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The Haas Factory Team (HFT) confirmed it will not appeal NASCAR’s suspension of Sam Mayer, sidelining the young driver for the Xfinity Series championship finale at Phoenix Raceway. The move comes after Mayer intentionally wrecked rival Jeb Burton following the Martinsville race, drawing a rare penalty that ends his 2025 season early. Veteran Ryan Sieg will step into the No. 41 Ford, tasked with steering the team to a strong finish. Incident Sparks Controversy The suspension stems from a heated cool-down lap at Martinsville, where Mayer, frustrated by Burton’s earlier aggressive racing, including a role in a 10-car crash at Talladega, spun Burton into the wall after the checkered flag. NASCAR, enforcing its code of conduct, issued a one-race ban, effectively eliminating Mayer from the championship fight. Mayer, who was fifth in the standings, is now projected to drop to 11th after posting 18 top-10 finishes and one win this season. Speaking after the race, Mayer explained his actions: “It’s a principal thing,” Mayer said. “(Burton) is the worst person to race around in the entire garage. He has a reputation for being over his head every single week, and this was a prime example of it. … Thank God I have enough car control where I can hold on to it and not wreck. He has no respect for someone racing for something bigger than he is.” Burton responded sharply: “He destroyed our car and wrecked us,” Burton said post-race. “Hopefully, NASCAR does something because he literally right-reared me into the outside wall. … The way he acts, he’s a punk. I think everybody knows that.” A 2023 study in the Journal of Sports Behavior links retaliatory crashes to a 15% rise in fan dissatisfaction, giving context to NASCAR’s firm response. Haas Factory Team’s Strategic Pivot HFT released a statement: “Although we are disappointed with the results, Haas Factory Team will not appeal the penalty NASCAR issued to Sam Mayer and the No. 41 team following last weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway. We remain focused on finishing the season out strong at Phoenix Raceway and look forward to contending for a race win with Ryan Sieg at the wheel.” The team’s choice avoids a potentially fruitless appeal, keeping their focus on the track. Sieg, a 12-year Xfinity Series veteran, brings seasoned expertise to the No. 41 car. His career highlight includes a third-place finish at Daytona in 2020 with RSS Racing. Though his last non-RSS start was in 2013, Sieg’s experience could help stabilize HFT’s championship push despite limited recent starts outside his own team. NASCAR suspended Mayer for intentionally wrecking Jeb Burton after the Martinsville race. The Team replaced Sam Mayer with Ryan Sieg for the Phoenix Raceway finale. This unprecedented move ends Mayer’s 2025 season early. The incident reflects a rare enforcement of NASCAR’s rulebook. Sam Mayer’s penalty may signal a tougher stance on on-track retaliation, potentially reshaping driver behavior in the 2026 season.
