Story by: Mike Neff ~ [email protected]
Semora, NC(January 5, 2012) — Lee Pulliam and Peyton Sellers have had their day in front of the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel and the result is good news for both of them. Pulliam and Sellers both had their indefinite suspensions reduced to the first four months of 2012 with probation continuing to the end of 2012. Both men still have to pay their fines, $1,000 for Pulliam and $750 for Sellers, in order for their NASCAR licenses to be reinstated April 30th.
Pulliam, Sellers and Pulliam crew member Terry Powell, were all fined and suspended after the season ending race at South Boston Speedway. Pulliam was involved in an on-track altercation with Whelen All-American National Champion Philip Morris which ended with Pulliam crashing his car, head-on, into Morris’s car. When he returned to pit road, Sellers approached Pulliam to confront him about his actions potentially injuring Morris, who drove for Sellers’ race team. In the ensuing melee, Sellers was accused of making contact with a track official who later dropped the charges when Sellers produced multiple witnesses who verified his account that no contact was made.
In response to the activity at the end of the race, NASCAR suspended Pulliam, Sellers and Powell indefinitely and fined them $1,000, $750 and $500 respectively. They appealed the suspensions in a meeting before the Appeals Board in early December and the board came back with the definitive end date for the suspensions. Providing the fines are paid Sellers and Pulliam will be reinstated at the end of April.
“I’m completely caught off guard by it. … I wasn’t driving the car that caused this and my action was simply a reaction from what happened on the track,” Sellers said. “I’m still a little confused how my penalty was in the same league with Lee’s [penalty].”
Pulliam hopes to run some races in other sanctioning body events before he is reinstated by NASCAR but it will depend on sponsorship. He took a philosophical look at the entire experience.
“I’d just like to use this as a life lesson. It’s been a hard lesson but one that will help me control my passion and direct it in a way that will better my ability of being a good role model. We all make mistakes in life and that was definitely one from me. I’m certain that this will never happen again although I will not back down on the track. I will still race hard and swap quite a bit of paint. But it will all be just good hard racing.”
“I hope that any kids today or young aspiring drivers will use my mistake to learn from. Some people just don’t understand that fire and desire you have to have to win, but when things go wrong you have to be able to put that fire out. I think I’m a better person from this and yes it has hampered my racing for now, but in the long run I plan on being even better than ever. I’ve got a lot to prove starting on May 1st and I can’t wait to get it started. I respect all of my fellow competitors, and respect that alot of the ones with more experience have already experienced similar situations. One of my favorite quotes, ’Success comes from good decisions, good decisions come from experience, experience comes from bad decisions.’ I’ll be at the race track supporting NASCAR and all of my fellow competitors as always. Look forward to seeing everyone soon!!”
