Todd Parrott, a crew member in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (#43 team crew chief), has been indefinitely suspended from NASCAR for violating the sanctioning bodys Substance Abuse Policy. On Oct. 17, Parrott was found to have violated Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 19 (violation of the NASCAR Substance Abuse Policy) of the 2013 NASCAR Rule Book.(NASCAR)(10-17-2013) UPDATE: Upon notification today that employee Todd Parrott had violated NASCARs Substance Abuse Policy, Richard Petty Motorsports fully supports his indefinite suspension from NASCAR. Sammy Johns, Vice President of Operations and Competition, will handle crew chief duties on the #43 Ford this weekend at Talladega. He will also handle these duties on an interim basis until further notice. ‘We have an expectation of all RPM employees to conduct themselves at the highest level of professionalism and within the competitive confines as set forth by NASCAR’ said Johns. ‘We are very disappointed that one of our employees did not meet our expectations and we completely support NASCAR, their policies and final decisions when it comes to the substance abuse policy.”(RPM)(10-17-2013) UPDATE 2: Todd Parrott was released from Richard Petty Motorsports on Monday for violating NASCARs substance-abuse policy. The 19-year veteran crew chief won the 1999 Sprint Cup championship with Dale Jarrett and most recently oversaw the #43 Ford team and driver Aric Almirola. Parrott has been with RPM since 2010. He has 31 Sprint Cup wins. Parrott has already submitted his application for NASCARs Road to Recovery program. Greg Ebert will take over as the interim crew chief for Aric Almirolas team.( Fox Sports )(10-22-2013) UPDATE 3: Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) announced Greg Ebert will serve as the interim crew chief for the #43 Ford and driver Aric Almirola starting this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Ebert will fulfill this role on an interim basis for the remainder of the season. Ebert has served in the role of car chief of the #43 Ford for the past two seasons and has been a car chief with RPM since its inception. Before joining RPM, Ebert spent nine years at Roush Fenway Racing serving the last five of those seasons as the car chief for Matt Kenseth. Ebert replaces Todd Parrott who is no longer with the organization.(RPM)(10-22-2013) UPDATE 4: ‘(The dismissal) was just automatic’ Richard Petty told reporters Tuesday afternoon during an appearance at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. ‘When he done what he did, he did his own thing. All weve done is said, ‘This is the way its got to be.'” Petty said he was ‘really shocked” when Parrott failed a drug test and said he never saw the crew chief acting suspiciously. But because drivers and crew members put their lives on the line every weekend, Petty said, the team took a zero-tolerance approach to Parrotts offense. ‘One hundred percent aint good enough, so if anyone breaks the rule, there aint no room in our organization for that’ Petty said. ( USA Today ) AND Crew chief Todd Parrott said Tuesday night on Motor Racing Networks ‘NASCAR Live” that hes sorry for his actions, which caused him to violate NASCARs Substance Abuse Policy and lose his job at Richard Petty Motorsports. ‘I was in a dark moment and it happened’ Parrott told host Eli Gold. Parrott declined to reveal what banned substance he took. NASCAR indefinitely suspended him Thursday. Gold asked Parrott during ‘NASCAR Live” if it was a long-time issue or something that happened that caused Parrott to be suspended. ‘Its just something that happened and my number came up’ Parrott said. ‘Not a whole lot I can say. I feel bad about it, and Im sorry for it and Im ready to move on.” Parrott said hes scheduled to meet with a counselor Wednesday to begin NASCARs Road to Recovery program. ‘I have the support of my family and a lot of friends in the garage to go down this path’ he said. ‘Im sorry it came down to this, but its a blessing, too ,that NASCAR has a path that helps you “¦ to be able to get back to work.”( Motor Racing Network )
