NASCAR suspends driver after Atlanta race

NASCAR has suspended Xfinity Series driver Josh Williams for one race after he parked his car at the start/finish line during Saturday’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

DGM Racing’s Josh Williams will not be competing in this coming Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of the Americas, as NASCAR announced on Tuesday that they had suspended him for one race on Tuesday.

Debris from Williams’ No. 92 Chevrolet caused a caution flag to fly this past Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway after the team had attempted to tape the damage it had sustained in a three-car wreck a few laps earlier.

As a result, Williams was told to bring his car to the garage. But instead of doing so, he took “park it” literally and stopped at the finish/line before getting out of his car, waving to the grandstands, and walking across the infield in what quickly became one of the more viral NASCAR moments in recent history.

Many understandably took Williams’ side in the Antonio Brown-like incident, and the social media following of the 29-year-old Port Charlotte, Florida native has more than doubled since Saturday.

But because NASCAR does reserve the right to order a car off the track, as per the Xfinity Series Rule Book, the one-race suspension does not come as much of a surprise.

Willams was officially found in violation of Sections 4.3.A; 4.4.B & D; 8.7.6: NASCAR Member Code of Conduct and In-race Violations for disobeying a NASCAR request.

Williams, who owns a top finish of 15th place at Daytona International Speedway and sits in 22nd in the standings through five starts this season, is set to return for the ToyotaCare 250 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, April 1 after sitting out this coming Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 presented by USA Today.

Alex Labbe is set to drive the No. 92 DGM Racing Chevrolet on Saturday in Williams’ absence.