NASCAR: Suspended driver Noah Gragson reinstated

NASCAR announced Tuesday afternoon that suspended rookie Cup driver Noah Gragson has been reinstated, effective immediately.

Gragson was suspended by NASCAR on August 5 and asked for his release from Legacy Motor Club the following day.

Competition officials suspended Gragson on Aug. 5 for violating the member conduct section of the NASCAR Rule Book, citing in a statement “his actions on social media.” That suspension came hours after his Legacy Motor Club team issued its own indefinite suspension, for “actions that do not represent the values of our team.”

Tuesday, a NASCAR spokesperson said that “Noah Gragson has completed diversity and inclusion training with our partners at RISE,” and that that group recommended his reinstatement, restoring his member privileges.

Gragson was 21 races into his rookie Cup Series season with Legacy Motor Club’s No. 42 Chevrolet team when he was suspended. Five days after that penalty, Gragson and the team announced that they had parted ways, with the 25-year-old driver asking for his release and the organization — co-owned by Maury Gallagher, Jimmie Johnson and Richard Petty — granting it.

“I have asked Legacy Motor Club to release me from my contract so that I can take time to work through the NASCAR reinstatement process,” Gragson said in his statement Aug. 10. “I love racing, and I am looking forward to a second chance to compete for wins at the highest level of NASCAR – and most importantly, make my family, my team and the fans proud of me once again.”

Legacy MC has fielded a host of substitutes in the No. 42 Chevy since Gragson’s departure, with Josh Berry, Carson Hocevar and Mike Rockenfeller taking the wheel for two races each. Hocevar, a Craftsman Truck Series regular, is scheduled to drive the Legacy Motor Club No. 42 this Saturday at Bristol Motor Speedway.

The organization announced Sept. 6 that Xfinity Series driver John Hunter Nemechek will take over the No. 42 seat next season.