RaceDayCt Poll: Did NASCAR Do The Right Thing In Reinstating Whelen Mod Tour Driver JB Fortin
As reported by RaceDayCT on Thursday, NASCAR announced Friday that Whelen Modified Tour driver JB Fortin has been reinstated by the sancioning body and will enter this weekend’s Eddie Partridge 256 at Riverhead Raceway in Riverhead, N.Y.
Fortin and other members of his team were was suspended and fined by NASCAR following the Jersey Shore 150 on July 8 at Wall Stadium in Wall, N.J.
In that event Fortin was spun by Max Zachem while the race was under caution which led to an altercation in the pits following the event.
On Friday NASCAR released the following:
On Wednesday, the National Motorsports Final Appeal Officer Bill Mullis heard and considered an appeal of a behavioral penalty issued on July 13, 2023 to No. 34 NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour driver John “J.B.” Fortin; team owner Nicole Fortin; and crew members John Fortin and Amber Fortin.
Upon hearing the testimony, the decisions of the National Motorsports Final Appeal Officer are:
- That the Appellant violated the Rules set forth in the Penalty Notice.
- That the FAO upholds the original Penalties assessed by NASCAR to Amber Fortin, John Fortin and Nicole Fortin. That the FAO amends the original Penalty assessed by NASCAR to John “JB” Fortin to read:
- $2,500 fine, suspended from all NASCAR sanctioned events until fine is paid
- Indefinitely suspended from all NASCAR sanctioned Events until successful completion of Anger Management Training, as determined by NASCAR.
- Probation for one (1) year upon successful completion of Anger Management Training.
In coming to this decision, the FAO provided the following explanation:
“The $5,000 penalty listed for the driver penalty, JB Fortin, is incorrect. It would be correct if 12.8.1.D had been listed on the penalty notice. 12.8.1.B and 12.8.1.C has a maximum amount of $2,500.”
NASCAR has reinstated J.B. Fortin, Nicole Fortin and John Fortin. J.B. Fortin has filed an entry to compete in Saturday’s NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Eddie Partridge 256 at New York’s Riverhead Raceway.
Fortin told RaceDayCT In July that he would only return to the Whelen Modified Tour if his fines were reduced by NASCAR.
Fortin was seventh in the Whelen Modified Tour standings at the time of his suspension after running in the first eight events of the season. He will go into Riverhead 14th in the series standings after having missed the last six events. Fortin, a former regular at Riverhead Raceway, has raced full-time on the Whelen Modified Tour since 2020.
RaceDayCt Poll: Did NASCAR Do The Right Thing In Reinstating Whelen Mod Tour Driver JB Fortin
Think his reinstatement has anything to do with dwindling car counts?