NASCAR team owner Chad Bryant and two of his crew members have been suspended after a post-race fight at the hot dog stand at Martinsville Speedway this past weekend. The incident happened after the ValleyStar Credit Union 300, a late model race in a NASCAR Regional series.
In the race, Treyten Lapcevich and Corey Heim finished second and third, respectively. However, Lapcevich turned left into Heim after crossing the finish line, seemingly unhappy with how Heim had raced him in the final laps.
The contact sent Corey Heim’s car flying over the front of Lapcevich’s car, severely damaging both vehicles as they rolled onto pit road. Treyten Lapcevich then confronted Heim before his team owner, Chad Bryant, restrained him.
Treyten Lapcevich was going to confront Corey Heim after the race but team owner Chad Bryant stopped him. pic.twitter.com/ej2lEPt8Ss
— Short Track Scene (@ST_Scene) September 27, 2026
The car owner wasn’t able to restrain himself, however
Shortly after, Bryant and a few members of Lapcevich’s crew confronted Heim in front of the Martinsville hot dog stand in the infield. The altercation was eventually diffused by sheriff’s deputies.
Things got a little heated at the @MartinsvilleSwy hot dog stand after the race for Corey Heim…🫣 pic.twitter.com/NiFUMVCwfB
— NASCAR Regional (@NASCARRegional) September 27, 2026
Chad Bryant, owner of the Treyten Lapcevich car, received the harshest punishment on Tuesday. NASCAR suspended him indefinitely, fined him $2,000, barred him from the ValleyStar Credit Union 300 at Martinsville next year, and required him to complete anger management training.
Two additional members of Bryant’s team, Steven Civatarese and Ryden Lapcevich, Treyten Lapcevich’s younger brother, also received punishment from NASCAR. Civatarese received a $1,000 fine and an indefinite NASCAR suspension. In addition, he will be on NASCAR probation for a year and suspended from the 2027 ValleyStar Credit Union 300. Ryden Lapcevich was placed on NASCAR probation until December 31, 2027, and fined $500.
Treyten Lapcevich addressed the fight in a statement
The punishments come a day after Treyten Lapcevich issued a statement about the hot dog stand brawl.
“What happened with Corey after the race was wrong, and it should not have happened,” Treyten Lapcevich wrote on social media. “While I was not involved in the incident, I want to be clear that I do not condone any action that took place.
“Emotions can run high after a race, and I was certainly frustrated and upset following Saturday night. I planned on having a conversation with Corey following the race; however, there is a clear line between being angry about what happens on the racetrack and allowing that frustration to become physical. What happened after the race for sure crossed that line.
“No matter the circumstances, frustration from a race never justifies putting your hands on another competitor. I am glad Corey was able to walk away from the situation okay. Those actions were unacceptable, and they do not reflect who I am as a person or as a competitor.”