NASCAR

NASCAR is clearly NOT playing around about its COVID safety rules ... it just dropped the hammer on Chip Ganassi for a violation, hitting the famed team owner with both a ban and a fine.

NASCAR officials say at a race at Daytona International Speedway last weekend, Ganassi brought "a non-essential individual that was restricted from the footprint" into the competition area.

Obviously, it's a huge no-no during the pandemic ... the org is trying like hell to limit any potential spread of the coronavirus, and unauthorized guests certainly compromise that.

So, to send a stern message, NASCAR slapped Ganassi with a one-race suspension as well as a $30,000 fine.

Ganassi will have the opportunity to appeal ... but, for now, he's barred from this weekend's races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Talk about fast food ... how about a NASCAR driver leaving the Daytona 500 in the middle of a race to go on a McDonald's run!?!

That's exactly what Ross Chastain did on Sunday when a rainstorm delayed The Great American Race for more than 5 hours ... right after the 15th lap!

It was clear the weather wasn't going to let up any time soon, so Chastain hopped out of his racing car -- and into his personal car -- so he could speed over to a nearby Mickey D's to grab some food for himself and his crew.

Oh, he was still wearing his green racing suit when he pulled up to the drive-thru ... and the woman working the window couldn't believe it!

"AAAAAHHHH you just came from the racetrack?!" the woman asked.

"Yeah, we're racing, whenever it stops raining!!" Chastain replied.

The staffer couldn't believe her eyes ... saying, "This is my first time meeting a race car driver!" She even called over her co-workers to take a look!

RC explained he drives the #42 McDonald's car ... so it was only right he hooked up his crew with a massive order -- 6 of "everything" for his team and a hot fudge sundae for himself!!

When the race finally resumed, Ross finished in 7th place.

NASCAR star Brad Keselowski went full Myles Garrett on his car after a risky move cost him a chance at winning the Daytona 500 on Sunday ... smashing his helmet into his whip following a fiery wreck IN THE FINAL LAP!!!

Here's how it went down -- Keselowski tried to make a move to pass Joey Logano to get into first place. Instead, he clipped the back of his teammate’s car ... resulting in a 17-car wreck that caused several drivers to fall out of the race in the process.

Cameras caught Keselowski after the crash ... and the dude was straight-up PISSED -- he walks away disgusted from his wrecked #2 Ford, then takes off his helmet and smashes it to the ground with smoke coming out of his car.

Keselowski spoke out about the unfortunate ending on Twitter ... calling it a "heartbreaker."

"My body is fine but my heart is broke," Keselowski said. "Months of studying, months of tremendous car prep from the #2crew & in the perfect position at the end..."

"Yet, Another #DAYTONA500 slips away..."

Keselowski told reporters after the race he didn't regret the move and was just trying to win. "Don’t feel like I made a mistake, but I can’t drive everyone else’s car. Frustrating."

The wreck is especially sad for Keselowski, since he had the chance to become the second active driver to win NASCAR’s sacred unofficial grand slam ... having won the Southern 500, the Brickyard 400 and the Coca-Cola 600.

Once the crash was cleaned up, underdog Michael McDowell went on to cross the checkered flag for his very first NASCAR win. He was previously 0 for 357 until Sunday!!

Shoutout to Michael McDowell for sticking to and getting his first win ... and hopefully Keselowski and his car can sort it all out in couples therapy.

Dustin Diamond's got some pretty cool friends ... 'cause when one of them wanted to wish him well in his recovery from cancer the friend said screw Hallmark ... opting instead to plaster the message on NASCAR driver Josh Bilicki's car.

Dan Block, the president of Insurance King, is honoring his close friend and the "Saved by the Bell" star by giving Bilicki's car a new wrap that'll pay homage to the classic TV show while wishing Dustin get well soon.

We're told the car hasn't been wrapped yet, but TMZ's obtained a rendering of what the stock car will look like when it's done ... and you see the show's font and logo. The rear bumper also displays Dustin's mug ... with the words "Saved by the King" plastered on the hood. In case you didn't know ... Dustin stars in several Insurance King commercials.

In one of the commercials, Dustin speeds past a cop who pulls him over and writes him a ticket. When the cop asks how he can afford car insurance with so many speeding tickets, Screech Powers hits 'em with "C'mon. I'm saved by the king." Boom.

