Father of Driver Punished for Pulling Son from Burning Car During Race
The father of a driver at a NASCAR-sanctioned event has been disciplined after pulling his son from a burning car Saturday.
According to ESPN.com's Bob Pockrass, Dean Jones was placed on probation for the rest of the season after running onto the track to aid his son, Mike Jones, following a crash at South Boston Speedway in South Boston, Virginia.
Track officials announced that Dean Jones, who serves as Mike's crew chief, will not be fined or suspended.
ABC 13 News WSET tweeted video of Dean rescuing his son while the car became engulfed in flames:
The elder Jones activated the car's fire suppression system in addition to saving his son.
In a statement, track officials said they had a conversation with Jones regarding the incident: "We have sat down with Mr. Jones and discussed what transpired on Saturday, and he fully understands our position on non-safety personnel entering the track surface during an event. We are all grateful that there weren't any injuries, and we look forward to getting back to racing."
Per Elizabeth Tyree and Courtny Jodon of ABC 13 News WSET, both Dean and Mike Jones escaped the scary situation unscathed.
