Marc Davis' father: Apology in phone call was for Brendan Gaughan’s action
SPARTA, Ky. – Harry Davis did call Rusty Wallace to apologize for the situation that resulted in Rusty Wallace Racing crew chief Bryan Berry being indefinitely suspended for allegedly saying a racial slur against Marc Davis after Davis made contact with RWR driver Brendan Gaughan on pit road.
Wallace has been saying that Davis called him to apologize for the situation from last week’s race at Nashville Superspeedway, where Gaughan was darting into his pit when Davis was turning into the garage and the two cars collided, causing tempers to escalate.
But Harry Davis, Marc’s father, said that he was apologizing for Gaughan, whom he believes should be blamed for what transpired. Harry Davis said Gaughan’s anger and saying that Georgetown University was better than Howard University, whose radio station sponsored the 19-year-old African-American driver, inflamed the situation.
Harry Davis said he didn’t want to make this issue personal but, when contacted Saturday night, did clarify the reasoning behind the phone call and the “apology” to Wallace.
“I was taking the high road and I was reaching out to him,” Harry Davis said about the call earlier this week to Wallace. “Nobody reached out to me or Marc, so I reached out to [Rusty]. I did use the word, ‘apology’ because everybody was a victim to what Mr. Gaughan misrepresented in the accident and he inflamed everything and it was all his fault.”
Harry Davis said he has gotten phone calls from people who took offense to Gaughan’s comments about Howard University, a historically black university. Gaughan said Saturday that the comment wasn’t meant to be racial but a reference to Davis’ sponsor. Gaughan also said he recognized that his anger inflamed the situation.
Berry has told Wallace that he never said the racial slur. Harry Davis said several people heard it, but he doesn’t have ill will toward Berry.
“NASCAR took very swift and very clear action toward Mr. Berry,” Harry Davis said. “I would have directed it against Mr. Gaughan because he caused the whole problem.
“NASCAR has set their own policy of what they want and what they require and [Berry] should follow the NASCAR policy. … I have empathy for Mr. Berry because he’s got a family, he’s got a job and this is a very difficult [economic] time for everybody. Mr. Berry ought to take Mr. Gaughan out behind the hauler and do what Benny Parsons would do.”
Davis’ next race will be an attempt for the Sprint Cup race in two weeks at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Harry Davis said they will attempt three or four Cup races before the Chase For The Sprint Cup and then attempt additional Nationwide Series events.
