Harvick

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NASCAR fined Kevin Harvick $35,000 on Monday and extended his probation until the end of the year for rough driving at Martinsville Speedway.

NASCAR also warned Harvick that further bad behavior would lead to a suspension.

"If there are any actions, in NASCAR's opinion, that are deemed detrimental to the sport or disruptive to the orderly conduct of an event, he will be suspended indefinitely," NASCAR said.

The action comes a day after the sanctioning body "parked" Harvick, forbidding him to drive in Sunday's Virginia 500. It was the first time in NASCAR's 54-year history of Winston Cup racing that a driver was forced to sit out a race as penalty for conduct on the track.

Harvick, already on probation until Aug. 28 for an altercation with Busch series driver Greg Biffle last month, was punished for an incident with Coy Gibbs during Saturday's truck race.

The two tangled over the course of the race and NASCAR drew the line when Harvick vowed to spin out Gibbs over his radio, then did by ramming his truck from behind entering the back straightaway.

Harvick was told to bring his truck off the track and report to the NASCAR hauler. He did, driving it straight up to the truck and parking it outside of NASCAR's door.

Typically, a driver brings his vehicle to its garage stall and walks over to the hauler when summoned.

NASCAR told Harvick he would not be allowed to drive in Sunday's Winston Cup race, a punishment car owner Richard Childress found to be unfair.

Childress agreed NASCAR should take action, but complained that the entire Cup team was penalized for Harvick's actions in the truck series. Harvick's wife, DeLana, owns the truck he occasionally drives.

"NASCAR is also punishing the entire No. 29 team and all of Richard Childress Racing for one person's actions."

But in parking him, NASCAR sent a message to the 26-year-old driver that his actions will not be tolerated.

Since taking over for the late Dale Earnhardt last season, Harvick has drawn attention for both his driving skills and his hot temper. He became the first driver to run both a complete Busch series and Winston Cup schedule, winning the Busch title and earning rookie of the year honors in Cup.

But he clashed several times last season with Biffle in the Busch series and angered veterans in Cup for his aggressiveness. Some began calling him "The Instigator" -- a play off Earnhardt's nickname "The Intimidator."

Many in the garage area applauded NASCAR's action and said it was long overdue.

"He's lost the respect of a lot of people just from his childish behavior," Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton said.