Kurt Busch (Photo: Matt Sullivan/Getty Images for NASCAR)
NASCAR officials announced late this evening that Kurt Busch has now exhausted all his available appeals of the indefinite suspension handed down to him on Friday.
Busch went through NASCAR two appeal levels on Saturday.
Below is the text of a press release from NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications announcing the denial of the second appeal late Saturday:
“This evening, the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer, Mr. Bryan Moss, heard and considered the appeal of driver Kurt Busch.
The penalty concerns Section 12.1.a: Actions detrimental to stock car racing; 12.8: Behavioral penalty
The penalty stems from activities last year involving Kurt Busch that resulted in a decision by the Family Court of the State of Delaware to issue an Order of Protection of Abuse against him.
The penalty is an indefinite suspension.
Earlier today, a three-person National Motorsports Appeals Panel upheld the original penalty assessed by NASCAR.
Tonight, Kurt Busch presented his position to the Final Appeals Officer.
Representing NASCAR was Jim Cassidy, Senior Vice President of Racing Operations.
The Appellate Administrator is NASCAR Vice President George Silbermann.
Upon hearing tonight’s testimony, Bryan Moss, the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer, made the following decisions:
· The appellant violated the Rules set forth in the penalty notice and the decision of the National Motorsports Appeals Panel was correct;
· The penalty was within the scope of the guidelines;
· The National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer upholds the original penalty levied by NASCAR
The decision of the National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer is final and binding on all parties.
Kurt Busch now has exhausted his appeal options under the NASCAR Rulebook, and the indefinite suspension remains in effect.
He will not be allowed to race nor participate in any NASCAR activities until further notice.”
So what happens next? What exactly is “indefinite suspension”? When will something become definite?
This looks like double secret probation.