NASCAR has announced an immediate suspension for Xfinity Series driver Sam Mayer ahead of this weekend's season finale at Phoenix.
All three national NASCAR series are in action in Arizona this coming weekend, kicking off with the Truck Series on Friday night and culminating in Cup Series action on Sunday.
The Xfinity Series championship race will take place in between those on Saturday, but Mayer will be taking no part having been punished for intentionally wrecking Jeb Burton at Martinsville after the checkered flag last weekend.
Mayer, the driver of the No. 41 Ford, was still in the fight for the Xfinity Series championship entering last Saturday's race, but left Martinsville eliminated and disgraced.
Why was Sam Mayer suspended?
Mayer and Jeb Burton battled hard throughout last weekend's race, with things kicking off when Mayer moved Burton out of the way to pass him early in the race.
Burton, furious at this, radioed that Mayer was 'done when I get to him', adding 'f*** him and his championship', and followed through on that promise later in overtime, with Burton pushing Mayer out wide on the final lap to overtake him for sixth place.
Mayer sought immediate retaliation, wrecking Burton after the checkered flag and then going on a furious rant about his rival on pit road in which he claimed he had the 's*** factor' and not the 'it factor'.
Mayer's suspension comes under a behavioral level punishment and Sections 4.4.B: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct, and will last for one race.
This means that the 22-year-old will be back eligible to be back on the race track for next season's season opener at Daytona International Speedway.
