NASCAR Suspends Driver Conner Jones for Intentional Crash
NASCAR has suspended Truck Series driver Conner Jones for one race after he intentionally crashed into fellow driver Matt Mills. The incident occurred on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, resulting in Mills being hospitalized for two days due to the wreck.
Jones, 18, became frustrated during the race and rammed into Mills’ rear bumper, causing Mills’ truck to spin and hit the wall, which subsequently caught fire. Mills was taken to a local hospital, suffering from smoke inhalation.
Punishments and Reactions
Initially, NASCAR imposed a two-lap penalty on Jones during the race. However, after further review, officials deemed that Jones’ actions warranted a one-race suspension. Jones did not comment on the incident at the track but later issued a public apology via social media, stating, “Matt and I have encountered several on-track incidents this season, and I let my frustration get the best of me. I underestimated the impact my actions would have on Matt, and I deeply regret the consequences that followed.” pic.twitter.com/wbLtM64Id8 — Conner Jones (@connerjones88) October 26, 2024
Mills’ Recovery and Return
After being released from the hospital on Monday, Mills expressed gratitude for the support from fans in a video posted on social media. “Definitely didn’t like being in the hospital as long as I was or being in that situation,” he commented, his voice still raspy from the smoke. “Having you guys there to support me and help me get through that, I can’t thank you all enough.” pic.twitter.com/lN7Ph8y2fy — Matt Mills (@mattmillsracing) October 28, 2024
Mills has been cleared to race this Friday at Martinsville Speedway. Currently, he stands 23rd in the point standings for Niece Motorsports, with two top-10 finishes this season. Meanwhile, Jones, racing part-time for ThorSport Racing, has secured a best finish of 11th throughout the season. A replacement for Jones has yet to be announced.
Required reading (Photo: James Gilbert / Getty Images)
Source and credits: www.nytimes.com
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