At some point, a handful of racers apparently forgot that motorsport is not supposed to include using your race car as a weapon in the pit area.
A spectacular display of stupidity unfolded Saturday night at I-75 Raceway when dirt late model driver Greg Martin allegedly decided that being involved in an on-track incident wasn’t embarrassing enough. The obvious solution, apparently, was driving into another car while crew members stood nearby in the pits.
The incident happened during the Best Plumber 604 Racing Series season opener after Martin and Matt Henderson made contact during the feature race. In other words: standard racing stuff. Cars touch. Drivers get mad. Usually they yell, complain on Facebook, or stomp around the trailer for a while. Martin instead chose the “vehicular assault” option.
While Henderson’s damaged car was being worked on in the pits, Martin drove into the side of it at low speed. Unfortunately, there were crew members standing on the opposite side of the car, and two people were knocked to the ground. One reportedly suffered bruised ribs.
Congratulations. A grown 51-year-old man managed to turn a regional dirt race into a police matter because he couldn’t control his temper.
Martin was immediately disqualified, arrested on aggravated assault charges, and suspended from the series for at least two years. Which sounds less like harsh punishment and more like the minimum requirement for somebody unable to separate racing from road rage. Tempers are part of motorsport. Using a race car like an emotional support weapon should not be.
A ban for life sounds more appropriate.
Reminds me of Sebastian Vettel accidentally hitting Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes at the 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix while driving under the safety car. They didn’t think of what could really happen.
These dirt car guys never thought there would be crew beside the car, but still intentionally rammed their rival.
This has no place on a race track. Agreed. Banned for life.