NASCAR fines Xfinity driver Joey Gase for tossing bumper at Dawson Cram's car

NASCAR fined Xfinity Series driver Joey Gase $5,000 for what it termed a safety violation as he threw the rear bumper cover from his car at the car being driven by Dawson Cram during their race Saturday at Richmond Raceway.

Gase, who drives a part-time schedule for a team he owns, was angry with Cram, who had run into him during the race. 

NASCAR has rules against drivers walking on the track away from safety personnel and toward cars, even ones that are going relatively slow under caution. NASCAR did not cite that rule Wednesday in fining Gase, just citing a rule that states: "A safety violation may be imposed for any action or omission by a competitor or vehicle that creates an unsafe environment or poses a threat to the safety of the competitors, as determined by NASCAR."

Gase said he wanted to give Cram, who drives for JD Motorsports, a souvenir. 

"He didn't lift down the whole straightaway until I was wrecked, so it was pretty uncalled for," Gase said. "It was a huge surprise. I think I gave Dawson his first-ever Xfinity start. He comes over, borrows tools from us all the time.

"He just lost his head like he does, unfortunately. If you look every week, he has speed what he's driving, but he shoots himself in the foot every week. One of these days he's going to figure it out or he ain't going to have a ride no more." 

Cram has started selling t-shirts depicting the incident and has pledged to send any proceeds to the Donate Life organ donation initiative that Gase champions.

Cram has started five of the six Xfinity races this year and is 34th in the series standings; Gase has started three races and is 45th.

Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He has spent decades covering motorsports, including over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene magazine and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.