NASCAR has dropped the hammer on driver Jake Crum by suspending his license for the remainder of the 2023 season in all NASCAR-sanctioned events.
Jake Crum via Alexander County Sheriff’s Office
The decision to hit Crum with the severe penalty stems from a recent incident involving Crum and former NASCAR driver Robert Huffman, in which Crum was charged by police with simple assault. Reporter Matt Weaver posted the breaking news to Twitter, showing the letter from NASCAR to its member Home Tracks about Crum’s license suspension for the remainder of the season.
The physical altercation occurred this weekend at the Hickory Motor Speedway in North Carolina, after Crum’s wife Annabeth Barnes was bumped off the track. Huffman’s son Landon was pinched into the wall by Barnes, and he responded to the play with a risky bump-and-run. This maneuver caused Crum’s wife’s vehicle to spin out just as there were only three laps to go.
Watch:
According to the fight play-by-play, Crum attacked Robert Huffman, who was spotting for his son, by hitting him from behind and then kicking him repeatedly while he was down.
After the incident, assault charges were filed but he was able to post bail shortly after his arrest. However, NASCAR clearly doesn’t believe the legal ramifications are sufficient punishment.
Here is the letter:
Source: MattReaverRA
Aside from being put on ice for future circuits, the suspension alone makes it by far one of the harshest penalties that a driver could face given the gravity of the whole situation. The letter sent by NASCAR not only notifies tracks that Crum has been suspended from the current season, but he is also ineligible to acquire a license until next year.
Landon Huffman via Queen City News YouTube
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What is your take on the whole situation? Was NASCAR justified in their decision? Let us know in the comments below and across social media.