Kyle Busch, already forced to miss two NASCAR races this weekend in Texas, also was fined $50,000 and given a stern warning by NASCAR on Monday.
In announcing the fine, NASCAR also placed Busch on probation until Dec. 31 and took the unusual step of saying that if Busch made another overly aggressive move this year that the sanctioning body deemed "detrimental to stock car racing or to NASCAR" or "disruptive to the orderly conduct of an event," then Busch "will be suspended indefinitely from NASCAR."
NASCAR's premier Sprint Cup Series has two more races this season: At Phoenix this Sunday and at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway on Nov. 20.
Busch, 26, got into hot water Friday night when he shoved championship contender Ron Hornaday Jr. into the wall during a caution period at a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Texas Motor Speedway.
Busch acknowledged that it was retaliation after the two had banged into each other earlier in the race. NASCAR then took the rare step of parking Busch, prohibiting him from driving in the second-level Nationwide Series race Saturday and the Cup race Sunday.
Busch, who drives the No. 18 Toyota in the Cup series for the team led by NFL Hall of Fame Coach Joe Gibbs, then made a public apology in which he said "I accept their punishment and take full responsibility for my actions."
Michael McDowell drove for Busch in the Cup race and finished 33rd in the 43-car field. Busch watched the race while sitting atop McDowell's pit box.
-- Jim Peltz
Photo: Kyle Busch watches the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday. Credit: Randy Holt / Associated Press
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