Crewman suspended for rest of race for going after tire

UPDATE Jimmy Watts, a crew member for the #47 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been suspended from the next four Sprint Cup Series events (until April 22) for rule violations during last Sunday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Watts was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 9-15-U (crew members must not go on the race track for any reason while the cars are racing or while the cars are running under the yellow flag or the red flag, unless otherwise directed to do so by a NASCAR official). Watts has also been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. In addition, Frank Kerr, crew chief for the #47, has been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31 for violating Sections 12-1 and 9-4-A (crew chief assumes responsibility for the actions of the team). NASCAR PR

03/09/09 Jimmy Watts, a crew member for the #47 Marcos Ambrose team, was suspended for the remainder of the race after he ran onto the infield grass — a prohibited area — to retrieve a loose tire on [caused] the third caution of the race. ESPN/AP

A quiet and remorseful Jimmy Watts stood outside the NASCAR hauler during the Kobalt Tools 500 to meet with NASCAR officials after he had been suspended for the remainder of the event for running onto the frontstretch grass with the race under green-flag conditions to retrieve a tire from the JTG Daugherty Racing car on lap 67. Watts, a gas man who also works for the Charlotte Fire Department, said he has been in the sport for more than seven years and just made a mistake. NASCAR threw the caution as he chased the tire. The tire had rolled on to the frontstretch grass when it got loose from the JTG Daugherty team of driver Marcos Ambrose and was knocked away by the Yates Racing team. “I saw the tire going away and it was a reaction – the wrong one," Watts said. Watts said he “certainly did not" think that the tire would roll that far across the grass and by the time he was in the middle of it, he realized he was in a bad position. Watts said he hoped to be back next week but was waiting to talk to NASCAR officials to see if any additional penalties would be issued. SceneDaily