NASCAR Craftsman Truck Collection driver Conner Jones has been suspended for one race after deliberately crashing driver Matt Mills in Saturday’s race on the Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR introduced on Wednesday.
The transfer comes three days after Jones turned Mills’ No. 42 in turns three and 4 on the 1.5-mile oval, sending Mills’ truck onerous into the skin wall. Mills was admitted to an area hospital following the incident.
NASCAR’s resolution to droop Jones comes at a time when driver etiquette — particularly in NASCAR’s decrease ranks — seems to be at an all-time low. Incidents like Jones’ have spiked in recent times, and whereas NASCAR has taken a agency stance as instances have modified, driver etiquette doesn’t appear to be enhancing.
The problem isn’t restricted to the Truck Collection, both. Austin Dillon intentionally wrecked Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin in August to win at Richmond. Dillon received the race, and whereas his playoff berth was revoked, NASCAR clarified that long-term, everlasting ramifications for committing such acts weren’t within the playing cards. In 2022, Bubba Wallace intentionally wrecked Kyle Larson in Las Vegas. In 2023, Chase Elliott deliberately wrecked Hamlin on the Coca-Cola 600. The penalty for each drivers? A one-race suspension.
Jones has a historical past of irritating his opponents all through the 2024 season, and his mood boiled over, inflicting him to commit an act that no skilled driver ought to ever contemplate.
NASCAR did the correct factor by penalizing Jones, but when it really desires to ship a message, it should penalize incidents like this with extra severity. Whether or not it’s large fines, crippling factors penalties, or a multi-race suspension, NASCAR should make it clear that utilizing a car as a weapon has no place in an expert racing league.