Block tells us the car will debut in time for the NASCAR Cup Series later this year.

As we reported ... Dustin's suspicion became a cruel reality when he found out he had stage 4 cancer. He's currently getting his first round of chemotherapy. The diagnosis came after he first discovered a lump on his throat.

Pitbull may need to go by "Dale" Earnhardt, Jr. now ... 'cause the party music legend is now a proud co-owner of a NASCAR racing team!!

The Grammy award winner shared the big news on Friday (which also happens to be his 40th birthday) ... officially announcing his partnership with Team Trackhouse and owner Justin Marks.

As it turns out, Mr. Worldwide says he's been a fan of NASCAR ever since he saw the 1990 flick "Days of Thunder" starring Tom Cruise ... and now he couldn't be more pumped to get in on the action.

"This is a great way to celebrate my 40th bday, so Get Ready! Dale!" Pitbull said on Twitter.

Trackhouse features star driver Daniel Suarez, who gave his new boss a shoutout shortly after the announcement was made.

"Welcome to the family amigo 🤙🏼💪🏼 @pitbull," Suarez said. "Daleeee!!!🔥🔥  Big things are happening."

Pitbull won't just be a mascot owner -- the musician is slated to be in-person to watch his team compete at the Daytona 500 next month.

He's already been active in the racing community ... performing alongside Blake Shelton at Phoenix Raceway back in March.

NASCAR released a statement on the big move, saying, "Pitbull is an iconic talent in the music industry and has tremendous passion for NASCAR racing."

"We look forward to working with him to further engage diverse audiences and introduce new fans to our great sport.”

NASCAR's Hailie Deegan -- a 19-year-old female driver who's a rising superstar in the sport -- was forced to apologize Sunday night after she used the r-word during a virtual race earlier in the day.

Deegan -- who's scheduled to drive full-time in NASCAR's Truck Series in 2021 -- was streaming on Twitch when another driver appeared to nudge her virtual car during the video game race.

"Oh! Hey!" Deegan said during the clip. "Who’s the r***** behind me?! Don’t do that, please."

Video of Deegan's comment quickly went viral -- with critics slamming her for using the offensive word ... and a short time later, the driver issued a lengthy apology on her social media page.

"Earlier tonight I used an insensitive word during an online race being broadcast on twitch," Deegan said. "It was inappropriate slang and a stupid thing to do. I apologize to everyone who was offended by it."

Deegan added, "There's no excuse for it, and I know I have to do better for my sponsors and my fans."

This is not the first time a NASCAR driver has found themselves in hot water over a virtual race ... remember, Kyle Larson used the n-word during a streaming event last April.

Larson was fired by his old team, Chip Ganassi Racing; dropped by major sponsors and suspended by NASCAR over it all. The 28-year-old was ultimately reinstated after hitting a ton of stipulations set on him by NASCAR officials, but he's still essentially on probation until 2023.

Unclear if Deegan will face a similar punishment over her use of the r-word. We've reached out to NASCAR for comment, but so far, no word back yet.

Deegan -- a Ford Racing Development driver who's the daughter of motocross legend, Brian Deegan -- was the ARCA Rookie of the Year in 2020 and has potential to be a massive star in the sport going forward.

How fitting is this?!

Bubba Wallace just unveiled the Michael Jordan-owned race car he'll be driving next season ... and, of course, it's a black and red #23 ride!!!

The NASCAR superstar showed off the whip Friday morning ... and it's awesome, with clear tributes to the Chicago Bulls legend all over it.

27-year-old Wallace was clearly pleased with the car ... he tweeted about it, and during an interview with "CBS This Morning," he said it's all "an exciting opportunity that's been put in front of me that I have to capitalize on."

As we previously reported, Jordan teamed up with NASCAR legend Denny Hamlin back in September to create a single car Cup Series team for 2021 -- and they tapped Bubba to be their driver.

Things appear to be off to a great start with the trio so far ... 'cause Hamlin and Wallace said Friday they were excited as hell to kick off next season.

And, get this ... both dudes were rockin' Jordan sneakers during the unveiling!!

Forget the "Drake Curse," Nick Jonas says athletes should be lining up for the "Jonas Blessing" -- a PROVEN theory that the JoBros can help win championships!!!

