of Busch ‘running his mouth talking about me’ after he had wrecked him at Daytona in the past.
‘I know he is frustrated because he doesn’t run as well as he used to,’ Stenhouse said after the race.
Joey Logano dominated the short track at North Wilkesboro Speedway leading all but one of 200 laps to win his second All-Star Race on Sunday night and earn $1 million.
Logano started on the pole after posting the fastest time in qualifying on Saturday and was never really challenged, setting a record by leading more laps than any driver has in the race’s 40-year history.
