Slammin' Sammy

video UP DATE Sammy is 7

From Sammy Halbert. This came in on Fridya but it took us a while to put the clip on YoutTube.

Hey Gary,
Check these clips out of me bumping and crashing into Luke Gough at the Springfield Short track.
I am serving a 1 race suspension for this incident, so I am missing this weekends MN Mile GNC Twins race while I am in the lead of the twins championship!
Can I get one of the new Sideburn magazines from you?
Thanks,Sammy

Read Sammy's fist fight in a phone booth strategy in SB#6

UPDATE: This is taken from The Rider Files (thanks for the tip-off Randy). This is the official line on the incident.

“Sammy has been on probation since the May Springfield event,” [AMA Pro Racing's] Mike Kidd said. “He’d been warned about his riding tactics even before being put on probation. It’s unfortunate that we had to be put in the situation of having to suspend him for a race, but his safety and the safety of every other rider is our main priority and Sammy’s riding and his attitude was getting to the point that we had to act.”
Kidd said the incident in the Springfield Short Track Semi was senseless.
“He didn’t even need to be out there,” Kidd said. “We were restarting the race with just a couple of laps to go and he was starting in the back of the grid. He’d already stated that he was going to take a provisional to get into the national, but he said he wanted to get out there and help his brother get into the main. That’s just not acceptable.”
Kidd was quick to add that comments made by Halbert to the announcer that he was “tired of being pushed around,” did not influence the decision to suspend Halbert.
“We looked at the video and it was clear he took out the other rider [Luke Gough]. So we really had no choice other than to give him this suspension.”
For his part Halbert acknowledges that he got into the turn a little too hot, but he wasn’t trying to take out Gough.
“I was trying to perfect my block pass and came in low and drift out high,” Halbert said. “I went to the bottom and unfortunately Luke went to the bottom too and we came together. It’s one of those things that happens racing on a short track. I don’t think it’s fair that I was suspended for barely making contact.”
Halbert claimed he was being pushed wide on the exit of the short track turns by other rider, but he didn’t think much of it since it was part of the sport.
“My championship run has come to an end over a little incident on a paperclip short track. It’s unfortunate, but I just need to learn from it and come back stronger and go around the outside the next time.”
Halbert said he decided to finish out the Semi to learn the track as much as he could and acknowledged that if he could help to get his brother in the race he would, but not by messing up someone else’s race.
“There is only one AMA Pro Racing and I’ve got to play by their rules,” Halbert concluded. “I’ve got to make sure I learn whatever lesson they’re trying to teach me. Since I was on suspension I tried to be careful and not be so aggressive, but it’s hard to remember that in the heat of the battle.”