DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Stock car driver Jack Ingram, who NASCAR officials suspended indefinitely after ruling he intentionally hit another car, will have the suspension lifted next week, it was announced Tuesday.
Ingram, who drives in the late model sports car series and has won a record five points championships in that division, also was fined $5,000 immediately following a Sept. 14 crash involving Ronnie Pressley and another car at a race in Asheville, N.C.
After being arrested in the fights that broke out after the three-car accident, Ingram was suspended. The suspension, which will be 15 days in duration, will be lifted Monday.
'After reviewing the situation, we felt this would be the best course of action,' said EdCox, NASCAR administrative competition director. He said Ingram would be on probation for the remainder of the season.
As a condition of probation, any future conduct by Ingram determined to be 'detrimental to the sport' will result in an automatic suspension and the loss of no fewer than 500 Busch grand national points, Cox said.
Despite missing last week's race at Martinsville, Va., Ingram leads the season-long points standings. He will also miss Saturday's Roses Stores 350 at Rougemont, N.C.
Pressley and Ingram, who have had several incidents in the past, tangled again in the Asheville crash. Ingram was leading the first 141 laps of the 150-lap race when three cars -- including Larry Ogle's - collided.
Ogle hit the outside wall and Pressley slammed into the inner wall just in front of the pit entrance while Ingram slipped between the two cars before skidding onto the infield. Ingram's car then spun and slammed head-on into Pressley's vehicle. Officials ruled Ingram intentionally hit Pressley, and fights broke out in the infield and in the pit area.
Ingram was arrested and charged with three counts of assaulting a police officer and one count of disorderly conduct. He is scheduled to make a court appearance on the charges on Oct. 6.
After learning the indefinite suspension was lifted, Ingram dropped his appeal of the punishment.
'I agree my conduct in this incident was detrimental to the sport and wish it hadn't happened,' said Ingram. 'I hope Ronnie Pressley doesn't have any hard feelings toward me because I am sorry about what happened.
'Cox revised the indefinite suspension and established some definite penalties. I agree these penalties are appropriate under the circumstances. I just want to get this incident behind me and get on with my career.'