NASCAR driver penalized after posting bizarre video

As expected, ARCA driver Taylor Gray has been penalized by NASCAR after recording and posting a video of himself driving at Daytona International Speedway.

Last Friday, Taylor Gray took part in an ARCA Menards Series test session at Daytona International Speedway which raised NASCAR‘s eyebrows.

During his test, the 15-year-old Denver, North Carolina native decided it would be a good idea to take his phone out and record himself from the cockpit.

He posted a video of himself to Snapchat as he drove at full speed around the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked oval in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Here is the video which Gray recorded and shared.

It doesn’t take a genius to determine that he was in clear violation of the following section of NASCAR’s rulebook by posting the mind-blowing video.

"“Except as provided below, vehicles and drivers will not be permitted to carry onboard computers, automated electronic recording devices, electronically actuated devices, smartphones/cell phones, watches, micro-processors, recording devices, filming devices, electronic digital memory chips, traction control devices, digital readout gauges and the like, even if inoperable or incomplete.”"

He was initially called to the ARCA hauler and forced to meet with NASCAR officials before he was cleared to return to the track the next day.

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But according to Motorsport, a NASCAR spokesperson confirmed at the time that there would be additional penalties announced early this week.

And that is exactly what has happened, Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass has confirmed.

As expected, Gray, whose brother Tanner is a full-time Truck Series driver for David Gilliland Racing and whose grandfather Johnny is a new co-owner of the team, has been fined $1,000 and placed on probation for the entire 2021 ARCA season.

Gray’s plans for the 2021 season have not been solidified after he competed in 12 of the 20 races on the 2020 ARCA Menards Series schedule, five of the six races on the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East schedule and five of the 11 races on the 2020 ARCA Menards Series West schedule. He also competed in two of the 10 races on the 2020 CARS Late Model Stock Tour schedule.