Associated Press
CHARLOTTE ó Officials wouldnít say Monday whether Ryan Newman secretly was fined $50,000 for allegedly punching Juan Pablo Montoya during a meeting at Darlington.
The two drivers were summoned to NASCARís at-track office on May 6 to discuss their ongoing feud, and NASCAR said afterward that the meeting ědid not go as well as we had hoped it would.î
Commenting on a meeting inside the hauler was unprecedented for NASCAR, which promised a further review of the incident. No fines were ever announced, and NASCAR said the issue was closed.
But rumors of the penalty began to leak on Monday in response to NASCAR fining owner Richard Childress $150,000 for attacking Kyle Busch after Saturdayís trucks race at Kansas.
Newman, through a spokeswoman, declined to comment.
NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp also refused to comment on whether Newman was fined.
ěAnything relevant to discussions that NASCAR has with competitors in the hauler will continue to stay between NASCAR and the competitors, and NASCAR will always work to protect that bridge of confidence,î Tharp said.
But NASCAR has punished drivers for such incidents, putting Tony Stewart on a six-week probation after he punched Kurt Busch during a hauler meeting at Daytona in 2008.
If true, itís the second time NASCAR secretly has fined Newman. He was fined in April 2010 for comments he made about the style of racing at Talladega.