The Friday night Nascar Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway was a heated one as racing drivers Nelson Piquet Jr. and Brian Scott finished with a wheel-banging showdown for 15th place in the closing laps of the race. Battling with a little more brio than necessary, the fierce exchange resulted to Piquet Jr. running Scott into the wall.
An excessively aggressive move, the tension carried over after the race as well. Unhappy with the way Piquet Jr. races, Scott walked over to Piquet Jr.'s garage to confront the Turner Motorsports team.
"When I went to talk to him, he just pushed and shoved me and then kicked me below the belt," Scott said. "It's just a chicken move."
The incident quickly escalated from a racing incident into an outright brawl as two crewmen of Brian Scott's Richard Childress Racing Team were arrested and charged with misdemeanor assault in an incident that occurred in the motorhome lot. Several sources confirm that Piquet Jr. was involved in the fight as well and was uninjured.
Details regarding the assault were not immediately available but Henrico County Police Lt. Linda Toney confirmed that the fight had occurred Friday night at 11 p.m. The arrests were made at 2:26 a.m. Scott team mechanic Michael Searce, 50, and interior specialist Thomas Costello, 35, were eventually released following booking.
"We are aware an incident took place outside of the track's infield following Friday night's NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Richmond International Raceway involving members of our team and others from another team," RCR director of communications Tim Packman said in a statement before the identity of those arrested was announced.
"We are cooperating with the local authorities in this matter."
As for the Nascar governing body, a statement concluded that no penalties will be charged for incidents that occurred after the race.
Responding to Brian Scott and Richard Childress Racing, Nelson Piquet Jr. said after the race: "When you get a temper at the end of the race, everybody is tired and frustrated and you do things you don't mean to."
Regarding Brian Scott's kick to the groin, Piquet Jr. explained, "The intention wasn't to do that. It was just to keep him away from me because I didn't want to start a fight. He came running at me yelling. It was kind of a first reaction to defend myself. It wasn't meant to hit him where it ended up."
Be sure to watch the dramatic finish and interview of the Nationwide Race at Richmond International Raceway below:
