NASCAR Lets Waltrip Back on the Track

After Casey Mears knocked Waltrip's car into the wall late in Saturday's race at Richmond International Raceway, Waltrip retaliated by ramming into the back of Mears' car and pushing it several hundred yards.

NASCAR parked Waltrip for the final 58 laps, a penalty that cost him as much as 60 Sprint Cup points.

"I've never gotten parked before," Waltrip said Monday during a break in testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I read in the paper where people got parked, but I didn't know how you did that. Now I do."

Mears, also at the track for an extra testing session for the Car of Tomorrow, said he had a breakdown in communication with his spotter.

"I don't know if we just had a radio problem or what happened there, but we were kind of running by ourselves there for quite a while," Mears said. "I think the 55 came out on new tires and was running us down and I just wasn't aware of it, and I came off of (turn) 4 and hit him. I had no idea he was there."

NASCAR said Waltrip won't face any further penalties, and Mears believes Saturday's punishment was sufficient.