Video: NASCAR parks and suspends Sauter after intentionally wrecking Hill (Update)

Johnny Sauter

UPDATE NASCAR announced Tuesday that Johnny Sauter has been suspended for this weekend’s Gander Outdoors Truck Series race but he will remain eligible to compete for the truck series championship after intentionally wrecking Austin Hill under caution in Sunday’s race.

NASCAR did not penalize Austin Hill.

“We look at the history of everything we’ve done and react with the precedents we have set while tailoring it with the situation we have at hand," said Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, in a statement. “In this case, Johnny Sauter’s actions certainly warranted being sat down for an event, but it felt a little too harsh to take him straight out of the championship. We think that we landed on what is fair and a deterrent."

Section 17.6.2.1.c of the Truck rule book gives NASCAR the latitude to allow Sauter to be eligible for the playoffs despite missing a race.

06/17/19 NASCAR parked Johnny Sauter for the remainder of the Gander Outdoors Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway on Sunday after the 2016 champion retaliated on-track, under caution, against Austin Hill following an incident between the two.

Following tight racing, Hill got into the rear of Sauter’s truck on lap 137, resulting in Sauter's backing into the outside retaining wall.

Bubba Racing at Its Best

Under caution, Sauter limped his damaged car at speed and drove right into the back of Hill’s rear-end and drilled it into the wall.

NASCAR responded by ordering Sauter to park his truck in the garage for the remainder of the event. Hill’s truck suffered damage but continued on to a 12th place result.

The sanctioning body said in a statement that any penalties would be announced early this coming week.