Dale Jr.’s Budweiser return tarnished by Conner Jones’ brawl, weeks after the latter's wreck hospitalized a NASCAR driver

Dale Jr. returned to the Florence Motor Speedway for the third consecutive time but with the spirit of a Budweiser reunion that came to fruition after a 17-year hiatus. While the community was abuzz with Junior's return with the iconic red-white paint scheme and the stylized #8, the charm of his Late Model Race was tainted by Conner Jones, who got into a physical altercation with Mason Diaz.

The South Carolina 400 race witnessed Treyten Lapcevich dominate the 250-lap event to clinch the win, with Dale Jr. registering a P28 finish. But on Lap 86, a massive pileup ensued, courtesy of a door slam between Conner Jones and Mason Diaz. The field was maneuvering under caution when Jones traded paint with Diaz, resulting in a DNF for the latter.

It stemmed from an earlier scuffle in the race which made Jones furious and instigated him to break Diaz's fender. However, following the wreck that prompted a red flag, both drivers had a violent altercation as they grappled on the floor, and personnel were required to separate the agitated drivers.

Diaz outlined that he tried to make things right after an earlier issue in the race but Jones didn't take his cue and deliberately clipped him. He said (via Matt Weaver).

"Earlier in the race, me and Conner had a little scuffle. I moved him, it was me, but I let him get back up, I didn’t pass him. I didn’t mean to do it... The next caution came out, and he came up under caution, three cars behind, and drove into my right front, broke the fender," Diaz said (0:28).

Diaz slammed Jones for not learning a lesson from past mistakes.

"I don’t know what more the kid needs. Suspended from NASCAR, the list goes on and on. Every single person is probably happy he got in a fight with someone because everybody wants to do it to him." (1:40)

While Diaz succumbed to a DNF, Jones, who seems to have become infamous for his racing style after his NASCAR Truck Series drama, completed his race and finished two places behind Dale Jr. in P30.

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Conner Jones caught the limelight for all the wrong reasons during the Truck Series race before his incident at Dale Jr.'s Budweiser return

Conner Jones fields a part-time entry for ThorSport Racing and recently contested in the Baptist Health 200 Truck Series race at the Homestead-Miami Speedway. However, the day ended with a brutal aftermath following Jones' deliberate wreck into rival Matt Mills.

The duo had encountered multiple on-track incidents during the season. But tempers flared after Mills' hard racing didn't sit well with Jones. He slammed into the former's rear, moving him into the outside wall. Mills' truck caught fire and the driver was hospitalized for two days due to smoke inhalation.

“Matt and I have encountered several on-track incidents this season, and I let my frustration get the best of me. I underestimated the impact my actions would have on Matt, and I deeply regret the consequences that followed," an excerpt of Jones' apology read.

Conner Jones was given a two-lap penalty but was later awarded a stricter reprimand of a one-race suspension.