NASCAR Cup

Two Suspended and Fired After Loudon Incident

Two NASCAR motorcoach drivers have had their NASCAR licenses suspended indefintely and have been fired by their respective teams: Terry Labonte ( ...

Edited: Apr 15, 2002, 11:45 PM

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Two NASCAR motorcoach drivers have had their NASCAR licenses suspended indefintely and have been fired by their respective teams: Terry Labonte (#5) and Derrike Cope (#30). The suspenison and firings came after a reported racial prank involving the motorcoarch drivers and a black crewman for Jeremy Mayfield (#12). The coach drivers were reported to have placed pillow cases over their heads like a Klanman and confronted the crewman.

Derrike Cope: "Behavior like this simply cannot be tolerated in today's society. This was an example of grievous behavior that I do not condone. It was an ignorant act and I took the only course available to me of rectifying the situation by terminating the employee."

Michael Kranefuss: "Penske-Kranefuss Racing and Jeremy Mayfield fully support NASCAR^Rs response to the behavior directed at one of our Team members. We and the Team member stand together and look forward to putting the incident behind us."

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