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Former NASCAR team owner brutally attacked after crash

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Former NASCAR team owner brutally attacked after crash

As a longtime racing enthusiast with a deep appreciation for the sport’s grit and determination, I must say that I was deeply disturbed by the incident involving Matt Tifft at Toledo’s ASA STARS National Tour race. The physical altercation, instigated by members of Billy VanMeter’s crew, was not just a regrettable display of poor sportsmanship; it was an egregious act that crossed a line into unacceptable behavior.

Following their elimination from the ASA STARS National Tour race in Toledo, Ohio, which was later won by Billy VanMeter and Evan Shotko in seventh place, Matt Tifft made his way to the VanMeter team’s pit area.

Upon getting near the group for a discussion about the occurrence, VanMeter’s teammates swiftly escalated the situation into a violent brawl. They first restrained the 28-year-old man from Fairfax, Virginia in a headlock, and subsequently threw him to the ground.

However, the situation worsened as Bryan Glaze, part of VanMeter’s team, then brutally kicked Tifft in the face while he was restrained.

In the world of racing, heated exchanges or even minor scuffles are relatively frequent, often without severe consequences in terms of penalties. The intensity of feelings among racers is generally understood and tolerated to some extent.

However, this situation differed markedly; it wasn’t just a crew member engaging in a dispute, but rather a brutal act where an unarmed individual was kicked in the face while he was restrained on the ground. This assault occurred despite the fact that the victim had not instigated any conflict at all. He merely approached the team to discuss an incident peacefully and was met with severe violence instead.

At first, Tifft didn’t consider filing charges, but later, he started reconsidering his decision. He mentioned that a shift in his viewpoint might stem from his desire to protect others from encountering such an individual in similar situations, specifically within the racing pits.

On social media, Glaze expressed his apologies, admitting he mistakenly believed Tifft had accidentally knocked out his younger brother Billy, when in reality, it turned out to be something else.

It seems that this isn’t the initial instance where Glaze’s actions have been deemed “unacceptable”. Such behavior might potentially strengthen Tifft’s resolve to file charges.

Matt Tifft’s NASCAR career

Previously, Tifft, who had to retire from NASCAR due to his epilepsy before finishing his rookie season with Front Row Motorsports in 2019, was a co-owner of the Live Fast Motorsports Cup Series team alongside driver B.J. McLeod. However, he chose to leave the organization last November to explore other racing ventures.

In 2021, when the team joined the Cup Series, Tifft was named the youngest team owner on record, being just 24 years old at that time.

For three consecutive seasons, the team managed both the No. 78 Ford and later the No. 78 Chevrolet. However, following the 2023 season, they chose to sell their racing charter to Spire Motorsports. Now, they only participate in selected superspeedway events on a part-time basis.

This year, McLeod is the sole driver who’s been behind the wheel of the No. 78 vehicle, and he intends to get back in it for a single race at Talladega Superspeedway next month.

In 2017 and 2018, Tifft ended up seventh and sixth in the Xfinity Series championship standings, respectively. His best performance in the Cup Series was a ninth place finish at Daytona International Speedway back in July 2019.

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2024-09-18 15:02

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