The recent massive brawl that erupted at the Hickory throwback race has resulted in numerous penalties being handed out, with Andrew Grady receiving the most severe punishments. Grady initiated a wrestling match in the pit lanes and was consequently fined $1,000 and suspended for the next three CARS Tour events. His physical confrontation with series founder Jack McNelly was particularly notable, as it underscored the increasing aggression within late-model stock racing and the need to set a strong precedent to prevent future incidents.
This altercation has not only drawn attention to the rising hostility in the sport but has also placed the owners of the CARS Tour in a challenging position. Dale Earnhardt Jr., a prominent figure in the racing community, addressed the incident on his recent podcast episode. He described the events that unfolded on the track as “unfortunate,” emphasizing the negative impact such behavior has on the sport’s image.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Criticizes Grady-Huffman Incident as a “Bad Look”
The race’s tension escalated dramatically as it neared its conclusion. Ryan Millington caused Connor Hall to spin out, resulting in Millington’s disqualification and awarding the victory to third-place finisher Ronnie Bassett Jr., marking his first Late Model win. However, the excitement soon turned to chaos. What initially appeared to be a fight between Grady and Huffman was actually a confrontation between Grady and McNelly. With 60 laps remaining, Landon Huffman’s car rear-ended Grady, causing his vehicle to spin out of the race. In a fit of rage, Grady exited his car and confronted Huffman, even hurling his HANS device at Huffman’s moving car, which escalated into a physical fight.
Treyten Lapcevich, who was also involved in the brawl, took to social media to explain the situation, noting that Jack McNelly was trying to escort Grady back to his trailer after he threw dirt at Huffman’s car. Grady then pushed McNelly to the ground, causing him to hit his head hard, prompting Lapcevich’s crew to intervene and break up the altercation. This incident led to penalties for those involved, including probation for Ryan Millington due to rough driving. The brawl has unfortunately entangled the CARS Tour founders in the controversy.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. commented on the incident in his podcast, noting that Hickory is a tight and tough track that naturally leads to a lot of contact, both on and off the track. He expressed that while he found the race entertaining, the aggressive behavior was concerning. He emphasized that such aggression is undesirable and avoidable, stating, “Pushing and shoving and punching and wrestling and falling to the ground happens on Flow right in front of all of our fans and sponsors. It’s just a really bad look.”
This was not the first time such an incident occurred in the CARS Tour. Aggression has been increasingly becoming a part of the racing culture, presenting a significant challenge for the owners. In a 2023 CARS Tour race at Tri-County Motor Speedway, a crash involving Katie Hettinger and Caden Kvapil led to a physical fight between their respective factions. On the same night, another altercation occurred between Gavan Boschele and Ashton Higgins, resulting in a brawl between their teams.
The rising aggression in late-model stock racing prompted Dale Jr. to highlight this pressing issue. He pointed out that the trend of rough and aggressive racing has been notable this year, particularly in the CARS Tour. He remarked, “Some of the on-track racing this year has been really rough. Really aggressive. We have seen a lot of CARS Tour finishes that are exciting, namely Caraway have a lot of pushing and shoving.”
Dale Jr. acknowledged that while racing hard can be an art, the current trend leans heavily towards aggression. He elaborated, “There is a bit of an art to using the nose to get underneath somebody and racing them down in the next corner, but each lap it seems the hits get harder and harder, and it goes from that art of moving a guy to basically just a punt.” He concluded by stating that they will be closely monitoring such incidents moving forward to ensure the sport maintains its competitive integrity without crossing the line into unnecessary aggression.
