A major controversy has erupted in the world of dirt racing. A driver's expletive-laden post-race interview has got him suspended from the PA Sprint Series.

The driver in question, Nick Sweigart, who won a track championship at Port Royal Speedway last year, has been handed a one-year ban from competing at the track in any capacity, effective April 18, the date of his win and the following controversy. Sweigart will have to forfeit the victory, along with all the track points and monetary prizes associated with the win.

Following his win last Saturday, Sweigart was rather frustrated with an on-track incident and the track's condition. He was battling Ken Duke Jr. for the lead when the two made contact while exiting turn 2. This resulted in Duke losing traction and spinning out.

"We were fighting for the same real estate, and unfortunately, I f***** up," said Nick Sweigart. "I drove in hard. I'd seen an opening, and I mean, hats off to Port Royal, but the track sucked. There wasn't much f****** racing going on. Announcers want to say it's a real racy track, not really. We made the best out of what we had."

"This is definitely not how I want to win races. Nobody wants to win a race like this. I'm going to get a lot of heat, like backlash on this. But at the end of the day, it is what it is," Sweigart added.

On Thursday, Port Royal Speedway officials condemned Sweigart’s "inappropriate language" and "derogatory remarks targeted at the speedway and its personnel". An excerpt from their statement read:

"Port Royal Speedway and the PA Sprint Series are committed to promoting an environment that is welcoming to the entire family, including fans of all ages, as well as partners and sponsors who share those same values. The language used in victory lane on Saturday was not in line with that standard."

Nick Sweigart Apologises On Facebook

Following the consequences of his interview, Nick Sweigart posted an apology video on Facebook, admitting that he let the incident get the best of him. He addressed the officials and personnel in his video, stating his comments were unprofessional.

“What I said about the track and how I went about my victory lane interview, it was very unprofessional, and I’m very sorry for that. I know I need to be more mindful of what I say and when I say it."

Though he was apologetic for his comments, Sweigart stood by his critical stance on the track's condition.

"I do feel the track conditions were kinda neglected this week.
I’m not gonna lie and say that I don’t think the track could’ve been better. I do understand we were battling some weather here tonight, but I don’t think that had anything to do with how the track was prepared for this evening,” he further said.

As of now, it remains to be seen whether Port Royal reverses or eases the ban on Sweigart after his apology. In the meantime, the Sprint Series moved to Williams Grove for a special non-points event on April 24.

You can read more on the Daytona Racing Digest!

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Yask Kotak