Things weren’t easy for the otherwise easy-going Greg Martin at I-75 Raceway while competing in the Late Model dirt race in the Best Plumber 604 Series. But matters got even worse after he was involved in an intentional wreck so severe that fans called for a lifetime ban.

“Following a review of the events that took place during last night’s feature race, the Best Plumber 604 Racing Series has made the decision to suspend Greg Martin from all Best Plumber 604 Racing Series events for a minimum of 2 years,” read a statement from the series shortly after the footage was reviewed. “Driver and crew safety is of the utmost importance to the Best Plumber 604 Racing Series.

“All participants are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that protects the safety of competitors, crews, officials, fans, and partner tracks. The Best Plumber 604 Racing Series will continue to uphold the standards of conduct expected at all series events.”

So, how did it even get to that point? Well, the series of events that unfolded was quite interesting:

• Cory Hedgecock came to a stop, apparently killing his engine’s master switch while the race still went on. While he had stopped with his crew around him, something interesting was happening on the track.
• Shortly after, Hedgecock’s father allegedly made contact with Martin as the race still went on.
• After that, as can be seen in the clip, the #24 driver drove to the center of the dirt track and deliberately hit Cory’s car.

While hitting the car itself was one thing, the other driver’s crew members were also surrounding the vehicle. As seen in the video, at least two people were knocked to the ground by the impact of Martin’s intentional wreck. The situation was extremely serious, considering it could have endangered the lives of the crew members and Cory himself.

When such crashes happen in NASCAR, they usually result in cars spinning around while the drivers remain relatively safe. But here, multiple people were put at risk simply because Martin had an on-track incident with another driver.

Understandably, the series suspended him for two years. Now, that is a real shame, especially considering it was announced back in March that he would be a contender for the Rookie of the Year Award this season. But now, he will no longer be coming back to race.

A prior winner at I-75 Raceway, Martin ended up receiving one of the harshest punishments in all of motorsports. However, many still feel that it isn’t enough.

Fans attack Greg Martin verbally after a life-threatening wreck

“Ban him for life, that kinda action calls for involvement from authorities. People could’ve gotten seriously hurt, U can’t just take people’s lives in Ur hand in a moment of outburst,” one user wrote.

The outcry to ban him for life on social media was loud and rather understandable. This was a life-threatening crash, far from how crashes in NASCAR are. With so much at stake, done for such a little reason, many felt that the two-year suspension was not enough.

“24 DRIVER NEEDS SUSPENDED FOR LIFE IN ANY DIRT LATE MODEL SERIES. It’s pretty plain to see why. He didn’t care about anything he did!!!! Disgrace to the Dirt Late Model car itself and to the 604 series,” another user wrote.

There is more to this crash. While no one was seriously hurt, the incident damaged the 604 Series’ reputation. Such grassroots-level racing series usually struggle with finances and an overall lack of participation. And then incidents like this hamper the image that other drivers have worked for years to build, making the situation even more difficult for the organizers.

At the same time, however, many were also worried for Hedgecock’s situation after the wreck:

“Cory should get compensation for being disqualified for something that he didn’t know about his people almost got killed by driver I seen it.”

He had already been disqualified from the race. While the exact reason remained unknown, this crash certainly did not help his situation. Young up-and-coming drivers usually have to cover their own repair costs, and having the same car wrecked by another driver for no apparent reason led some fans to believe he deserved compensation.

“Looking at his legal situation now, racing might be the least of his worries,” one user wrote.

This could very well be true. If Cory Hedgecock’s family, his team members, or even the crew members who were around the car when Martin wrecked it were to file a lawsuit against Martin, it could land him in serious legal trouble. The wreck was far from being accidental, and while NASCAR might sometimes let drivers walk away, this isn’t exactly NASCAR, nor was it an impact that authorities would just let pass.

At the end, Martin will no longer be racing in the series for the next two years. What could have been a year with a massive award for him turned into a massive disappointment, all because he couldn’t control his rage on the track.