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ASA Imposes
Probation for Joey Clanton and Mike Miller |
Pendleton, Ind. (August 29, 2001) - Officials from the American
Speed Association have placed ASA ACDelco Series drivers Joey
Clanton and Mike Miller on probation for the balance of the 2001
season.
Clanton, a second-year competitor from Stockbridge, Ga., was
cited with the measure of probation after what ASA officials
referred to as "a series of incidents involving aggressive
driving, including contact with other competitors." The decision
to levy the sanction on Clanton was reached after numerous
controversial on-track incidents over the past two years,
culminating with two separate altercations during the
Pennsylvania 300 event on Sunday, August 26, at Jennerstown
(Pa.) Speedway.
Clanton's on-track altercations at Jennerstown involved contact
with seven-time ASA National Champion Mike Eddy and veteran
Georgia competitor Mike Miller.
While running in the top five, Eddy and Clanton tangled on the
front stretch on lap 251, with Clanton's number 83 Zaxby's
Chevrolet skimming the outside retaining wall and sliding high
into the first turn. Although he avoided serious damage and was
able to continue, Clanton lost four positions on the track,
dropping him from fourth to eighth, right behind Miller.
Less than 20 laps later, Clanton drifted high coming off the
fourth turn, and as he and Miller approached the stripe to
complete lap 269, Clanton made contact with Miller's number 18
Jani-King Pontiac, sending the veteran driver spinning into the
inside front-stretch wall.
The incident brought out the 10th and final caution period of
the event, during which Miller made several attempts to
retaliate, including driving the wrong way down the front
straightaway and veering left up the track toward Clanton's
oncoming car. Miller proceeded to chase down Clanton, ultimately
ramming and spinning the Zaxby's Chevrolet in the fourth turn.
"The actions of Mike Miller, in obvious retaliation during the
caution period, are not going to be tolerated by ASA," said ASA
Technical Director Joe Balash.
"The decision to impose a sanction on Clanton, however, was a
bit more difficult. Short track racing, like it or not, is a
contact sport. However, we have documented numerous occasions in
which the 83 car was involved in altercations, occasionally
resulting in wrecked race cars. The frequency of these incidents
dictated that we (ASA) take official action, resulting in
probation for the balance of the season."
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