The member of Joey Logano's crew who threw Denny Hamlin to the ground during the drivers' post-race scuffle Sunday at Martinsville has been suspended for one race, NASCAR announced Monday.
Dave Nichols, a tire technician for the No. 22 team, is the crew member who "grabb[ed] the back of Hamlin's fire suit and pull[ed] him to the ground," NASCAR said in a statement.
Video of the incident clearly caught Nichols sending Hamlin to the concrete.
Take another look at the altercation between @joeylogano and @dennyhamlin following tonight’s #NASCARPlayoffs race at @MartinsvilleSwy. pic.twitter.com/6CjGOxwou3
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 27, 2019
MORE: Hamlin delivers impression of Logano in post-fight interview
On Sirius XM NASCAR Radio earlier Monday, NASCAR executive vice president Steve O'Donnell hinted at forthcoming sanctions.
"Unfortunately, we will probably have to take some action to address that today or tomorrow," O'Donnell said. "We don't encourage it, but we know [drivers] are going to address it after the race when they have an incident. ... Instead of breaking up a fight, I think what we saw was an aggressive move by a crew member."
"Unfortunately we will probably have to take some action to address that today or tomorrow" @NASCAR's @odsteve on the post-race scuffle between @joeylogano & @dennyhamlin #TMDNASCAR | #NASCARPlayoffs | @TheMikeBagley | @PPistone pic.twitter.com/4pDIKONdLA
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) October 28, 2019
Hamlin and Logano had made contact during the race, and Logano approached Hamlin on pit road after the checkered flag. At the end of their discussion, Logano gave a shove to Hamlin, and they were quickly surrounded by members of their teams.
"In this case you had a crew member who, honestly, I don't think realized the force with which he made that move" O'Donnell said. "We've got some light drivers and some big crew members. ... I think they understand what's coming."