IREDELL COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — NASCAR driver Cody Shane Ware has been suspended indefinitely after he was arrested on assault and strangulation charges this month out of Mooresville, according to NASCAR officials and the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.
The aggravated assault was reported at 10:39 p.m. on Monday, April 3, at a residence located in the 2200 block of Brawley School Road in Mooresville, the incident report states.
Rick Ware Racing released the following statement regarding the situation:
Although the alleged crime occurred on April 3, online records show Ware wasn’t booked into jail on charges until one week later, on April 10.
Records show that the 27-year-old was booked into the Iredell County Detention Center on Monday and had a court appearance; however, Ware said that he’d miss this past weekend’s dirt race in Bristol for personal reasons, according to NASCAR. Matt Crafton was his replacement.
“Cody Ware will step away from racing this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway to focus on a personal matter. Matt Crafton will drive the No. 51 Ford Mustang for Rick Ware Racing. Crafton has more than 500 overall starts in his NASCAR career, winning…” Rick Ware Racing tweeted.
The charges listed were assault by strangulation – inflicting serious injury and assault on a female. The total bond was listed at $3,000.
Ware drove the No. 51 Ford Mustang car and raced full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. He drove for his father’s team, Rick Ware Racing. His social media accounts listed him as being out of Mooresville. On Monday, April 10, NASCAR issued an indefinite suspension, listing ‘behavioral, sections 4.4.D’ as the cause.
This isn’t the first time a member of the Ware family has faced similar charges. In October 2021, Carson Reed Ware was charged with assault on a female, simple assault, and injury to personal property. NASCAR suspended him following the 2021 arrest. In June 2022, NASCAR lifted Ware’s suspension.
It is unclear at this time when Cody Ware is expected to return to racing.
