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| Fines for Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick likely coming after NASCAR brawl | Fines for Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick likely coming after NASCAR brawl |
| (1 day later) | |
| UPDATED: As of Tuesday afternoon, NASCAR has not said a word about fines, but it did publish an article embracing “Harvicking,” a meme kind of like “Tebowing” that emerged after the brawl. The article also noted “we have to be thankful” for the fight because it led to the meme, which means to push someone for seemingly no reason. One must question now, does NASCAR not condone post-race fights? | |
| *** | |
| In juxtaposition to last weekend’s sentimental, hug-filled ending of the NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway, the ending of the race at the Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday was ugly and punch-filled. That’s thanks to Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick who let their anger get the best of them after contention on the track. Per NASCAR.com: | In juxtaposition to last weekend’s sentimental, hug-filled ending of the NASCAR race at Martinsville Speedway, the ending of the race at the Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday was ugly and punch-filled. That’s thanks to Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick who let their anger get the best of them after contention on the track. Per NASCAR.com: |
| Gordon, upset after contact between the two during the first of two attempts at a green, white, checkered finish, pulled his car alongside Keselowski’s on pit road after the event, quickly climbed out and attempted to confront the Team Penske driver. Crewmembers of the two teams were already pushing and shoving each other as Gordon approached Keselowski. The exchange between the two drivers quickly escalated into a physical confrontation that eventually involved crewmen from both teams, as well as members of other organizations, including driver Kevin Harvick. | Gordon, upset after contact between the two during the first of two attempts at a green, white, checkered finish, pulled his car alongside Keselowski’s on pit road after the event, quickly climbed out and attempted to confront the Team Penske driver. Crewmembers of the two teams were already pushing and shoving each other as Gordon approached Keselowski. The exchange between the two drivers quickly escalated into a physical confrontation that eventually involved crewmen from both teams, as well as members of other organizations, including driver Kevin Harvick. |
| Gordon, upset after contact between the two during the first of two attempts at a green, white, checkered finish, pulled his car alongside Keselowski’s on pit road after the event, quickly climbed out and attempted to confront the Team Penske driver. | Gordon, upset after contact between the two during the first of two attempts at a green, white, checkered finish, pulled his car alongside Keselowski’s on pit road after the event, quickly climbed out and attempted to confront the Team Penske driver. |
| Crewmembers of the two teams were already pushing and shoving each other as Gordon approached Keselowski. The exchange between the two drivers quickly escalated into a physical confrontation that eventually involved crewmen from both teams, as well as members of other organizations, including driver Kevin Harvick. | Crewmembers of the two teams were already pushing and shoving each other as Gordon approached Keselowski. The exchange between the two drivers quickly escalated into a physical confrontation that eventually involved crewmen from both teams, as well as members of other organizations, including driver Kevin Harvick. |
| Here’s the fight: | Here’s the fight: |
| Gordon and Keselowski came away with minor injuries to their faces, while everyone else seemed to be okay, including Harvick, who got into the fight for no real reason other than to instigate it, according to driver Paulie Harraka. | Gordon and Keselowski came away with minor injuries to their faces, while everyone else seemed to be okay, including Harvick, who got into the fight for no real reason other than to instigate it, according to driver Paulie Harraka. |
| Anybody else catch that @KevinHarvick got that fight going?? — Paulie Harraka (@paulieharraka) November 3, 2014 | Anybody else catch that @KevinHarvick got that fight going?? — Paulie Harraka (@paulieharraka) November 3, 2014 |
| Anybody else catch that @KevinHarvick got that fight going?? | Anybody else catch that @KevinHarvick got that fight going?? |
| — Paulie Harraka (@paulieharraka) November 3, 2014 | — Paulie Harraka (@paulieharraka) November 3, 2014 |
| Was this the push that started it all? | Was this the push that started it all? |
