NASCAR driver penalized for intentionally wrecking competitor

NASCAR Cup Series driver Anthony Alfredo. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Watch: NASCAR driver penalized after intentionally wrecking competitor

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Nov 9, 2024 9:24 PM ET

A year's worth of frustrations may be coming to a head in the NASCAR Xfinity Series championship race at Phoenix Raceway.

As the field traversed the one-mile oval, Stefan Parsons and Anthony Alfredo got tangled up off of turn two, with Parsons and Greg Van Alst ending up in the wall and out of the race.

Upon further review, however, it appears that the contact between Parsons and Alfredo may have been retaliatory on Alfredo's part rather than a racing incident.

PENALTY: The No. 5 will be held for two laps for reckless driving. pic.twitter.com/PgzIVpERbT
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) November 10, 2024

NASCAR saw it that way, as Alfredo was held for two laps — a crippling penalty — for his transgression.

As the replay showed, Parsons got loose while on the inside of Alfredo exiting turn two. Alfredo hit the wall with the right side of the car before proceeding to chase Parsons' No. 45 down the track, turning Parsons into the wall and knocking him out of the race.

Any further penalties, such as suspensions, would be announced later in the week. There is plenty of precedent for NASCAR to potentially suspend Alfredo for the 2025 Xfinity Series season opener at Daytona.

Just two weeks ago, NASCAR suspended Truck Series driver Conner Jones for one race after he intentionally wrecked Matt Mills in a crash that resulted in Mills being admitted to the hospital. Chase Elliott and Bubba Wallace were both suspended for a race after right-rear hooking competitors in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

More must-reads: