January 1, NASCAR Drops Hammer on Staffer After Shocking Golf Cart Attack

Wyatt’s Take

• NASCAR handed down a serious suspension after a 23XI Racing crew member allegedly used a golf cart as a weapon against a senior citizen at a North Carolina track
• The victim was a 77-year-old man who ended up hospitalized with injuries serious enough to warrant criminal charges
• This incident shows the kind of violence that’s becoming too common in professional sports, and NASCAR didn’t mess around with their response

NASCAR has suspended a 23XI Racing crew member indefinitely after he allegedly assaulted an elderly man with a golf cart during an incident at a North Carolina speedway. The sanctioning body announced the punishment Wednesday in their weekly penalty report, sending a clear message that this kind of behavior won’t be tolerated.

The staffer, identified as Howell, now faces both NASCAR’s wrath and serious legal trouble. The 77-year-old victim was injured badly enough to require hospitalization, and local authorities have filed charges over the alleged attack.

NASCAR indefinitely suspended Evanna Howell, the senior account manager at 23XI Racing, for violating rulebook section 4.4.A. She was charged May 23 with assault with a deadly weapon, inflicting serious injury in Cabarrus County, North Carolina, records show. pic.twitter.com/uwxuiSc5wG

— Jonathan Fjeld (@Jonathan_Fjeld) May 27, 2026

According to reports, the incident took place at one of NASCAR’s facilities, where golf carts are common transportation for crew members and staff moving around the sprawling grounds. What should have been routine track operations turned violent when Howell allegedly used the vehicle as a weapon against the senior citizen.

NASCAR’s indefinite suspension means Howell is banned from all sanctioning body activities until further notice. The team he worked for, 23XI Racing, is co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan and driver Denny Hamlin. The organization has not yet issued a public statement about their employee’s alleged actions.

The 77-year-old victim’s condition and the full extent of his injuries have not been publicly disclosed, but the fact that he required hospitalization speaks to the seriousness of the alleged assault. When a golf cart becomes a weapon, the potential for catastrophic injury is very real, especially for elderly victims.

Criminal proceedings are now underway in North Carolina, where Howell will have to answer for his alleged actions in court. The charges filed by local law enforcement run parallel to NASCAR’s internal disciplinary process, meaning the crew member faces consequences on multiple fronts.

This incident comes at a time when 23XI Racing has already been making headlines for other reasons, including ongoing legal disputes with NASCAR over charter agreements and team operations. Now they’ve got this personnel nightmare to deal with on top of everything else.

NASCAR has shown in recent years that they’re willing to crack down hard on conduct violations, whether they happen on the track or off. The indefinite nature of this suspension suggests the sanctioning body views this alleged assault as a major breach of professional standards.

Golf carts might seem harmless, but they’re motorized vehicles capable of causing serious harm when misused. The fact that an alleged attacker would weaponize one against a 77-year-old man raises questions about what kind of confrontation could have escalated to that point.

The racing community is now watching to see how both the legal system and NASCAR handle this case moving forward. Will Howell ever return to the sport? That depends on the courts, NASCAR’s investigation, and whether 23XI Racing decides to keep him employed.

Wyatt Matters

When you’re given the privilege of working in professional sports, you represent something bigger than yourself. Using a vehicle to hurt a senior citizen isn’t just criminal, it’s cowardly. NASCAR did the right thing here by acting swiftly and decisively. In Middle America, we believe in respecting our elders and taking responsibility for our actions. This crew member failed on both counts, and he’s paying the price.