Jake Crum Charged, Arraigned on Assault; Annabeth Barnes Subject to Penalty

Update: NASCAR notified Jake Crum on Thursday that he was barred from competition at any sanctioned event and ineligible to acquire a competition license for the remainder of the year.

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Following the incident on Saturday night at Hickory Motor Speedway, Robert Huffman has pressed charges against Jake Crum leading to an arrest in Alexander County with extradition to Catawba County. Crum immediately posted bail on simple assault charges and was released from custody.

The charges were based on the incident below:

The incident was a response to a series of events that transpired on track between Crum’s wife, Annabeth Barnes-Crum and defending track champion Landon Huffman, the son of veteran NASCAR and short tracker Robert.

With three laps to go, Barnes-Crum drifted up and pinched the younger Huffman into the wall, with the track champion responding with a bump-and-run in the following corner. In response, Barnes-Crum attempted to right rear Huffman but spun herself out in the process.

Under caution, Barnes-Crum drove around the track and targeted Huffman for retaliation, eventually driving right into the rear of his car and driving across the right side. Simultaneously, the Huffmans allege that Crum, who was spotting for his wife, ‘clotheslined’ the elder Huffman, who was spotting for his son, from behind and started to kick him in the face while down.

The elder Huffman was checked and released at the track with a busted nose and injuries to his eyes with bruises and cuts across his body. Charges were pressed after the weekend leading to the arrest.

At press time, neither Hickory Motor Speedway nor NASCAR has commented publicly on the matter. Hickory Motor Speedway is a NASCAR sanctioned Home Track and penalties could come from Daytona and Charlotte. Short Track Scene learned that the sanctioning body has met on the matter in advance of any possible sanctions. The league says it’s working through its ‘standard process and protocols.’ The website has asked to be notified of any decision on the matter.

HITTING OR DAMAGING ANOTHER COMPETITOR’S CAR/TRUCK UNDER PACE LAPS, CAUTION OR AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE RACE: 1st Offense will result in a fine (based on severity) and /or disqualification and/or loss of finishing position and/or loss of points and /or suspension and/or probation. 2nd Offense – Minimum $300 fine (base on severity) and/or disqualification and/or loss of finishing position and/or loss of points and /or suspension and/or probation. 

As has become a tradition of sorts anytime Hickory Motor Speedway faces scrutiny, the track simply deletes comments on Facebook referencing the incident or from those asking if any comment is coming from the track. This was also the standard operating procedure in March when it faced scrutiny over an rule book discrepancy over tires and the Twin 40s format used by the speedway.

The track was ultimately forced to write an addendum to the rule book but also wrote-in a social media policy that aimed to quiet criticisms of the venue by competitors.

Huffman also posted a series of videos to his YouTube detailing his family’s side of the incident and assessing the damage to their car.

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