Seekonk Late Model Incident Under Review
Seekonk (MA) Speedway and NASCAR are reviewing an incident during Saturday night’s Late Model race.
A lap six crash involved 10 cars on the frontstretch after Roland Wheeler of Cranston, RI spun off turn four. John Lowinski-Loh of Milford, MA attempted to exit his car, but it rolled backward and hit Wheeler’s car. Lowinski-Loh parked his No. 28, approached Wheeler’s car and took down the window net. A video replay shows a scuffle between them. Lowinski-Loh threw eight punches before track personnel broke it up 12 seconds later.
Seekonk Operations Director David Alburn said Monday afternoon that the track contacted NASCAR to enforce the penalty with other NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (NWAAS) tracks. A NASCAR suspension would prevent Lowinski-Loh from racing in sanctioned events. Alburn said the track will notify a competitor of a penalty beforehand. Alburn said the penalty would be “within the bounds of what happened.”
NASCAR rule Section 9-16 On-Track Incident Procedure regulates driver protocol, but it is not mandatory for the NWAAS tracks. “It doesn’t apply to them, unless they choose to use it,” Alburn added.
“It was a big deal to us what he did there, and you definitely want to get his attention on it, and we’ve been in contact with him already and he’s aware that something is coming down and he’ll be informed.”
A penalized member can appeal the ruling through NASCAR. “Chances are we would review it before then, so it wouldn’t have to get to that. It helps the track and it actually helps the competitor. … We definitely want to make sure we treat the competitors with fairness and they definitely need to treat each other with respect and fairness.”
Wheeler was running second when his No. 21 spun off turn four. Wheeler said his car went around after contact with Jeramee Lillie in the No. 50 car. The pack right behind the leaders had nowhere to go and piled up on the frontstretch. Wheeler’s car spun and was faced the wrong way. Wheeler believes that the lap five incident was avoidable.
“When you hit someone and they go around, now you’re wrecking the whole field, so they need to address that too,” Wheeler said. “I’m not whining and crying. It was racing (deal), but it was early in the race and I got stabbed from behind. I’m really trying too, the car’s running half decent.”
“I don’t knock somebody sideways to try and get by them. I don’t do that. You’ve never seen me do it in all the years I’ve been here. Alright, I race like I want to be raced. I race like I got to fix my car every week, not somebody else.”
Lowinski-Loh said he went to Wheeler’s car to talk “and ask him why he was all over the place and not driving smart because it ended up wrecking us and other drivers,” Lowinski-Loh said. “He grabbed me by my helmet with his left hand and raised his right hand to swing, so before he got the opportunity I grabbed him and reacted to defend myself with self-defense. I wish it never went that way. I would (have) been more than happy to help him with (the) setup so he could drive the car and not be like that and cause wrecks. But when he grabbed me, it escalated and I’m not proud of it, but not going to be grabbed and walked on.”
Lowinski-Loh said he did not have an issue with Wheeler, the 1989 Street Stock champion at Seekonk.
“Before I could say anything, he just started at me when I kneeled by his car, started off with what the heck was, and he grabbed my helmet.”
“I was caught totally by surprise by him,” Wheeler said. …. “He puts his hand on my shoulder, so I grabbed him by the helmet just to stop him from coming into my car and the next thing I know he started pounding the (heck) out of my helmet.”
“…I can’t move. I can’t even defend myself. I was like that’s (just) ridiculous.”
Lowinski-Loh plans to run as often as he can at Lee USA, New London-Waterford, New Hampshire, Thompson. Seekonk, where he entered the first two events in the former Taylor Martin No. 20, is also on his list.
“I will be back at Seekonk eventually this year to redeem myself and put the rocket ship in victory lane.”
Wheeler’s team is working on fixing the car for the next race at Seekonk Saturday. “Hopefully we’ll be there this weekend,” Wheeler said. He is considering retirement as he reaches age 60. “My helmet’s okay. You can tell everybody my helmet survived. “
Sources: Nicholas Teto/YankeeRacer.com