| Gordon was never mad at Harvick, though, just Keselowski, who has now been the object of two drivers’ blood lust in the past month. (Keselowski was fined $50,000 for his involvement in another brawl that had driver Matt Kenseth running up to him last month at Charlotte Motor Speedway.) | Gordon was never mad at Harvick, though, just Keselowski, who has now been the object of two drivers’ blood lust in the past month. (Keselowski was fined $50,000 for his involvement in another brawl that had driver Matt Kenseth running up to him last month at Charlotte Motor Speedway.) |
| “It’s [Keselowski's] disregard for what’s going on out there,” Gordon said (via NASCAR.com) after the brawl. “He does things that force his team to have to defend him like that. I mean it’s a shame. …He made an over-aggressive move. Those moves are fine if you’ve got a slamming, banging race. But he cut my left rear tire and that was it for me.” | “It’s [Keselowski's] disregard for what’s going on out there,” Gordon said (via NASCAR.com) after the brawl. “He does things that force his team to have to defend him like that. I mean it’s a shame. …He made an over-aggressive move. Those moves are fine if you’ve got a slamming, banging race. But he cut my left rear tire and that was it for me.” |
| Gordon finished in 29th place and is in the fourth-place points position after the race. | Gordon finished in 29th place and is in the fourth-place points position after the race. |
| Keselowski, meanwhile, was unapologetic about the confrontation both on and off the track. | Keselowski, meanwhile, was unapologetic about the confrontation both on and off the track. |
| “By the time it closed up, I was committed, and I stayed in it. That almost won me the race,” Keselowski said (via FOX Sports) of his contact with Gordon on the track. “I’m doing everything I can to win this championship, racing at 100 percent. That’s something I’m not going to be ashamed for.” | “By the time it closed up, I was committed, and I stayed in it. That almost won me the race,” Keselowski said (via FOX Sports) of his contact with Gordon on the track. “I’m doing everything I can to win this championship, racing at 100 percent. That’s something I’m not going to be ashamed for.” |
| While Keselowski fared better in the race — he finished third behind Jimmie Johnson and Harvick — he remains behind Gordon in points. He’s currently sitting in seventh going into the race at Phoenix International Raceway, the final event at which to secure a spot in the Championship Round of this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup at Homestead Miami Speedway. The combative racer seems pretty confident. | While Keselowski fared better in the race — he finished third behind Jimmie Johnson and Harvick — he remains behind Gordon in points. He’s currently sitting in seventh going into the race at Phoenix International Raceway, the final event at which to secure a spot in the Championship Round of this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup at Homestead Miami Speedway. The combative racer seems pretty confident. |
| Great racing tonight. We could see the win, @JimmieJohnson did a great job holding me off. Thank you to all the #2crew supporters. — Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) November 3, 2014 | Great racing tonight. We could see the win, @JimmieJohnson did a great job holding me off. Thank you to all the #2crew supporters. — Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) November 3, 2014 |
| Great racing tonight. We could see the win, @JimmieJohnson did a great job holding me off. Thank you to all the #2crew supporters. — Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) November 3, 2014 | Great racing tonight. We could see the win, @JimmieJohnson did a great job holding me off. Thank you to all the #2crew supporters. — Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) November 3, 2014 |
| It’s likely the brawl won’t affect either Gordon’s, Harvick’s or Keselowski’s ability to compete at Phoenix, although it will likely affect their wallets, driver Jeff Burton said. | It’s likely the brawl won’t affect either Gordon’s, Harvick’s or Keselowski’s ability to compete at Phoenix, although it will likely affect their wallets, driver Jeff Burton said. |
| We learned @RIRInsider that a punch has a $ fine but not a suspension. #NASCAR — Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton) November 3, 2014 | We learned @RIRInsider that a punch has a $ fine but not a suspension. #NASCAR — Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton) November 3, 2014 |
| We learned @RIRInsider that a punch has a $ fine but not a suspension. #NASCAR | We learned @RIRInsider that a punch has a $ fine but not a suspension. #NASCAR |
| — Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton) November 3, 2014 | — Jeff Burton (@JeffBurton) November 3, 2014 |
| NASCAR took two days to mull over the fine amounts in Keselowski’s last brawl, so officials will likely announce the punishment on Tuesday. | NASCAR took two days to mull over the fine amounts in Keselowski’s last brawl, so officials will likely announce the punishment on Tuesday. |