Patrick Mahomes. Cody Bellinger. Lewis Hamilton.

They all attended Jonas Brothers concerts just MONTHS before they dominated their respective sports.

Coincidence? NICK THINKS NOT!!

"To fully understand this conspiracy, we have to back things up to Sept. 22nd, 2019," Nick says ... "That is the day of the Jonas Brothers show in Kansas City Missouri. You know who was at that show? Patrick Mahomes. Cut to a few months later, Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl 54."

That checks out.

"Next up, Dec 10, Arizona. Who was there you might ask? Oh, Cody Bellinger. Cut to October 27th, the Dodgers win the World Series."

Also, accurate.

"Lewis Hamilton attended the Jonas Brothers concert in Paris on Feb. 22nd. Just last week, he won his 92nd Grand Prix, the most of all time."

SOUNDS SCIENTIFIC TO US!

"The key to success is to come to a Jonas Brother show," Nick explains ... "Basically the reverse of the Drake Curse. Let's call it the Jonas Blessing."

Nick says talent and work ethic are fine and all ... but if you REALLY wanna win, it's about Jonas bangers like "Year 3000" and "Sucker."

"Congrats to all you Jonas-loving athletes who were smart enough to come to a show. You deserve those championships!"

NASCAR driver Kyle Larson will have a NEW team when he returns to the track in 2021 -- signing with Hendrick Motorsports, 6 months after his infamous n-word incident.

The 28-year-old driver had been fired by his old team, Chip Ganassi Racing, after he hurled the n-word during a virtual race back in April ... and many wondered if he would ever race again.

But, Hendrick Motorsports announced Wednesday they've signed Larson to a multi-year contract to drive the #5 car in 2021.

As we previously reported, NASCAR had initially suspended Larson for the incident -- but later announced he was reinstated and eligible to race again beginning on Jan. 1, 2021.

"Hendrick Motorsports is a championship organization that has set a high bar for performance and for how its drivers represent the team and its partners,” Larson said in a statement.

"My goal is to win races, be a great teammate, continue my personal efforts to grow, and hold myself to that high standard personally and professionally."

Larson says he knows there is a high bar for him to be successful both on and off the track. He also says team owner Rick Hendrick was one of the few people who stood by him in the aftermath of the racial incident.

"Mr. Hendrick is one of the people who extended a hand to me over the past 6 months. Our initial conversations were not about racing. He cares about me as a person and wants to see me succeed beyond driving."

"I can’t put into words how grateful I am for the commitment, the faith and the confidence from him and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports."

For his part, Rick Hendrick says Kyle is "unquestionably one of the most talented race car drivers in the world."

"More importantly, I have full confidence that he understands our expectations and will be a tremendous ambassador for our team, our partners and NASCAR."

NASCAR driver Josh Bilicki turned his #7 car into a replica of a police cruiser for Sunday's Cup Series race -- all to honor more than 200 cops killed in the line of duty.

Bilicki will roll out his new paint job at the Martinsville Speedway in Virginia on Nov. 1st ... and it looks pretty incredible.

It's got painted on police lights, a black and white base scene -- and the iconic "Protect & Serve" slogan across the side.

There are also more than 200 stars painted on the hood -- to represent more than 200 officers who have reportedly been killed in the line of duty in 2020.

25-year-old Bilicki -- along with his sponsor Insurance King -- have been working with The Wounded Blue organization, which helps officers who have been wounded or injured on the job ... and wanted to do something special for Martinsville.

"We came up with the idea to make the car look like a cop car because NASCAR began with bootleggers outrunning the police," Insurance King president Dan Block said

"However, when we partnered with The Wounded Blue, we ended up going one step further with this paint scheme and are dedicating this design to each police officer that lost their life in 2020."

Bubba Wallace is taking the high road after a famous helmet artist -- who worked with Bubba in the past -- blasted the NASCAR driver on social media for bringing politics to the sport.

The artist is Jason Beam -- one of the top helmet designers in racing. He's worked with stars like Jimmie Johnson to Kyle Busch and more.

Beam's also pretty outspoken -- and when Richard Petty Motorsports announced they have officially named a new driver to take over the #43 car (now that Bubba has left the team), Beam went after Bubba publicly.

