Fight breaks out after qualifying
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Daniel Suarez threw Michael McDowell to the ground and both drivers had to be forcibly restrained Friday after they were eliminated while jockeying for position in the first round of qualifying for the NASCAR Cup Series race at ISM Raceway.
Just about everybody waited until the last couple minutes of the 10-minute qualifying session before exiting pit road, creating chaos on the mile-long track. Suarez and McDowell kept getting in the way of each other, and they ultimately ruined each other’s qualifying attempts.
After they got out of their cars, Suarez hopped a concrete wall and exchanged words with McDowell before spinning him to the ground — McDowell never even removed his helmet.
It took several crew members to finally pull them apart.
“You always have respect for the other drivers, especially here in Phoenix when we all know that the second lap is a good one,” Suarez said. “I was opening my second lap and he was in my way in corner one and two. I assumed he was going to get out of my way in corner three and four and he didn’t.
“He was in my way for the entire second lap,” Suarez said, “and then he messed up my opening for the third lap, so he pretty much messed up the whole qualifying.”
Naturally, McDowell saw things unfold differently.
“Just miscommunication on the track,” said McDowell, an Arizona native racing at his home track.