- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Sprint Cup
CUP: Gordon, Bowyer Clash Sparks Fight
Crew members tangle in garage area after Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer crash…
How is it possible to take attention from a deliciously intense race for the Sprint Cup championship?
Fight, that’s how.
And fight they did.
In one of the biggest altercations of its sort in NASCAR history, the teams of Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer tangled in the garage area after their drivers wrecked twice in the closing laps, the second crash sending Bowyer into a rage.
Contact with Bowyer kept Gordon from racing for the win after their cars bumped while driving for the top five. A few laps later, Gordon waited for Bowyer and retaliated, sparking a wreck that also involved Aric Almirola and Joey Logano.
A few seconds after Gordon climbed out of his car, a massive fight erupted between members of the 24 and 15 crews, with NASCAR officials smack in the middle of the knot of people trying to break it up.
Meanwhile, Bowyer jumped from his car and ran at near-warp speed toward Gordon’s hauler. Upon his arrival, he was restrained from going into the hauler by a NASCAR official.
Sheriff’s deputies were called to the area to restore order as members of both teams and assorted other garage-area residents created a tense crowd scene. Shoving and yelling continued long after the end of the race.
Penalties are likely to follow the incidents.
“They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do just like I had to do what I had to do,’’ Gordon said of the possibility of being penalized.
“I had it. I was fed up with him and got him back.”
Asked about the possibility of penalties, NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton said, “There's a lot of things to sift through on and off the race track. We'll continue to talk and work things out amongst the teams. We're – it's a close community. We all travel together, and we have to work side by side for weeks and months and years at a time. We'll continue to try to get everybody back calmed down and get it back to a good working situation for everybody.”
Bowyer told reporters that the situation “made us look like a bunch of retards.”
“All I was doing was riding around biding my time,” Bowyer said. “For him to act like that – I barely touched him. Next thing I know he’s waiting on me. It’s pretty embarrassing for a four-time champion and what I consider one of the best this sport has ever seen. It’s just completely ridiculous.”
Gordon, Bowyer and other team members were called to the NASCAR hauler after the race to discuss the incidents.
Gustafson said Gordon was tired of being wrecked by Bowyer.
“It’s about the fifth time that he’s run us over,” Gustafson said. “After a while, you get frustrated. We work really hard on these cars. He had enough. If you’re going to race that way, you shouldn’t be upset when you get it back.”
The second Gordon-Bowyer incident occurred immediately in front of championship contender Brad Keselowski, who later called the end-of-the-race mayhem “borderline ridiculous.”
Logano, who was taken out in the second wreck, wasn’t happy after the race. On his Twitter account, he said, “When I was young I thought (Jeff Gordon) was the best driver. Now I've lost a lot of respect for him. #verydumb.”
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
Fight, that’s how.
And fight they did.
In one of the biggest altercations of its sort in NASCAR history, the teams of Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer tangled in the garage area after their drivers wrecked twice in the closing laps, the second crash sending Bowyer into a rage.
Contact with Bowyer kept Gordon from racing for the win after their cars bumped while driving for the top five. A few laps later, Gordon waited for Bowyer and retaliated, sparking a wreck that also involved Aric Almirola and Joey Logano.
A few seconds after Gordon climbed out of his car, a massive fight erupted between members of the 24 and 15 crews, with NASCAR officials smack in the middle of the knot of people trying to break it up.
Meanwhile, Bowyer jumped from his car and ran at near-warp speed toward Gordon’s hauler. Upon his arrival, he was restrained from going into the hauler by a NASCAR official.
Sheriff’s deputies were called to the area to restore order as members of both teams and assorted other garage-area residents created a tense crowd scene. Shoving and yelling continued long after the end of the race.
Penalties are likely to follow the incidents.
“They’ve got to do what they’ve got to do just like I had to do what I had to do,’’ Gordon said of the possibility of being penalized.
“I had it. I was fed up with him and got him back.”
Asked about the possibility of penalties, NASCAR vice president Robin Pemberton said, “There's a lot of things to sift through on and off the race track. We'll continue to talk and work things out amongst the teams. We're – it's a close community. We all travel together, and we have to work side by side for weeks and months and years at a time. We'll continue to try to get everybody back calmed down and get it back to a good working situation for everybody.”
Bowyer told reporters that the situation “made us look like a bunch of retards.”
“All I was doing was riding around biding my time,” Bowyer said. “For him to act like that – I barely touched him. Next thing I know he’s waiting on me. It’s pretty embarrassing for a four-time champion and what I consider one of the best this sport has ever seen. It’s just completely ridiculous.”
Gordon, Bowyer and other team members were called to the NASCAR hauler after the race to discuss the incidents.
Gustafson said Gordon was tired of being wrecked by Bowyer.
“It’s about the fifth time that he’s run us over,” Gustafson said. “After a while, you get frustrated. We work really hard on these cars. He had enough. If you’re going to race that way, you shouldn’t be upset when you get it back.”
The second Gordon-Bowyer incident occurred immediately in front of championship contender Brad Keselowski, who later called the end-of-the-race mayhem “borderline ridiculous.”
Logano, who was taken out in the second wreck, wasn’t happy after the race. On his Twitter account, he said, “When I was young I thought (Jeff Gordon) was the best driver. Now I've lost a lot of respect for him. #verydumb.”
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
Shake and Bake: Recent Posts
-
ICYMI: The Biff Stands By Decision To Not Help Edwards »
-
Blowout Blame Game: Is It The Tire Or The Crew Chief? »
-
Biffle Loves It When The #48 Crashes Trying To Catch Him »
-
Rubbin' Is ... Amazing? Think You Can "Finish That Phrase"? »
-
Harvick And Labonte Toss First Pitch, Mocked By Stenhouse, Jr. »
-
Last Lap: Déjà vu ... Mike Harmon Has Turned Himself In »
-
Ricky Vs. Danica: Michigan Edition »
-
Feud Of The Week: Junior Nation Vs. The Racing Gods »
Latest Gallery
LATEST HEADLINES: NASCAR
-
Winged Sprint-Car Wreck Claims Jason Leffler
Jason Leffler lost his life Wednesday night in a winged sprint-car… -
MCREYNOLDS: Dover Showed Gen-6 Car Is Strong
The biggest storyline of the year is the introduction of the Generation… -
CUP: Richard Petty Motorsports Expands Development Program
Young drivers join new Petty program... -
CUP: Monster Mile Gets Toyotas
Toyota teams find setbacks at Dover... -
CUP: Kez Is On The Down-Low
Bard Keselowski's car too low after race... -
CUP: Dover Power Rankings
Despite a rare and costly mistake, Jimmie Johnson holds onto the… -
CUP: Montoya Edges Closer To Oval Win
Juan Pablo Montoya loses shot at first victory on oval… - More News
