“We’re still undecided”: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. yet to appeal $75K NASCAR fine

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has yet to make a decision as to whether he will appeal his $75,000 fine.

The JTG Daugherty Racing driver recently made national headlines after throwing a right hook at Kyle Busch to start a post-race brawl.

Stenhouse told reporters on Saturday inside the Charlotte Motor Speedway media center that NASCAR didn’t discuss the penalty at its monthly meeting — because it doesn’t know if Stenhouse and his team will appeal it.

“We’re still undecided,” Stenhouse said. “We spent all week really focused on racing here at Charlotte, and what we need to do to run well here.”

Despite hitting the 36-year-old driver with the largest fine issued specifically because of a fight, NASCAR actively promoted nearly every angle of the altercation on social media.

“Definitely surprised,” Stenhouse said. “It’s a lot. One that is obviously the most they’ve ever fined anybody. I guess we won something — highest fine.”

‘I don’t think this is a good thing for the long run’

Daniel Suarez called out NASCAR in a post on X when the penalty was announced.

He spoke about his words on Saturday, emphasizing that it is important for drivers to show their emotions and personalities — to a certain extent.

“We have had several conversations with many people in NASCAR at all different levels,” Suarez said. “The fans want to see personalities. They want to see emotion. They want to see, ‘Who is Daniel Suarez?’ ‘Who is Ricky Stenhouse?’ ‘Who is Chase Elliott?’ ‘Who are all these people?’

“In my mind, if we go on this route, eventually every single driver is going to be acting exactly the same, because we can’t show anything. I don’t think this is a good thing for the long run.”

Ty Gibbs wins pole for Coca-Cola 600

For the first time in his Cup Series career, Ty Gibbs will lead the field to green.

Gibbs also won the pole position for Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Charlotte. Charlotte native William Byron will start second after Saturday evening’s qualifying session.

“The biggest thing is winning a race,” Gibbs said. “The pole is great, and it helps us out a lot, but it doesn’t win us a race at all.”

Chase Elliott wins on Saturday at Charlotte

Fans inside Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday got to see the sport’s Most Popular Driver in victory lane.

Chase Elliott stole the show in an eventful Xfinity Series race, working through the field to reach the top 10 after starting 30th. He held off recent Roval winner Sam Mayer, who led the most laps on Saturday.

“From a feel perspective, I was kind of winging it because I hadn’t been in an (Xfinity Series) car in a while,” Elliott said. “It was fun to have some different lanes and some options, and you could hit the wall and your day wasn’t over. It was just a whole different vibe than what we get on Sunday.”

Greg Walter promoted to Charlotte Motor Speedway president

Concord’s famed race track has a new president.

Greg Walter, the CMS executive vice president, has been at Speedway Motorsports for 25 years. He’s long been respected by his colleagues, regarded as both a “teammate” and a “head coach,” Speedway Motorsports CEO Marcus Smith explained.

“Greg has shown exemplary leadership in building a tremendous team during his past six years as general manager at Charlotte Motor Speedway,” Smith said. “He has earned this title through not only what he has done internally at CMS, but also with his community service at the state, regional and local levels to foster cooperation with public and private entities.

“Greg has enhanced Charlotte Motor Speedway’s reputation as a national destination for not only sports and entertainment, but for putting fans first and always keeping an eye open for the next great promotional opportunity. He is respected both as a teammate and a head coach by his colleagues. It’s an honor to name Greg Walter the president of Charlotte Motor Speedway.”

Beloved lifelong NASCAR employee dies at 103

Juanita “Lightnin’” Epton, who sold tickets at Daytona International Speedway since 1958 and played a big role in NASCAR’s earliest days, died Wednesday at 103.

Epton was the last surviving original employee hired by the France family upon NASCAR’s founding, according to her obituary.

She was born July 15, 1920, named Juanita Smith — before moving to North Carolina and marrying her husband, Joe.

“When I come to work, they expect me to be doing my job, and I couldn’t do it sitting in the grandstands watching,” Epton once told a local reporter, her obituary says. “As much as I’d like to see the race, my place is here. I love what I do. It’s why I’m still doing it. Whenever I leave, it will be with the satisfaction that I did my job as well as I could.”

Funeral services are set for 10 a.m. Thursday in Daytona Beach, at Central Baptist Church, 152 Fairview Ave., with a private interment to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Lightnin’s name to Central Baptist Church, Living Legends of Auto Racing, or The NASCAR Foundation.

Starting lineup for the Coca-Cola 600