Suspended Nationwide crew chief Bryan Berry to return at Chicagoland
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Rusty Wallace Racing driver Brendan Gaughan is ready to get his crew chief, Bryan Berry, back from a NASCAR-mandated suspension, which will happen next weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.
NASCAR announced earlier this week that the Berry suspension would be lifted July 7, in time for the Chicago race. Berry was initially suspended after allegedly using a racial slur after Gaughan and Marc Davis collided on pit road during the Nationwide Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.
Berry recently went through sensitivity training led by University of Central Florida professor Dr. Richard Lapchick, the director of the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. Berry will also complete community service.
“We set out a prescribed program for him to follow,” NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said. “That included going through sensitivity training with Dr. Lapchick. He completed that, and he’ll be reinstated on the 7th.”
Gaughan said NASCAR couldn’t “substantiate” the allegation that Berry used the slur. Berry, through Gaughan and team owner Rusty Wallace, has denied using the slur.
“In this day and age, NASCAR has to be very careful,” Gaughan said Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. “We all have to be very careful about things. Remember … it was alleged. Fortunately, I know Bryan very well, and it was just alleged. NASCAR had to do what they had to do, and they went through the process, and in the end, it came out that it didn’t look right, so he’s ready to get back at the track.”
Interim crew chief Shane Huffman will return to his role as car chief at Chicago, and shop foreman Wes Ward will also return to working full time in the shop.
