Chandler Smith took on-track action to Pit Road when he approached Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 NASCAR Ford Mustang Dark Horse, after the Xfinity Series race at Martinsville on November 2nd, 2024. Smith, who drives the No. 81 Toyota TRD Supra, felt that Custer had wronged him while the two were racing for position, and their discussion came to blows. Smith slapped Custer in the face before disengaging, and NASCAR has now handed a penalty to him in the wake of the confrontation.
The penalty report issued by officials states that Smith’s actions violated Sections 4.4D: NASCAR Member Conduct in the Rule Book. Smith, who is no longer eligible for the Playoffs after being eliminated at Martinsville, was fined $10,000 for smacking Custer. He does not incur any points penalties.
As for what led to the confrontation, Custer’s No. 00 NASCAR Ford took a restart alongside the No. 81 Supra of Smith on the front row with 29 laps left on the board. Smith was in a must-win situation to make the Xfinity Series Championship 4 and delivered a shot to the rear bumper of Custer’s race car earlier in the race, and the late-race restart gave Custer a chance to answer.
Custer moved Smith out of the way entering Turn 1, completing the pass. While Smith eventually passed him back and finished ahead of Custer, the dustup prevented Smith from winning and advancing to the championship. Custer, meanwhile, will have a chance to defend his 2023 title in Phoenix this weekend.
“Obviously he’s not happy but at the end of the day, he’s put us in the wall a few times this year and his mistakes caught up with him,” Custer said after the race. “He used the bumper on me. I used the bumper on him. So what comes around goes around in this deal. I don’t know how we’re not even. Then, he punches me in the face. I can’t even tell if he really punched me in the face, it was so soft.”
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