NASCAR fined Ty Gibbs $15,000 for a behavioral infraction from Friday night’s Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway, but it was not for throwing punches at Sam Mayer.
According to the penalty report, the fine is for Gibbs’s car making “contact with another vehicle on pit road after the race.” The 19-year-old was engaged in a heated on-track battle with Mayer late in Friday’s race, and it led to Gibbs being booted from the front of the pack and teammate Brandon Jones taking the win.
The young driver proceeded to bump Mayer’s car during the cool-down lap, which subsequently spilled over onto pit road. After parking, Gibbs, who is a driver for Joe Gibbs Racing and grandson of owner and former NFL coach Joe Gibbs, approached Mayer with his helmet on.
The heated exchange between the two Xfinity drivers escalated into a fistfight, resulting in crew members and NASCAR officials attempting to intervene.
Mayer was left with a cut above his eye, and one official was taken to the care center but was released. The extent of the official’s injuries is unknown at this time.
Both drivers were summoned to the officials’ hauler “for a consultation,” per NASCAR.com.
