General Discussion » Toyota recall includes 3.8 million cars sold in the USA
November 2, 2009 General Motors is recalling all models because of a problem with plastic supply and return ports on the modular reservoir assembly. The ...
Team owner Rusty Wallace won't appeal crew chief suspension
By Lee Montgomery - Associate Editor
Friday, June 12, 2009
NASCAR Nationwide Series team owner Rusty Wallace will not appeal the suspension of crew chief Bryan Berry.
Jim Fluharty
NASCAR Scene
SPARTA, Ky. – NASCAR Nationwide Series team owner Rusty Wallace said Friday at Kentucky Speedway that he will not appeal the suspension of crew chief Bryan Berry despite disagreeing with the penalty handed down Thursday.
Berry was suspended indefinitely for an incident following last weekend’s race at Nashville Superspeedway, where Wallace said Berry was accused of using a racial slur to Marc Davis, an African-American driver who had collided on pit road with Berry’s driver, Brendan Gaughan, during the race.
Wallace said Berry denied making the slur, but the team still will not appeal.
“No, I do not agree with the suspension at all,” Wallace said as his teams prepared for the Meijer 300 on Saturday night. “But I support NASCAR’s thought behind it. We can’t tolerate any racial things whatsoever in the garage area.
“All I can say is my guy has promised that he never said that. He did admit that he was screaming his butt off, he was mad, he was cursing. And he said he did not say that.”
Wallace said there was “nothing to appeal.”
“I understand how everybody’s so nervous about this thing with what they’ve been through,” Wallace said. “I’m not going to raise hell about it. I didn’t see it. … If we’ve got to do this to set an example and make sure we’re right, we’ll do it. There’s no more to it.”
Wallace said Harry Davis, Marc’s father, apologized for the situation. Harry Davis, according to Wallace, said Berry is a “great guy” and hoped Berry could return from suspension as soon as possible.
Wallace also said the mother of one his former drivers, Chase Austin, also called in support of Berry. Marianne Austin, Wallace said, would write a letter to NASCAR to back Berry if she needed to.
“It sounds like everybody’s a little trigger happy,” Wallace said. “I think everybody at NASCAR got a little trigger happy because this is an issue that nobody wants to tolerate. We’ll go through the motions; we’ll do whatever it takes to get Bryan back in.”
Wallace said he hopes the suspension lasts two weeks at the most and that NASCAR President Mike Helton told him his goal is to get Berry back as soon as possible.
“I fully, 100 percent support Bryan,” Wallace said. “I know one thing, the team is crystal clear that nowadays, you can’t do anything like that. I got on the team airplane this morning at 8 o’clock because it was the first time I was able to get everybody together, and I said, ‘Look, you see what happened. I love you guys and I support you and I always take a bullet for you. But if this happens, I can’t take a bullet for you. This can’t ever happen.’
“They understood that. It’s loud and clear.”
Mentioned Drivers:
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6492 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -108 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -169 |
| 4 | Kurt Busch | -211 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -285 |
| 6 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -289 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -321 |
| 8 | Denny Hamlin | -352 |
| 9 | Ryan Newman | -411 |
| 10 | Kasey Kahne | -476 |
| 11 | Carl Edwards | -520 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -666 |
Popular News
-
Championship battle may not be tight, but Chase still has some intrigue
Comments (79) -
Kyle Busch would consider Nationwide title his biggest achievement in NASCAR
Comments (70) -
Denny Hamlin vows to retaliate against Brad Keselowski
Comments (70) -
Jeff Gluck: Brad Keselowski's aggressive style should be embraced, not criticized
Comments (53) -
Jimmie Johnson's Texas trouble reignites NASCAR Sprint Cup championship battle
Comments (48)
Recent Headlines
-
Roush Fenway Racing's Carl Edwards spins, leads final Nationwide practice
Post Comment -
Colin Braun wins Truck pole for season finale
Post Comment -
Denny Hamlin to have minor knee surgery Wednesday
Post Comment -
Jimmie Johnson snags pole for Ford 400 at Homestead
Comments (5) -
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 'Hopefully next year will be better'
Comments (6)
Poll PositionView All
Which has been most detrimental to NASCAR television ratings and attendance this season?
Promotions
-
Play "WIX Filters' Pick 3" stock car fantasy and win prizes. Season 2 is now in session!
-
Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.
-
Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the NASCAR Racing Experience.
-
Make weekly pics for the Chase and be entered to win weekly SPEED Merchandise.
