HILLBILLY RACING PENALTY APPEAL DECISION
On Friday, September 8, 2023, the SMART Appeals Panel convened in Winston-Salem, NC to address the appeal lodged by Hillbilly Racing against the six-race suspension penalty originally imposed by the SMART Modified Tour. The five-member panel included Jeff Hammond, Colbert Seagraves, Richard Hall, Tom Buzze and Joshua Schaefer.
Following the deliberations, the panel affirmed the finding that Hillbilly Racing breached SMART rules 7-1.1, D-1, governing the conduct and responsibilities of a Crew Chief. However, the panel opted to lessen the penalty to a suspension spanning three weeks, citing the testimony presented during the hearing.
Nonetheless, the panel sustained the six-race suspension levied on driver Zach Brewer, introducing additional stipulations of probation and a mandate for reinstatement grounded on the requirements of driver conduct to uphold the best interests of the SMART Modified Tour. This probation period extends through the 2024 SMART season.
SMART Modified Tour Director, Chris Williams, expressed trust in the process and emphasized the necessity to maintain the Tour’s integrity and foster its continued growth for both teams and fans alike.
“We have undertaken this penalization to safeguard the authenticity of our tour and to facilitate its advancement with stakeholders and our patrons. Our commitment to accountability is undiminished, and we will work to ensure the delivery of a premium experience at every venue. We envision learning and evolving from this judgment and the appeal procedure.”
The SMART Modified Tour, powered by Pace-O-Matic, is slated to release the 2024 race agenda in the forthcoming weeks. For further details, please visit http://www.smartmodifiedtour.com
Following the deliberations, the panel affirmed the finding that Hillbilly Racing breached SMART rules 7-1.1, D-1, governing the conduct and responsibilities of a Crew Chief. However, the panel opted to lessen the penalty to a suspension spanning three weeks, citing the testimony presented during the hearing.
Nonetheless, the panel sustained the six-race suspension levied on driver Zach Brewer, introducing additional stipulations of probation and a mandate for reinstatement grounded on the requirements of driver conduct to uphold the best interests of the SMART Modified Tour. This probation period extends through the 2024 SMART season.
SMART Modified Tour Director, Chris Williams, expressed trust in the process and emphasized the necessity to maintain the Tour’s integrity and foster its continued growth for both teams and fans alike.
“We have undertaken this penalization to safeguard the authenticity of our tour and to facilitate its advancement with stakeholders and our patrons. Our commitment to accountability is undiminished, and we will work to ensure the delivery of a premium experience at every venue. We envision learning and evolving from this judgment and the appeal procedure.”
The SMART Modified Tour, powered by Pace-O-Matic, is slated to release the 2024 race agenda in the forthcoming weeks. For further details, please visit http://www.smartmodifiedtour.com