"RPM will actually have a wheelman behind the wheel and not a political statement looking for attention," Beam posted on Twitter.

A fan responds to Beam saying -- "So is this your final position? Cuz I remember a lot of flip flopping when you started getting called out by drivers."

That's when things escalated ... big time.

"I never once flip flopped," Beam said ... "F*ck Bubba and F*ck the BLM movement and F*ck anyone who wants to censor opinions and let politics get in the way of business relationships."

"You can quote me all you want, that’s my stance and has been from the get go."

Bubba saw the tweets and decided to respond -- expressing his disappointment with the artist.

"Can usually let the BS roll off but when it’s somebody I’ve met personally and was genuinely excited to have my first few lids painted by him .. hits different."

Bubba then explained why he left Richard Petty Motorsports to join Michael Jordan's new racing team.

"I ultimately left bc I just wanted a different look. No hard feelings just a personal feeling."

Wallace had this final message for Beam -- "Damn dude. Roger that."

As for the new Richard Petty driver -- RPM announced 24-year-old Erik Jones will take over the #43 car.

"Erik is an exceptionally talented driver, and we are excited to have him join our team,” RPM CEO Brian Moffitt said.

"At only 24 years old, Erik is part of NASCAR’s next generation of stars. He has won races at every level in NASCAR he has competed in – including in the NASCAR Cup Series. Erik is a proven winner and we look forward to providing him with the opportunity to add more wins to this already impressive resume."

NASCAR has officially reinstated Kyle Larson after his infamous n-word incident -- clearing the way for the 28-year-old to race again in 2021 ... but there are a BUNCH of catches.

Remember, Larson was fired by the Chip Ganassi Racing team and dropped by his sponsors after he called a teammate the n-word during a virtual race back in April -- not realizing his audio was streaming out to thousands of people on Twitch.

NASCAR suspended Larson indefinitely at the time while it figured out how to handle the situation.

But, after 6 months in the penalty box, the racing org. announced Monday that Larson has been formally reinstated and can return to the track on January 1, 2021 ... but he's essentially on probation until 2023.

NASCAR says in addition to completing a sensitivity training course -- he must continue "to take further training and engagement classes through 2023."

Larson must also complete several NASCAR speaking engagements through 2023 ... where he will "share his experiences with NASCAR’s weekly series, e-sports and dirt-racing communities."

There's more ... Larson has also been ordered to continue his work with the Urban Youth Racing School in Philadelphia and Rev Racing, providing coaching and mentorship for those initiatives.

Larson has agreed to all of the demands -- so NASCAR has given him the green light to resume his pro racing career.

The issue now for Larson -- is there a team willing to give him a second chance?

The driver appeared on "CBS This Morning" last week and told James Brown he felt horrible for what he said but was adamant he's not a racist.

Larson says he didn't realize why the word was so offensive and has pledged to never use it again.

NASCAR driver Kyle Larson says he's hoping the racing org. will let him back on the track 6 months after he used a racial slur -- claiming, "I know deep down I'm not a racist."

"I said a racist word and I can fully understand why people would label me a racist," the 28-year-old told James Brown on "CBS This Morning."

As we previously reported, Larson was fired by his racing team and dropped by his sponsors after he called a teammate the n-word during a virtual race -- not realizing his audio was streaming out to thousands of people on Twitch.

Larson says the person he directed the comment at (a white person) was a friend and he didn't mean it in a derogatory way.

"I had raced with him in Australia and the group that we were with kinda used the word casually as a greeting, I didn’t use it in a way to degrade or insult anyone."

Larson says he now realizes why he should NEVER use that word ever again -- explaining he didn't understand the impact the word has on Black people.

"I guess I didn’t think of how it took African Americans, and probably in their thoughts, took them back to slavery and things like that and injustice and things they’ve worked so hard to overcome."

Larson says he know understands what he said was "extremely hurtful" and he would understand if he was never allowed to race again.

But, he also insists he's a changed man and would love a second chance.

Brown, who is Black, points out that Larson has a track record of doing a lot of work with the Black community -- including a long relationship with the Urban Youth Racing School in Philadelphia.

Brown reports Larson has gone through sensitivity and diversity training and has met with Black leaders including Jackie Joyner-Kersee. He thinks Larson is the "real deal" and he's not just putting on an act to get his career back.

Federal investigators have released close-up photos of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s plane after it crashed in 2019 ... and it's clear as day, the NASCAR legend is fortunate to be alive.

Dale's jet smashed down on an Elizabethton, TN. airport runway on Aug. 15, 2019 ... and it skidded off through some fencing and came to rest along a local highway.

Junior, his wife, daughter, dog and the two pilots on board were all able to escape the wreckage relatively unscathed ... but in photos of the crash, released by the NTSB on Wednesday, you can see that's miraculous.

The pics show the plane ended up being burnt to ashes ... and in one of the photos, you can see just how far it skidded from its initial landing point to its final resting stop.

Other photos show how parts broke off the plane as it slammed to the ground ... with some wheels and other pieces yards away from the main body.

The NTSB says in its final report the cause of the crash was pilot error ... with investigators writing they believe the plane was coming in too fast to land safely.

In the report, officials say the pilots also didn't brake properly given how fast the plane was traveling into the runway ... and that all led to the violent crash.

Dale Jr. says he suffered a bruised back in the landing ... but otherwise, he and his family had no issues post-wreck.

Lucky, man.

Michael Jordan's the highest-profile Black team owner in NASCAR history (heck, he's the highest profile, period) ... but driver Jesse Iwuji says he's far from the last, 'cause the sports about to get a lot more diverse!

... and that's super important for an organization that has historically lacked diversity within its ranks.

TMZ Sports talked to Xfinity series star Jesse Iwuji -- a 33-year-old African American driver -- about the impact MJ's arrival will have on NASCAR.

"I think that was huge! Especially just with NASCAR looking to continue to expand diversity and really showcase to people around the world that, 'Hey NASCAR just isn't just a one-sided type sport," Iwuji says.

Jesse continued ... "We include all. We're here for inclusion, we're all about making sure that it's an open environment so no matter what color you are, no matter what religion, gender it doesn't matter, NASCAR is open to everything. It's really cool to see that diversity come in."

Iwuji says he expects -- and has some inside insight -- that other minorities will be following MJ's lead, and entering the racing world.

"I think here in the next 6 to 12 months, you're gonna see a few more minority owners come into the space. I'm just hearing some rumblings about some things and there's all these different things coming up so I think some more will be coming pretty soon."

Of course, MJ announced Monday night he was linking up with his good friend Denny Hamlin, and they were starting a NASCAR team ... with Bubba Wallace as their driver.

The positive benefits of Michael owning a team don't stop there ... 'cause Jesse says MJ's presence will open up a bunch of new branding and marketing opportunities for drivers and teams.

"I think Jordan with his influence and his global brand will be able to attract different sponsors that we maybe never had in this sport," Jesse says.

Air Jordan is about to become Rev Jordan -- because Michael is teaming up with a NASCAR legend to start his own racing team ... with Bubba Wallace behind the wheel.

MJ and Denny Hamlin made the announcement late Monday, saying they were kicking off a new, single car NASCAR Cup Series team for 2021 ... and their first driver is gonna be none other than Bubba himself.

Michael writes, "Growing up in North Carolina, my parents would take my brothers, sisters & me to races, and I've been a NASCAR fan my whole life. The opportunity to own my own racing team in partnership w/my friend, Denny Hamlin, & to have Bubba Wallace driving for us, is very exciting for me." He goes on to say that the timing seemed perfect to get more Black owners in NASCAR, which has historically struggled with diversity.

MJ adds, "In addition to the recent commitment and donations I have made to combat systemic racism, I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open more opportunities for Black people in racing." Denny echoed that, saying him being the 1st Jordan sponsored driver led to the partnership, while explaining why BW was the perfect fit.

As for Bubba -- who left the Richard Petty Motorsports team earlier this year after the noose scandal that befell him -- he says it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he couldn't pass up.

He adds, "Both Michael and Denny are great competitors & are focused on building the best team they possibly can to go out and compete for race wins. I’m grateful and humbled that Michael and Denny believe in me and I’m super pumped to begin this adventure with them."

Now for some specifics -- Denny is said to have purchased the charter from Germain Racing, with MJ serving as the principal owner and Denny as a minority partner as he continues to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing. Bubba has been signed to a multi-year deal.